15 AI Prompts to automate your financial operations

AI is no longer optional for CFOs: it has become an essential strategic lever. According to several studies, finance teams that integrate AI into their daily operations save an average of 6 hours per week on operational tasks.

But AI isn't just about installing ChatGPT. The real challenge? Knowing how to talk to it.

In this guide, discover 15 concrete prompts, tested and validated by finance teams, to automate your reporting, optimize your cash flow, and make better decisions faster.

Why AI is becoming essential for finance teams

The daily challenges of modern finance teams

You know better than anyone: your day looks like a never-ending marathon between:

• Producing financial reports
• Analyzing profitability by customer or product
• Managing cash flow and collections (DSO)
• Preparing forecast budgets
• Exchanges with banks, investors, and operational teams

The problem? These high-value tasks are time-consuming and often repetitive.

The solution? Delegate analytical and structural tasks to AI to focus on strategic decision-making.

15 Ready-to-Use AI Prompts for CFOs

Here's a selection of prompts you can copy-paste today into your favorite AI tool. Each prompt comes with its use case and expected result.

1. Summarize a P&L statement for the executive committee

Use case: You need to present your financial results to non-financial executives in less than 5 minutes.

Prompt to use: Here's a profit and loss statement. Summarize the 5 key points, the most significant variations, and suggest 2 priority corrective actions.

What you get: A ready-to-use summary, decision-oriented.

2. Calculate and benchmark your DSO

Use case: You want to track your customer payment terms and compare them to your sector.

Prompt to use: Calculate the DSO from this table [paste your data]. Compare it to the industry average [specify your industry] and suggest 2 concrete ideas to reduce it.

What you get: An instant calculation, sector benchmark, and actionable recommendations.

3. Create a financial forecast model

Use case: Quickly build a forecast budget for the next 12 months.

Prompt to use: Create a monthly forecast budget model over 12 months for a [type/sector] company taking into account this data: [specify: headcount, cost structure].

What you get: A structured table, ready to be imported into Excel, Google Sheets, or your management tool.

4. Automate monthly reporting creation

Use case: Industrialize the production of your monthly reporting pack.

Prompt to use: Create a monthly reporting template for a company with [X] employees including: P&L, 5 essential KPIs, evolution graph vs. budget.

What you get: A reusable model every month, customizable to your needs.

5. Translate finance into accessible language

Use case: Explain complex financial data to your operational colleagues.

Prompt to use: Explain this cash flow tracking table as if you were addressing a non-financial director. Highlight points of attention without using technical jargon.

What you get: A clear and educational explanation that facilitates collective decision-making.

6. Identify accounting anomalies

Use case: Quickly detect errors in your accounting entries.

Prompt to use: Analyze this accounting file. Identify VAT inconsistencies, potential duplicates, and anomalies in supplier accounts.

What you get: An express audit with precise alerts to investigate.

7. Optimize your customer reminders

Use case: Improve your recovery rate with graduated communication.

Prompt to use: Write 3 customer reminder email templates for overdue payments at D+30, D+60, and D+90. The first should be cordial, the second firmer, and the third mention possible legal action.

What you get: Professional reminder templates to integrate into your process.

8. Analyze customer profitability

Use case: Assess whether a customer account is truly profitable.

Prompt to use: Here are the revenues and costs associated with a customer [paste your data]. Calculate the net margin and tell me if this customer is profitable. Suggest optimization paths.

What you get: A customer profitability analysis with strategic recommendations.

9. Evaluate recruitment ROI

Use case: Justify a recruitment plan with a financial approach.

Prompt to use: Here's our growth roadmap [describe it]. Which profiles should we recruit as a priority to maximize operational and financial ROI?

What you get: An HR analysis oriented toward business impact and profitability.

10. Compare two software solutions

Use case: Choose between several financial management tools.

Prompt to use: Compare [Tool A] and [Tool B] solutions for a company with [X] employees: features, cost, user experience, available integrations, advantages and disadvantages.

What you get: An objective comparison to inform your investment decision.

11. Create an expense policy

Use case: Frame company expenses without excessive bureaucracy.

