How to Use Claude for Finance:
7 Workflows That Save Your Team Hours Every Week

Write the narrative section for our [monthly / quarterly] financial report for [period]. Key metrics I'm reporting on (I'm providing these — do not calculate): - Revenue: [amount] vs. budget of [amount] ([+/-] variance) - Gross margin: [%] vs. prior period [%] - Operating expenses: [amount] vs. budget [amount] - EBITDA / net income: [amount] - Cash position: [amount] - [Any other key metric] Key drivers to explain: - [What drove revenue up or down — specific, e.g. "new client wins in Q4, offset by one churned account"] - [What drove margin change — specific] - [Any one-time item that needs explanation] Audience: [CFO and CEO only / full leadership team / board] Tone: [technical and precise / executive summary style / plain language for non-finance readers] Write a 3–5 paragraph narrative. Lead with the headline (how we performed vs. expectations), then explain the key drivers, then end with outlook or context. Do not editorialize — stick to the facts I've given you. Flag if any explanation I gave you is vague.

Write a board / investor update letter for [period]. This will go to [board members / seed investors / series A investors]. Key points I want to cover (I'm providing all facts — do not add or invent): - Financial performance: [brief summary of how we did] - Top win this period: [specific accomplishment] - Top challenge or risk: [honest assessment] - What we're doing about the challenge: [specific actions] - Key hires or team news: [if applicable] - Outlook for next quarter: [what we expect and why] - Ask or question for the board: [if any] Tone: confident and direct. Not defensive. Not over-explaining or over-qualifying. We're in control of the narrative even when sharing a challenge. Length: 400–600 words. Do not use "excited to share," "pleased to report," or "we are proud." Write like a founder who respects their investors' time.

Write a budget variance explanation for the following (I'm providing all the numbers): Line item: [expense category or revenue line] Budget: [amount] Actual: [amount] Variance: [amount and %] — [over / under] Why the variance occurred (my explanation): [Describe the actual reason — be specific. E.g. "We brought forward a software license renewal that was originally budgeted for Q3" or "Sales hiring took longer than planned, reducing headcount-related spend by $40K"] Is this a one-time variance or ongoing?: [one-time / structural / timing] What we're doing about it (if anything): [action or note] Audience: [CFO / leadership team / board] Write a 2–3 sentence variance explanation that: - States the variance clearly (with numbers) - Explains the cause without hedging - Notes the forward-looking implication (if any) Professional and specific. No passive voice. No "due to unforeseen circumstances."

Write a client-facing [financial summary / performance recap / plan overview] for [client name or type]. Purpose: [what this document is for — e.g. quarterly review meeting, onboarding summary, year-end recap] Key information to include (I'm providing all facts): [Bullet out the points you want to make, with the actual numbers and context] What the client already knows: [brief description of their financial literacy level] Tone: [conversational and clear / professional but accessible / formal] What I want them to feel after reading this: [informed and confident / reassured / clear on next steps] What I want them to do after reading this: [schedule a call / approve a plan / ask questions] Format: [1-page summary / letter format / structured doc with sections] Write in plain language — avoid jargon unless the client specifically works in finance. Where you use a technical term, explain it in the same sentence. No footnotes. Make it skimmable.

Write a formal dispute letter for the following situation: We are disputing: [invoice number / charge / payment] Vendor or client: [company name] The issue: [describe specifically — e.g. "We were charged $4,200 for services in March, but the contract specifies $3,500 and the additional work was not authorized"] Supporting documentation we have: [list what you have — contract, emails, prior invoices, etc.] What we're requesting: [full credit / partial credit / revised invoice / explanation] Our relationship with this party: [important vendor / minor supplier / new client / long-term client] Tone: [firm and professional / collaborative but clear / urgent] Write a formal letter with: - Our position stated clearly in the first paragraph - The specific discrepancy with reference numbers and amounts - Our requested resolution - A clear deadline for response - Professional close No threats. No apology for disputing. Factual and direct.

Write an explainer on the following financial concept for a non-finance audience: Topic: [e.g. how we calculate gross margin, what EBITDA means and why we track it, how our cash conversion cycle works] Audience: [department heads who see our reports / new employees / board members without finance backgrounds] Context for why they need to understand this: [e.g. "They'll be seeing this metric in our monthly report and asking about it" / "We want managers to understand how their decisions affect this number"] Format: - Start with why this matters to them specifically (not a textbook definition) - Explain what it is in plain language - Give a concrete example using realistic (not our actual) numbers - Explain what a good vs. concerning number looks like in our context - End with: "What does this mean for your team / decisions?" Under 400 words. No jargon without explanation. If I've given you any financial concept incorrectly, flag it.

Write a company expense policy based on the following rules and intent: What's reimbursable (I'll list our actual rules): - Travel: [your rules — e.g. economy class only, Airbnb allowed up to $X/night] - Meals: [your rules — e.g. $75/day per diem when traveling, client meals require manager approval over $150] - Software / tools: [your rules] - Other categories: [list any] What's not reimbursable: [list] Approval process: [who approves what, and up to what amount] Submission process: [how employees submit — tool, timeline, required receipts] What happens if something falls outside policy: [pre-approval process] Company size: [headcount] Tone: [clear and direct / friendly but firm] Write a policy document that: - Employees will actually read - Leaves no ambiguity about what's allowed - Explains the "why" for rules that might seem restrictive - Has a clear FAQ section for the most common edge cases Flag any area where my rules might conflict or create confusion.