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Ask Flex / Excel and AI

Ask Flex

What are the best ChatGPT prompts for Excel?

"What are the best ChatGPT prompts for Excel? Mine get answers I can't use."You asked Google. Flex answered.
Flex the robot at his sunny office desk scratching his head at a big spreadsheet on his screen where one cell flashes a red error, while little Clawd peeks out from behind the monitor holding up a sticky note with an equals sign on it
Flex's short answer

The best prompt tells it your columns, says what you want in plain words, and asks it to explain the answer. Here's one to keep, and four short ones for the jobs that come up most.

✱ Flex's tips

Four short ones to keep handy.

1

"Explain this formula"

Paste any formula. Ask what each part does.

2

"Why is this an error?"

Paste the formula and the error it shows.

3

"Clean up this list"

Describe the mess. Ask for the steps.

4

"What's the fastest way to..."

It knows shortcuts nobody showed you.

Try this in your own Claude or ChatGPT

I'm working in [Excel or Google Sheets]. My columns: [list each column letter and what's in it]. I want to [what you're trying to do, in plain words]. Give me the formula or the steps, tell me exactly where to click or type, explain it in plain words, and tell me how to check it worked. I'm not pasting real data.

Before you paste work stuff into any AI, check what your company allows.

If you type the same prompt for the same spreadsheet every week, the work keeps coming back. The free Lab shows you how to hand that work to Claude.

Free tool

The Formula Finder

Pick what you're trying to do, in plain words. Get the formula, what it means, and how to check it.

Find my formula
Flex the robot at his sunny office desk scratching his head at a big spreadsheet on his screen where one cell flashes a red error, while little Clawd peeks out from behind the monitor holding up a sticky note with an equals sign on it
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✱ What people ask
How do I prompt ChatGPT for Excel?

Columns first, then what you want, then "explain it."

Are there AI prompts for Google Sheets?

The same ones work. Say "Google Sheets" so the formula fits. Flex has a page on it.

How do I use AI prompts in Excel?

Type them into a chat next to Excel, or into Copilot if you have it. Flex has a page on it.

✱ More from this pile: Excel and AI
How do you use AI in Excel?How do you use AI in Excel for free?Can AI do Excel formulas?Is there an AI Excel formula checker?How do you use AI in Excel for data analysis?What is ChatGPT for Excel?Does Claude AI work with Excel?How do you use AI in Excel with Copilot?Is there AI for Google Sheets?How do you use AI to create an Excel spreadsheet?How do you use AI to automate Excel?Is it worth it to learn Excel? The Formula Finder
From Nikki's blogFlex tells you how. Nikki tells you what it felt like. Read it on Clawd and Me. Read it →

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