Prompt to use: Help me create a clear expense policy for a company: approval thresholds, expense categories, rules for expense advances and reports.

What you get: A structured document, ready to be shared with your teams.

12. Build an intelligent cash flow plan

Use case: Anticipate cash flow tensions over the coming months.

Prompt to use: Create a rolling 12-month cash flow plan with a collection assumption at D+45 and disbursement at D+30.

What you get: An operational and predictive cash flow management tool.

13. Simulate a crisis scenario

Use case: Prepare a contingency plan in case of activity decline.

Prompt to use: Simulate a scenario of -30% revenue over the next 6 months. What would be the impact on cash flow? What corrective actions do you recommend?

What you get: A financial stress test with preventive action plan.

14. Calculate your runway

Use case: Determine your financial autonomy and anticipate a fundraising round.

Prompt to use: Here's our current cash and monthly burn [indicate amounts]. Calculate the runway, suggest a visual alert if we go below 6 months, and list 2 preventive actions.

What you get: Clear visibility on your cash flow horizon with warning signals.

15. Create a PowerPoint presentation

Use case: Create a PPT presentation to present year-end financial reports.

Prompt to use: Here are the figures from this year-end financial reports. We have a presentation coming up to present them to our management. Suggest a clear presentation structure.

What you get: A plan for your PPT document so you only have formatting to do.

How to maximize the effectiveness of your AI prompts

The 4 golden rules for effective prompts

Be specific: The more precise your request, the better the response. Include context (company size, sector, constraints).

Provide data: AI can't guess your numbers. Copy-paste your tables directly into the tool.

Request exploitable formats: Specify if you want an Excel table, an email, a presentation, or a list.

Iterate: If the first response doesn't suit you, refine your request. AI learns from your clarifications.

Mistakes to avoid

Vague requests: "Help me with my cash flow" → Precise requests: "Create a 6-month cash flow plan with a 45-day customer payment assumption"

Expecting a complete solution in one prompt → Proceed in steps: analysis → recommendations → formatting

Not verifying results → Always validate calculations and data consistency

Beyond prompts: integrating AI into your workflow

AI tools for CFOs

For analysis and synthesis: ChatGPT (OpenAI): versatile, excellent for writing and analysis Claude (Anthropic): particularly powerful on long documents Gemini (Google): integrated into the Google Workspace ecosystem

For accounting and finance: Native integrations in modern ERPs (SAP, NetSuite) Specialized tools like Pennylane, Agicap that are progressively integrating AI

Building an effective AI routine

Monday morning: Generate your weekly dashboard with a summary prompt Each month-end: Automate the creation of your monthly reporting Before each executive meeting: Have AI synthesize your data to save time Continuously: Use AI to answer ad-hoc questions from teams

Frequently Asked Questions about AI for CFOs

Can AI replace a CFO?

No. AI is an assistance tool that automates repetitive tasks and accelerates analysis. Judgment, business expertise, and strategic vision remain the CFO's domain.

Does AI make calculation errors?

Yes, AI can make mistakes. It's essential to always verify results, especially on critical financial calculations. AI proposes, you validate.

Can we use AI with confidential data?

With caution. Prioritize enterprise versions of AI tools that guarantee data confidentiality. Never share sensitive personal data in free versions.

How long does it take to master AI?

A few hours of practice are enough to master the basics. The key is regularity: use AI daily to develop your reflexes.

What are the legal risks?

Using AI for finance poses no legal problem as long as you remain responsible for decisions made. Document your processes and always validate AI recommendations.

Conclusion: AI, a performance accelerator for CFOs

Artificial intelligence isn't a distant revolution. It's a tool available today that you can integrate right now into your daily work as a CFO.

The 15 prompts presented in this guide are a starting point. The more you practice, the more you refine your requests, and the more AI becomes a valuable ally to:

Save time on low-value-added tasks Produce faster and more comprehensive analyses Improve your communication with non-financial teams Make better decisions, faster

The CFO of tomorrow isn't the one who knows all the numbers by heart.

It's the one who knows how to ask AI the right questions to unlock their strategic potential.

Article updated December 2025 - All prompts have been tested with ChatGPT 4, Claude Sonnet, and Gemini