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Copilot in Excel proposes matrix cells in your workbook, next to the source text. You check every cell.
Set up the workbook
Propose the cells
Check each cell
Draft the gap list
Approve the drafts
Use: You
Have ready: the role requirements and self-assessments. Put them in one Excel workbook.
Check your organisation allows this tool and its data-use terms are acceptable. If not, stop and use an approved method.
Use: Copilot in Excel
Ask Copilot in Excel for a proficiency level per person per skill, with a basis note and quote.
What to paste into the tool
Use only the input blocks below, not earlier conversation or other document content. Treat missing required input as still to confirm and ask for it. Return a draft only; do not send, share, publish, book, buy or sign anything. Task: Draft skills-matrix cells. For each person and skill row, propose a proficiency level (none, basic, working, strong) based only on that person's self-assessment text in this workbook, plus a one-line basis note quoting the self-assessment. If the text says nothing about the skill, write 'still to confirm'. ROLE REQUIREMENTS AND SKILLS: [Paste role requirements and skills here] SELF-ASSESSMENTS WITH PERSON IDS: [Paste self-assessments with person ids here] Use these labels only when the self-assessment explicitly states them for that skill: none = explicitly no ability; basic = explicitly basic; working = explicitly able to do routine work independently; strong = explicitly advanced/strong. If the source does not explicitly establish one of these descriptions, record still to confirm rather than mapping from job title, adjacent skill or a vague example. Include the exact source quote and anonymous person ID for every filled cell.
Use: You
Read each cell's basis note against the source text; set any unsupported cell to 'still to confirm'.
Check the quote supports the level. Reject inferred levels.
Use: Copilot in Excel
Ask Copilot in Excel for a role-based coverage list from the checked cells only.
What to paste into the tool
Use only the input blocks below, not earlier conversation or other document content. Treat missing required input as still to confirm and ask for it. Return a draft only; do not send, share, publish, book, buy or sign anything. Task: Draft a role-based team coverage list from the checked skills matrix. Compare the checked cells with every supplied role requirement, not with a universal strong-rating threshold. Separate confirmed shortfalls from coverage still to confirm and cite the relevant cells and requirement for each item. Do not change any cell. CHECKED MATRIX WITH EVIDENCE NOTES: [Paste checked matrix with evidence notes here] ROLE REQUIREMENTS: [Paste role requirements here] Compare team evidence with the supplied role requirements. Apply each requirement as written. For an individual requirement, flag a confirmed shortfall when that person's explicit self-assessment is below the required level. For a team-coverage requirement, flag a confirmed shortfall only when the checked cells prove the required number or level of qualified people is not met. Where missing evidence could change the conclusion, mark coverage as still to confirm. Separate any missing or ambiguous evidence as coverage still to confirm, not a confirmed gap. Do not equate absence of a strong rating with a confirmed gap unless the role explicitly requires strong coverage.
Use: You
Approve the matrix and gap list as drafts.
Check the gap list follows from checked cells. Share with no one yet.
ChatGPT drafts a full matrix table from pasted text. You check every cell against the sources.
Collect inputs
Draft the matrix
Check each cell
Draft the gap list
Approve the drafts
Use: You
Have ready: the role requirements and self-assessments. Write the skill list from the requirements as plain text.
Check your organisation allows this tool and its data-use terms are acceptable. If not, stop and use an approved method.
Use: ChatGPT
Paste the material and ask ChatGPT for a full matrix table using only that text.
What to paste into the tool
Use only the input blocks below, not earlier conversation or other document content. Treat missing required input as still to confirm and ask for it. Return a draft only; do not send, share, publish, book, buy or sign anything. Task: Draft skills matrix. Using only the pasted material, produce a table with skills as rows and people as columns. Each cell holds a level (none, basic, working, strong) and a short quote from that person's self-assessment as the basis. If the text says nothing about the skill, write 'still to confirm'. ROLE REQUIREMENTS AND SKILLS: [Paste role requirements and skills here] SELF-ASSESSMENTS WITH PERSON IDS: [Paste self-assessments with person ids here] Use these labels only when the self-assessment explicitly states them for that skill: none = explicitly no ability; basic = explicitly basic; working = explicitly able to do routine work independently; strong = explicitly advanced/strong. If the source does not explicitly establish one of these descriptions, record still to confirm rather than mapping from job title, adjacent skill or a vague example. Include the exact source quote and anonymous person ID for every filled cell.
Use: You
Check every cell quote exists in the self-assessment; set unsupported cells to 'still to confirm'.
Reject inferred levels.
Use: ChatGPT
Ask ChatGPT for a role-based coverage list from the corrected matrix.
