Choose one of three approaches. The steps for that option appear below.
Choose an option above. On a phone, swipe the tabs left or right to see all options →
ChatGPT runs a code-backed batch calculation on the approved export. You inspect the code and recalculate samples before keeping anything.
Prepare the inputs
Produce the draft
Check and save
Use: You
Have ready: customer open-items CSV (columns listed in the prompt) and owner-approved rules.
Stop if upload permission is absent. Verify date, currency, completeness and the supplied rules; do not replace missing rules with guesses.
Inputs to have ready
Inputs needed: a customer open-items CSV with item ID, customer ID, invoice date, due date, currency, open amount, credit-note link and dispute status (or still to confirm); an owner-approved as-of date, date convention, ageing bucket boundaries and credit-note treatment.
Use: ChatGPT
Ask ChatGPT's data analysis for the row-level table, totals by customer and currency, and the exception list, with Python code and row counts.
What to paste into the tool
Task: Produce a draft row-level ageing table, totals by customer and currency, and a missing-date/dispute exception list. Inputs: [ATTACH: the approved open-items CSV from step A-1] [PASTE: as-of date] [PASTE: date convention, including input date format and how days past due are counted] [PASTE: ageing bucket boundaries, e.g. 1-30, 31-60 days past due] [PASTE: credit-note treatment]. Use only these inputs. Show the Python used and a row-level audit trail with source IDs. Age by days past due, not invoice age. Keep not-yet-due balances separate. Apply only the supplied bucket boundaries, date convention and credit-note treatment. Keep disputed items flagged and currencies separate. Missing due dates go to the still-to-confirm bucket, not the oldest bucket. Never silently drop or repair rows. Report missing facts as not stated. Do not access accounts or external sources, send messages, post entries, change the master ledger, sign, publish or pay. Produce a draft for human review only.
Use: You
Check the output against the originals and correct or reject it; save only the checked pack locally, marked draft.
Recalculate days past due at boundaries, negative balances and blank due dates. Check every input item appears once. Totals match open amounts by currency. Do not send, sign, pay, publish, post journals or update master records. No accounting-system action.
Only synthetic sample rows go to Copilot in Excel chat mode. You test the formulas and build the real worksheet.
Prepare synthetic samples
Suggest formulas
Build and check
Use: You
Have ready: customer open-items CSV (columns listed in the prompt) and owner-approved rules.
Stop if upload permission is absent.
Inputs to have ready
Inputs needed: a customer open-items CSV with item ID, customer ID, invoice date, due date, currency, open amount, credit-note link and dispute status (or still to confirm); an owner-approved as-of date, date convention, ageing bucket boundaries and credit-note treatment.
Use: Copilot in Excel
Ask Copilot in Excel chat mode for formula text, explanations and synthetic test cases; it must not edit the workbook or make a finance decision
What to paste into the tool
Task: Suggest spreadsheet formulas and test cases for a private draft worksheet, not a finance decision. Inputs: [PASTE: 5-10 synthetic example rows, no real customers or amounts] [PASTE: column names] [PASTE: approved bucket rules, date convention and credit-note treatment] [PASTE: synthetic as-of date]. Use only these inputs. Age by days past due, not invoice age. Keep not-yet-due balances separate. Apply only the supplied bucket boundaries, date convention and credit-note treatment. Keep disputed items flagged and currencies separate. Missing due dates go to the still-to-confirm bucket, not the oldest bucket. Explain references, date boundaries, sign handling and error conditions. Give formulas as text, with sample expected results; do not edit files. Missing inputs must produce not stated or an explicit exception. Do not choose accounting policy or recommend action. Do not send, post, sign, publish or pay.
Use: You
Test each formula on synthetic edge cases; build the local worksheet with checked formulas, reconcile it and save as draft.
Do not send, sign, pay, publish, post journals or update master records. No accounting-system action.
All matching and arithmetic stay manual. Claude only summarises a small, checked text note and lists open questions.
Calculate by hand
Summarise the note
Compare and save
Use: You
Have ready: customer open-items CSV (columns listed in the prompt) and owner-approved rules. Assign buckets manually, reconcile totals by currency, write the checked TXT note.
Stop if upload permission is absent.
Inputs to have ready
Inputs needed: a customer open-items CSV with item ID, customer ID, invoice date, due date, currency, open amount, credit-note link and dispute status (or not-stated); an owner-approved as-of date, date convention, ageing bucket boundaries and credit-note treatment.
Use: Claude
Ask Claude to summarise the checked note and list open questions, without recalculating any amounts; give Claude the note, not the data file.
What to paste into the tool
Task: Write a concise internal summary of the human-checked ageing table, listing only supplied totals, disputes and not-stated facts. Input: [PASTE: the human-checked note from step C-1]. Use only this note. Preserve every amount, unit, date, label and source ID exactly. Do not recalculate, infer missing facts or add a judgement. Age by days past due, not invoice age. Keep not-yet-due balances separate. Apply only the supplied bucket boundaries, date convention and credit-note treatment. Keep disputed items flagged and currencies separate. Missing due dates go to the not-stated bucket, not the oldest bucket. Say not stated for missing information. Separate facts from open questions. Do not draft an external message or instruct anyone to act. Do not access accounts, send, post, sign, publish or pay. Return internal draft text only.
Use: You
Compare every sentence and number with the checked note, remove unsupported interpretations, then save only the checked pack locally, marked draft.
Do not send, sign, pay, publish, post journals or update master records. No accounting-system action.
Best when: You need repeatable batch calculations and can check code
What it does: ChatGPT calculates; code and row counts stay visible
Strong at: The code and row-level audit trail are exposed for you to check
Limit: You must read the code and recheck calculations yourself
Free plan: Yes, limited (uploads, images, voice, data analysis)
Best when: You want formula help but keep real figures local
What it does: Copilot in Excel suggests formulas on synthetic samples only
Strong at: Real figures never leave your hands
Limit: Microsoft warns Copilot is not for finance decisions
Free plan: Paid plan needed
Best when: You already have checked numbers and need clear wording
What it does: Claude summarises your checked note; arithmetic stays manual
Strong at: Arithmetic and policy stay fully human-led
Limit: You must calculate first and check the summary kept facts
Free plan: Yes
Before you paste into any AI tool, remove any confidential information. Put it back at the end.
Deciding between ChatGPT and Claude for this? See the comparison.
Never paste credentials or full payment details.
Confirm authorised inputs and rules before use.
Recalculate days past due and bucket assignment for the as-of date, due today, one day overdue, each boundary, negative balances and blank due dates. Tie every currency total back to the source export.
Reconcile completeness and totals, preserve open questions, and save only a draft.
Check the result against your original inputs. Approve it before sharing or acting.
Based on official product documentation checked on 2026-10-29.