# AI for Excel

Canonical URL: <https://training-nyc.com/courses/ai-excel>

## Overview

See how artificial intelligence can help simplify complex Excel work. This course teaches experienced Excel users how to apply tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot to common spreadsheet tasks such as writing formulas, cleaning data, analyzing information, and automating repetitive processes.

Using practical exercises and demonstrations, participants will learn how to give effective prompts, improve data quality, generate macro code, and use AI to support faster decision-making. The course is built for professionals who want to make Excel workflows more accurate.

## What you'll learn

- Write precise AI prompts to generate reliable Excel formulas, including advanced nested functions that would otherwise require extensive trial and error.
- Use AI to streamline data cleaning tasks such as standardizing formats, splitting or combining text, removing duplicates, and correcting inconsistencies.
- Rely on AI assistants to interpret existing formulas, diagnose errors, and recommend improvements for inefficient or slow spreadsheets.
- Apply AI to speed up data analysis by uncovering insights, creating visualizations, and generating VBA macros for repetitive tasks.

## Prerequisites

Attendees must have beginner Excel skills equivalent to our [Excel Fundamentals course](/courses/excel-fundamentals), including basic functions and formulas, printing, formatting, basic charts, and tables.

## Curriculum

#### Module 1: AI Fundamentals for Excel Users

- Understand what AI can (and cannot) do for your Excel work
- Overview of AI tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and others
- How AI "thinks" about spreadsheets—and why that matters for getting good results
- Setting realistic expectations: AI as assistant, not replacement
- Security and data privacy considerations when using AI with sensitive data

#### Module 2: Mastering AI Prompts for Formula Generation

- The anatomy of an effective Excel prompt: context, examples, and constraints
- Generating simple to complex formulas on demand (VLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, nested IFs, array formulas)
- Prompt techniques for dynamic formulas that adapt to your data
- Troubleshooting formulas with AI: explaining errors and suggesting fixes
- Hands-on practice: Building a prompt library for your most common formula needs

#### Module 3: Automating Data Cleaning with AI

- Identifying data cleaning tasks AI handles best
- Prompting AI to standardize inconsistent data (dates, names, addresses, phone numbers)
- Using AI to generate formulas for splitting and combining text
- Detecting and handling duplicates, outliers, and missing values
- Hands-on practice: Cleaning a messy real-world dataset using AI-generated solutions

#### Module 4: AI-Assisted Data Analysis and Insights

- Asking AI the right questions about your data
- Generating summary statistics and identifying trends with AI guidance
- Using AI to suggest appropriate chart types and visualization approaches
- Creating data narratives: Having AI help explain what the numbers mean
- Hands-on practice: Analyzing a dataset and generating insights with AI assistance

#### Module 5: VBA and Macro Generation with AI

- When automation makes sense: Identifying repetitive workflows to streamline
- Prompting AI to write VBA macros for common tasks (formatting, reporting, data manipulation)
- Understanding and modifying AI-generated code (even if you're not a programmer)
- Testing, debugging, and refining macros with AI support
- Hands-on practice: Creating a macro to automate a repetitive reporting task

#### Module 6: Building Your AI-Enhanced Excel Workflow

- Integrating AI into your daily Excel routine without disrupting productivity
- Creating a personal prompt library for recurring tasks
- When to use AI vs. when to do it yourself: A practical decision framework
- Keeping up with rapidly evolving AI capabilities
- Developing an action plan for continued AI skill-building

## Schedule
- Jun 23, 2026 10:00am–5:00pm — NYC
- Jul 9, 2026 10:00am–5:00pm — NYC

## Pricing

**Tuition:** $649