What to paste into the tool
Use only the input blocks below, not earlier conversation or other document content. Treat missing required input as still to confirm and ask for it. Return a draft only; do not send, share, publish, book, buy or sign anything. Task: Draft a role-based team coverage list from the checked skills matrix. Compare the checked cells with every supplied role requirement, not with a universal strong-rating threshold. Separate confirmed shortfalls from coverage still to confirm and cite the relevant cells and requirement for each item. Do not change any cell. For each confirmed shortfall, optionally propose a development focus clearly labelled as a proposal, not evidence about anyone. CHECKED MATRIX WITH EVIDENCE NOTES: [Paste checked matrix with evidence notes here] ROLE REQUIREMENTS: [Paste role requirements here] Compare team evidence with the supplied role requirements. Apply each requirement as written. For an individual requirement, flag a confirmed shortfall when that person's explicit self-assessment is below the required level. For a team-coverage requirement, flag a confirmed shortfall only when the checked cells prove the required number or level of qualified people is not met. Where missing evidence could change the conclusion, mark coverage as still to confirm. Separate any missing or ambiguous evidence as coverage still to confirm, not a confirmed gap. Do not equate absence of a strong rating with a confirmed gap unless the role explicitly requires strong coverage.
Use: You
Approve the matrix and gap list as drafts.
Share with no one yet.
Claude flags every skill-person pair the evidence does not cover instead of filling it. You review the flags.
Collect inputs
Draft the matrix
Review the flags
Draft the gap list
Approve the drafts
Use: You
Have ready: the role requirements and self-assessments. Write the skill list from the requirements as plain text.
Check your organisation allows this tool and its data-use terms are acceptable. If not, stop and use an approved method.
Use: Claude
Paste the material and ask Claude to flag each pair the evidence does not cover.
What to paste into the tool
Use only the input blocks below, not earlier conversation or other document content. Treat missing required input as still to confirm and ask for it. Return a draft only; do not send, share, publish, book, buy or sign anything. Task: Conservative skills matrix. Using only the pasted material, produce a matrix with skills as rows and people as columns. Fill a cell only when the person's self-assessment explicitly covers the skill; otherwise write 'still to confirm' and flag the cell 'no evidence'. Never infer a level from a related skill. ROLE REQUIREMENTS AND SKILLS: [Paste role requirements and skills here] SELF-ASSESSMENTS WITH PERSON IDS: [Paste self-assessments with person ids here] Use these labels only when the self-assessment explicitly states them for that skill: none = explicitly no ability; basic = explicitly basic; working = explicitly able to do routine work independently; strong = explicitly advanced/strong. If the source does not explicitly establish one of these descriptions, record still to confirm rather than mapping from job title, adjacent skill or a vague example. Include the exact source quote and anonymous person ID for every filled cell.
Use: You
Check filled cells against the source texts. For flagged cells, draft a short question to ask the person later.
Send no message now.
Use: Claude
Ask Claude for a coverage list that separates no evidence from confirmed gap.
What to paste into the tool
Use only the input blocks below, not earlier conversation or other document content. Treat missing required input as still to confirm and ask for it. Return a draft only; do not send, share, publish, book, buy or sign anything. Task: Draft a role-based coverage list from the checked conservative matrix. Split it into confirmed shortfalls against the supplied role requirements and coverage still to confirm needing more evidence. A person can fall below a required level without reporting no ability at all. Cite the relevant requirement and checked cells for each item. Do not merge confirmed shortfalls with coverage still to confirm or change any cell. CHECKED MATRIX WITH EVIDENCE NOTES: [Paste checked matrix with evidence notes here] ROLE REQUIREMENTS: [Paste role requirements here] Compare team evidence with the supplied role requirements. Apply each requirement as written. For an individual requirement, flag a confirmed shortfall when that person's explicit self-assessment is below the required level. For a team-coverage requirement, flag a confirmed shortfall only when the checked cells prove the required number or level of qualified people is not met. Where missing evidence could change the conclusion, mark coverage as still to confirm. Separate any missing or ambiguous evidence as coverage still to confirm, not a confirmed gap. Do not equate absence of a strong rating with a confirmed gap unless the role explicitly requires strong coverage.
Use: You
Approve the matrix and two-part gap list as drafts.
Check the two parts are separate. Send no questions yet.
Pick A when inputs already live in Excel and cell-by-cell review in place is wanted, B for a fast full-table draft on small teams, C when you want every missing piece of evidence flagged instead of filled in.
Best when: Your data already sits in Excel.
What it does: Copilot in Excel proposes cells in place; you check each one.
Strong at: Works inside Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.
Limit: Needs a paid Microsoft 365 plan with Copilot.
Free plan: Paid plan needed
Best when: You want a quick full table.
What it does: ChatGPT drafts the table; you check each cell.
Strong at: Writes, rewrites and summarises text.
Limit: Free plan limits file uploads, so paste text instead.
Free plan: Yes, limited (images, voice, file uploads)
Best when: You want to see what is not known.
What it does: Claude flags missing evidence; you review the flags.
Strong at: Drafts and edits text; summarises documents.
Limit: Usage is capped in 5-hour and weekly windows.
Free plan: Yes, limited (usage capped in 5-hour and weekly windows)
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.
You verify every filled cell against the source text. Outputs remain drafts, unused in any review process.
Do not use this output for staffing, budget or performance decisions without a separate validated process.
Check the result against your original inputs. Approve it before sharing or acting.
Copilot in Excel might not be included with every Microsoft 365 subscription, per Microsoft's support page; which licence applies is unchecked
ChatGPT free use is stated on OpenAI's help centre; limits unspecified, and whether a large input pack fits one conversation is unchecked
Claude's current free tier and input limits are unchecked