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Claude AI for Excel: The Complete Hands-On Guide

Claude AI-Assisted Mastery of Formulas, VBA, Power Query M, Pivot Tables, Charts and Excel Automation

Created byGrant Gamble

Last updated 6/2026

English

What you'll learn

Use Claude AI to build, format, and automate Excel workbooks faster than traditional manual methods
Write effective prompts to generate formulas, pivot tables, charts, and VBA macros without prior coding knowledge
Clean, analyse, and visualise data in Excel using AI-assisted workflows across real business scenarios
Connect external data sources, automate repetitive tasks, and produce professional reports using Claude and Excel together
Build Power Query pipelines and VBA macros to automate repetitive Excel tasks without writing code from scratch
Import, clean, and standardise data from CSV, PDF, DOCX, and web sources into analysis-ready Excel tables
Design pivot tables, conditional formatting rules, and dynamic charts that communicate business insights clearly
Apply structured prompting techniques to get accurate, first-attempt results from Claude across any Excel task

Course content

10 sections • 87 lectures • 9h 10m total length

1.01 Welcome to Claude AI for Excel1:58
1.0.2 Downloading the Exercise Files1:14
Before you start the course, download the exercise files using the link in the Resources section below this lecture. The files are provided as a single zip archive — make sure you unzip the folder before opening any of the workbooks, as Excel may not open files correctly directly from a zip file. Each section of the course has its own subfolder, and the workbook for each lesson matches exactly what you will see on screen.
1.0.3 Claude AI Business Subscription Options6:04
Comparing Claude's Team and Enterprise subscription models.
1.0.4 Installing the Claude AI Add-in2:43
How to install the Claude AI add-in and sing into your Claude AI account from inside Excel.
1.1.1 Discovering What Claude Sees and Where the Boundaries Are4:53
How Claude reads your active sheet, selection, and workbook structure
1.1.2 Hard Limits and How to Route Around Them3:50
What Claude can't do inside Excel — no live feeds or direct exports — and the workarounds for each.
1.1.3 The Three Layers of AI Assistance6:21
The three ways to work with Claude in Excel: the interactive plugin, generated automation code, and the API.
1.2.1 Goal, Scope, Format and Constraints6:40
The four components of an effective prompt: goal, scope, format and constraints.
1.2.2 Outcomes vs. Processes6:18
Describing the result you want rather than prescribing how Claude should get there.
1.2.3 Positive, Negative and Iterative Refinement Prompting10:53
Using positive and negative examples to show Claude what you're aiming for. Refining Claude's response step by step instead of starting over.

2.1.1 Reading Cell Data5:28
The difference between what a cell displays and what it contains, and how to ask Claude about each.
2.1.2 Writing Cell Data7:02
Populating cells, ranges and tables with data through Claude.
2.1.3 Writing Formulas7:31
Asking Claude to insert live calculations rather than hard-coded results
2.1.4 Cell Notes — Turning a workbook into a self-documenting artifact6:22
Adding context and documentation to cells with cell notes.
2.1.5 Clearing Content vs. Formatting7:23
Clearing cell content versus formatting, and removing only what you intend.
2.2.1 SUM, SUMIF, SUMIFS6:17
Using SUM, SUMIF and SUMIFS for conditional aggregation in business
2.2.2 VLOOKUP vs. XLOOKUP5:27
When to choose XLOOKUP over VLOOKUP, and matching the function to your Excel version.
2.2.3 INDEX - MATCH5:42
Using INDEX/MATCH for left-facing and multi-column lookups.
2.2.4 IF, IFS, and SWITCH7:29
Building logic with IF, IFS and SWITCH for classification, flags and tiered outputs.
2.2.5 Nested Logic7:55
Combining multiple conditions, and asking Claude to build and explain nested logic.

3.1.1 Currency and Accounting Formats5:49
Currency and accounting formats, and when each is correct.
3.1.2 Percentage Formats7:28
Percentage formats, decimal places and avoiding multiply-by-100 confusion
3.1.3 Date Formats11:30
Date formats, regional conventions and sorting dates correctly.
3.1.4 Custom Format Codes7:29
Building custom format codes for financial statements.
3.1.5 Thousands Separators and Scaling8:17
Using thousands separators and displaying values in thousands or millions with correct labels.
3.2.1 Font Family, Size, and Weight5:02
Applying consistent typography to headers, data rows and totals.
3.2.2 Bold, Italic, and Underline4:34
Bold, italic and underline emphasis, and when each is appropriate.
3.2.3 Font Color5:34
Using font colour to signal meaning, not just for appearance.
3.2.4 Alignment5:57
Horizontal, vertical and wrap-text alignment for readable tables.
3.2.5 Column Widths and Row Heights6:12
Setting column widths and row heights and matching a visual standard.
3.3.1 Color Scales6:25
Colour scales that show magnitude across a range.
3.3.2 Data Bars5:30
Data bars, the in-cell bar charts for quick comparison.
3.3.3 Icon Sets7:01
Icon sets such as traffic lights, arrows and stars for RAG reporting.
3.3.4 Formula-Based Rules5:53
Formula-based rules that highlight entire rows on a condition.
3.3.5 Managing and Updating Rules6:46
Managing, stacking and clearing conditional formatting rules.

4.1.1 Creating and Naming Sheets5:49
Creating and naming sheets with meaningful names and logical placement.
4.1.2 Duplicating and Templating6:21
Duplicating a formatted sheet as a monthly or regional template.
4.1.3 Deleting and Reorganizing6:10
Deleting and reordering sheets without breaking references.
4.1.4 Creating a Workbook from Scratch5:43
Asking Claude to build a workbook solution with data entry sheets and a consolidation sheet which uses 3D formulas.
4.2.1 Inserting and Deleting Rows and Columns6:25
Inserting and deleting rows and columns without breaking formulas.
4.2.2 Grouping for Collapsible Sections6:00
Grouping rows and columns into collapsible sections.
4.2.3 Freeze Panes5:16
Freezing panes to keep headers and labels visible while scrolling

5.1.1 Chart Type Selection Logic6:55
Choosing between column, bar, line, pie, scatter and area charts for your data story.
5.1.2 Building from a Data Range6:44
Building a chart from a data range by specifying source, series and categories.
5.1.3 Multiple Series Charts7:21
Adding multiple data series and managing the legend.
5.2.1 Chart and Axis Titles5:28
Adding chart and axis titles that stand in for a caption.
5.2.2 Data Labels5:26
When and how to show data labels on chart elements.
5.2.3 Trendlines5:17
Adding linear or exponential trendlines, with equations.

6.1.1 What Makes Good Pivot Source Data6:40
What makes good pivot source data, and how to check before building.
6.1.2 Defining the Business Question5:57
Framing the business question so the right pivot layout is built.
6.1.3 Row, Column, Value, and Filter Fields6:11
Placing fields in rows, columns, values and filters, and why.
6.1.4 Placing the Pivot on the Right Sheet5:33
Placing the pivot on the right sheet, separate from raw data.
6.2.1 Aggregation Functions-Choosing the Right Measure6:17
Choosing aggregation functions such as SUM, COUNT, AVERAGE and MAX, and switching between them.
6.2.2 Layout Options-Compact, Outline, and Tabular5:30
Compact, outline and tabular layouts, and when each works best.
6.2.3 Show Values As-Derived Views Without Extra Formulas5:45
Show Values As views such as percentage of total, running total and rank, without extra formulas.
6.2.4 Sorting and Filtering Within a Pivot7:26
Sorting and filtering within a pivot, including top-N and report filters.

7.1.1 Single Column Sorting6:50
Single-level sorting by one column, alphabetically, numerically or by date.
7.1.2 Multi-Level Sort4:06
Multi-level sorting with primary and secondary keys.
7.1.3 Custom Sort Order6:28
Custom sort orders, such as Low, Medium, High.
7.1.4 Using AutoFilter6:56
Applying AutoFilter to ranges and tables and setting criteria.
7.1.5 Advanced Filter Criteria6:06
Advanced filtering with multiple conditions and formula-based criteria.
7.2.1 Dropdown Lists7:45
Creating dropdown lists from a list or range.
7.2.2 Input Constraints7:47
Setting input constraints for numbers, dates and text length.
7.2.3 Custom Validation Formulas7:05
Custom validation formulas for business logic, such as end date after start date.
7.3.1 Data Cleaning and Standardization12:14
Trimming leading, trailing and excess internal spaces. Standardising text case with PROPER, UPPER and LOWER.
7.3.2 Removing Duplicates8:01
Identifying and removing exact and near-duplicate rows.

8.1.1 Power Query vs. Formulas vs VBA7:09
Choosing between Power Query, formulas and VBA, and when a pipeline wins.
8.1.2 The M Code Claude Writes7:18
Reading the M code Claude writes, including the let...in structure.
8.1.3 The Recommended Power Query Workflow8:47
Using Power Query M created by Claude. Pasting and running M code in the Advanced Editor.
8.2.1 Getting Started with VBA6:22
When to use VBA, overview of VBA implementations and getting set up to utilize VBA code.
8.2.2 Asking Claude to Create VBA Code6:31
Creating a setup which enables Claude to write, debug and update macros for you.
8.2.3 Creating a Cross Application Macro7:16
Asking Claude to generate a macro which generates Microsoft Word reports from Excel data.

9.1.1 Searching the Web9:32
Searching for public data such as financial filings, market data and company information, and structuring it.
9.1.2 Structuring Web Data for Excel7:41
Structuring unstructured web content into clean table rows.
9.1.3 Verifying and Spot-Checking6:17
Verifying and spot-checking that retrieved data matches the source.
9.2.1 Importing CSV and XLSX Files6:39
Importing CSV and XLSX data and normalising it to your workbook.
9.2.2 PDF Extraction5:09
Extracting tables and numbers from PDF reports, invoices and filings.
9.2.3 DOCX Parsing4:00
Parsing content from DOCX files into Excel ranges.

10.1.1 Descriptive Statistics5:21
Descriptive statistics such as AVERAGE, MEDIAN, STDEV, MIN and MAX in a summary block.
10.1.2 Correlation4:23
Calculating and interpreting correlation with CORREL
10.1.3 Distribution and Spread5:06
Distribution and spread with KURT, SKEW, PERCENTILE and FREQUENCY.
10.1.4 Building a Statistical Summary Table6:51
Building a clean statistical summary table from raw data.
10.2.1 Sensitivity Analysis Fundamentals4:56
Why sensitivity analysis matters — moving from point estimates to ranges.
10.2.2 The Two-Variable Grid4:43
Building a two-variable sensitivity grid from row and column assumptions.
10.2.3 Building the Grid Without =TABLE()5:06
Building the grid with formula injection, without native Data Tables.
10.2.4 Formatting the Output4:43
Formatting the sensitivity output with colour scales and clear labels.
10.2.5 Tornado Charts8:03
Tornado charts that rank which assumption matters most.

Requirements

A paid Claude subscription (Pro at $20/month or above) — required to access the Claude for Excel add-in
Microsoft Excel installed on Windows or Mac (Microsoft 365 recommended for access to XLOOKUP, dynamic arrays, and Power Query)
No prior coding or formula knowledge needed — the course starts from the basics and builds up progressively

Description

This course contains the use of artificial intelligence. AI tools are used in the production of this course, including AI-assisted speech delivery based on the instructor's own voice. All content, demonstrations, workbooks, and prompts have been personally designed, reviewed, and verified by the instructor to ensure accuracy and practical value.

What if you could have an expert Excel consultant sitting beside you every time you opened a spreadsheet?

That's exactly what Claude AI gives you. This course teaches you to work with Claude as a genuine productivity partner — not just to ask it simple questions, but to delegate entire workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and produce professional-grade output in a fraction of the time.

Everything you need is provided

Every lesson comes with the exact workbook used in the recording, all supporting datasets and documents, and the complete prompts used to produce every result on screen. Open the file, run the prompt, see it work — then adapt it to your own data. There's no guesswork and no gap between what you see demonstrated and what you can replicate immediately.

With Claude AI, you don't need to love Excel to get great results from it

Even if formulas make your eyes glaze over, VBA sounds like a foreign language, and you've always felt like everyone else just gets spreadsheets — this course is designed for you. Claude handles the syntax, the function arguments and the code. Your job is to describe what you want. The course teaches you exactly how to do that clearly and consistently, so you get the right result first time rather than the fifth.

What you'll work through

Formulas and functions — XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, dynamic arrays, nested logic and batch deployment across entire datasets
Formatting and presentation — typography, number formats, conditional formatting and chart customisation to board-ready standard
Pivot tables and data tools — source data hygiene, aggregation, layout, sorting, filtering and management reporting output
Data cleaning — whitespace, case standardisation, deduplication, format normalisation and find-and-replace at scale
Power Query M — ETL pipelines, transformations, merging, unpivoting, null handling and cell-backed parameters
VBA and automation — formatting macros, event triggers, UserForms, audit trails and one-click report generation
External data — importing CSV, PDF and DOCX files, web search with automatic source citations, and data provenance
Analysis — descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, sensitivity grids, tornado charts and financial modelling

Practical from the first lesson

Every module was designed around real business scenarios — not toy examples. The workbooks, datasets and exercises reflect the kind of spreadsheet work that actually lands on your desk. The hands-on approach means you're practising on realistic data from the first lesson.

By the end of this course you won't just know more Excel. You'll work differently — faster, more confidently, and with an AI that handles the execution while you focus on the decisions.

Who this course is for:

Excel users who want to stop doing repetitive formatting, formula writing, and data cleaning tasks manually
Finance and accounting professionals who need to build models, reports, and dashboards faster without learning to code
Business analysts and operations managers who work with large datasets and want AI to handle the heavy lifting
Anyone who has tried Claude in the browser and wants to use it directly inside Excel for real spreadsheet work
Professionals who want to future-proof their Excel skills by learning how AI fits into their daily workflow

Claude AI for Excel: The Complete Hands-On Guide

What you'll learn

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Course content

Foundations10 lectures • 51min

Section 2: Cell Data & Formulas10 lectures • 1hr 7min

Section 3: Formatting15 lectures • 1hr 39min

Section 4: Sheet Structure7 lectures • 42min

Section 5: Charts6 lectures • 37min

Section 6: Pivot Tables8 lectures • 49min

Section 7: Data Tools10 lectures • 1hr 13min

Section 8: Power Query & VBA Automation6 lectures • 43min

Section 9 External Data6 lectures • 39min

Section 10: Analysis9 lectures • 49min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: