AI for professionals · Free

AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work

Use ChatGPT, Claude and Excel with AI for real accounting work: prompts that follow the rules, faster reconciliations and schedules, AI-written Excel automation you can trust, research with Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM), a custom assistant for your practice, and the confidentiality rules that come first.

9 modules 5h 54m of video English · self-paced

AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work course cover

Inside the course

AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work: Syllabus at a glance

AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work: What you will be able to do

AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work: Tools and credits

From the lessons

Set up and start: ChatGPT for accounting work
Value Pricing Academy
AI basics for finance professionals
CA Shivam Palan_CA Monk
Prompting for accounting tasks, and the mistakes to avoid
Value Pricing Academy
Data analysis, charts of accounts and reconciliations
Value Pricing Academy
Excel automation with AI-written VBA
CA Shivam Palan_CA Monk
Research, advisory and grounded notebooks
Value Pricing Academy

Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits below and are shown from YouTube.

What you will learn

Set up an AI assistant for accounting work; write prompts that name the standard, the format and the checks; use AI to analyse data, draft a chart of accounts and speed up reconciliations while clearing every exception yourself; get Excel macros written and test them safely; research and summarise circulars with a grounded tool; design a custom assistant (a ChatGPT project or Gemini Gem) for a repeatable firm task; and keep client data confidential under professional ethics and data-protection rules, with the ICAI Code of Ethics and India's data protection law as the worked example.

Set up an AI assistant safely for accounting work
Write finance prompts that name the rules, the format and your check
Speed up bank reconciliations and clear every exception yourself
Draft a chart of accounts and analyse data with AI
Get Excel macros written by AI and test them safely
Research with grounded tools such as Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) and verify every citation
Design a custom assistant (ChatGPT project or Gemini Gem) for a repeatable firm task
Keep client data confidential under professional and data-protection rules (worked example: ICAI and India)

For you

Taking AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work from the United States

Free in the United States, as everywhere, and self-paced: lessons, notes and the final assessment are open at any hour, so your time zone and shift pattern do not matter.
The optional certificate for learners in the United States is a one-off US$23.99. What you get for it
Plants across the Americas most often run Allen-Bradley, Siemens and Inductive Automation; each has its own free course to take next.
See automation and engineering jobs in the United States, and what the industry looks like in Houston, Detroit and Chicago.
EDWartens also has a regional site for the United States, for classroom training and local support: edwartens.com/us.

The course project · about 7 hours

An AI-assisted month-end close for a small manufacturer: prompt library, exceptions register, firm AI policy and close report

Run a month-end close for a small manufacturer the way a modern practice does: build a library of tested prompts for the close tasks, use AI to propose bank and ledger matches and record every exception you clear, write the firm's AI use policy, and deliver the close report with the reconciliations tied out. Invented data only. The sample pack shows each document for a textile job-worker in Tiruppur.

Sample document pack, 4 documents, filled in for the scenario

RegisterMonth-end close prompt library
RegisterBank reconciliation exceptions register, September
ProcedureSundaram & Associates: rules for using AI tools
ReportMonth-end close report: Kongu Knit Processors, September

Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.

Course content

9 modules · 17 lessons · 5h 54m

In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.

01Set up and start: ChatGPT for accounting work2 lessons20m
02AI basics for finance professionals1 lesson51m
03Prompting for accounting tasks, and the mistakes to avoid3 lessons54m
04Data analysis, charts of accounts and reconciliations3 lessons43m
05Excel automation with AI-written VBA1 lesson60m
06Research, advisory and grounded notebooks3 lessons38m
07Custom assistants for an accounting practice1 lesson38m
08Security, privacy and the weaknesses you must know2 lessons29m
09Final Assessment1 lesson21m

Show all 9 modules

Requirements

Who it is for: Beginner in AI. You should already do accounting, audit, tax or bookkeeping work; no coding or AI background is needed.
Software: A free account on ChatGPT or Claude, Microsoft Excel (any recent version), and a free Google account for Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM). What to download, and how
Hardware: A laptop or desktop. Excel automation needs Excel for Windows or Mac.

Software you need

What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.

Required

01
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft
Free web version with limits
Runs on
Excel for the web in any modern browser; desktop apps for Windows and macOS with a Microsoft 365 subscription
Account
A free Microsoft account
Excel for the web is free with a Microsoft account and 5 GB of cloud storage. The desktop app comes with a paid Microsoft 365 subscription, which offers a free trial. Python in Excel is not available on free licences, and fuller Copilot features need an eligible paid plan.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the Excel page on microsoft.com and select Sign up for free, or Sign in.
2. 2.Create or sign in to your Microsoft account.
3. 3.Select Open Excel to start Excel for the web.
4. 4.Upload the course workbook to OneDrive and open it.
5. 5.If a lesson needs a desktop-only feature, consider the Microsoft 365 free trial.
- Most formulas, tables and charts work in Excel for the web; some advanced tools, such as Power Pivot and many add-ins, need the desktop app.
- Check the Python in Excel availability page before a Python lesson.
Official download pagemicrosoft.com
Alternatives
- LibreOffice Calc: Free desktop spreadsheet for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Google Sheets: Free browser spreadsheet with a Google Account.
02
Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)
Google, in the browser
Free with limits
Runs on
Any modern web browser, plus Android and iOS apps
Account
A free Google account (age verified)
Free with a personal Google account. Usage limits apply and paid Google AI plans give higher limits and extra features.
Show the 4 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open notebook.google (the old notebooklm.google address redirects there).
2. 2.Sign in with your Google account and verify your age if asked.
3. 3.Create a new notebook.
4. 4.Add sources such as PDFs, web links or Google Docs, then ask questions about them.
- NotebookLM was renamed Gemini Notebook in July 2026. Existing notebooks and links still work.
- Only upload documents you have the right to share.
Open Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)notebooklm.google

One AI assistant

Any one is enough.

03
ChatGPT
OpenAI, in the browser
Free plan with limits
Runs on
Any modern web browser, plus mobile and desktop apps
Account
A free OpenAI account
The Free plan allows everyday text chats. File uploads, image creation, voice and data analysis have tighter limits than paid plans, and ads may appear in some countries. Paid plans raise the limits.
Show the 4 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open chatgpt.com.
2. 2.Click Sign up and create an account with your email, or a Google, Microsoft or Apple account.
3. 3.Verify your email and confirm your details.
4. 4.Type your question in the message box.
- Do not paste personal data, passwords or confidential work files.
- ChatGPT tells you when you reach a limit. Wait for it to reset or switch to a lighter task.
Open ChatGPTchatgpt.com
04
Claude
Anthropic, in the browser
Free plan with limits
Runs on
Any modern web browser, plus desktop and mobile apps
Account
A free Claude account (you must be 18 or over)
The Free plan covers chat on web, desktop and mobile, web search, file creation and Artifacts. Usage limits reset on a rolling five-hour window and depend on message length and features used. Paid plans give more usage.
Show the 4 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open claude.ai (or see the plans at claude.com/pricing).
2. 2.Sign up with your email or Google account and confirm your email.
3. 3.Confirm you are 18 or over and accept the terms.
4. 4.Type your question in the message box.
- Long conversations and large files use up your limit faster. Start a new chat for a new topic.
- Do not paste personal data or confidential work files.
Open Claudeclaude.com

Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.

AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work at a glance

AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for accountants, chartered accountants, auditors and finance students. It has 9 modules and 5h 54m of video lessons by Value Pricing Academy, CA Monk, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.

All course facts

Price: Free, for good. No trial, no card. The only paid item is the optional certificate, a small one-off fee.
Who it is for: Accountants, chartered accountants, auditors and finance students
Format: 9 self-paced modules, 5h 54m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
Level: Beginner. Beginner in AI. You should already do accounting, audit, tax or bookkeeping work; no coding or AI background is needed.
Brand: Vendor-neutral
Software: A free account on ChatGPT or Claude, Microsoft Excel (any recent version), and a free Google account for Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM).
Hardware: A laptop or desktop. Excel automation needs Excel for Windows or Mac.
Certificate: Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
Video lessons by: Value Pricing Academy, CA Monk (independent creators, credited below)
Language: English
Last updated: 27 September 2026

A shareable EDWartens certificate

Finish every module and pass the final assessment, and the optional EDWartens certificate is yours. It carries a unique verification code on a public page anyone can check, so it stands up when a recruiter looks it up. See it below.

Add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
Link it from a CV or portfolio, the URL is permanent
Publicly verifiable by code, not a PDF anyone can edit
Issued by EDWartens itself, not a third party

The course itself stays free whether or not you ever buy one.

Stuck? Ask a practising engineer

A free course usually means a comment section and hope. This one does not. Every module has an Ask-your-trainer panel that reaches the same engineers who teach our paid programme: people who commission panels for a living, not moderators.

Questions answered in the context of the module you are on
The same engineers who teach the AEP programme
Career tools, CV help and public job listings included
Your progress and notes stay in your account for good

Pairs well with

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PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA PortalFrom zero electrical knowledge to a working, simulated S7-1200 program, for nothing.

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PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA Portal in Three HoursThe first three hours of the Siemens TIA Portal course, cut to end on a win: what a PLC is, how it is wired, a project configured in TIA Portal, and your first ladder program running in simulation. Finish it in an evening or two, earn a certificate, and carry straight on into the full course.

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PLC programming · FreeTIA Portal: Build a MachineOne machine, start to finish. Take a bottle filling line from a written specification and an I/O list to a structured S7-1200 program with a fill station, a capper, a reject sorter and an operator screen with alarms, then test it against a written record and archive it for hand-over. The lessons are the reference; the machine is yours, and it is what you submit.

More free courses: Free AI courses for professionals · Free AI courses for accounting and finance

Learner reviews

No reviews yet

Reviews here are written only by learners who have finished every module of AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work, and they are published exactly as written. Finish the course and yours will be the first.

Common questions

Is this course for CAs only?

No. It is written for chartered accountants, articled assistants, auditors, tax practitioners and bookkeepers. Some worked examples use Indian rules, but the methods apply in any country.

Do I need to know coding for the Excel automation module?

No. The AI writes the VBA from your description. The course teaches you enough to read what a macro does and to test it safely on a copy.

Can I use real client data in the exercises?

No. Every exercise uses invented or anonymised data. The course teaches you what must never go into a public AI tool.

Is this the ICAI AI certification?

No. ICAI runs its own AI certificate courses for members (AICA Level 1 and Level 2). This is an independent free course by EDWartens, built on public lessons credited on each module, and it does not count towards any ICAI programme or CPE hours.

How long does the AI for Accountants and CAs course take?

About 9 hours of video lessons and study across nine modules, plus about 7 hours if you do the optional month-end close project. The course plan spreads it over about four weeks, but you can go at your own pace.

Is it tax advice?

No. The course teaches how to use AI tools in accounting work. It gives no tax, legal or audit advice.

Is the AI for Accountants and CAs course really free?

Yes. Every module, the notes, the project and the final assessment. The only paid item is the certificate, if you want it.

What certificate does the AI for Accountants and CAs course give?

An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a number anyone can verify on our site. It is not a professional qualification and we never describe it as one.

What you walk away with

Your certificate for AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work

Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.

Sample EDWartens Certificate of Completion for AI for Accountants and CAs: ChatGPT, Claude and Excel for Real Accounting Work — Sample. The issued certificate carries your name, admission number, a unique certificate number and its own QR code.

Verifiable by anyone
A unique certificate number and a public verification page. A recruiter checks it in ten seconds.
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
Issuer, credential ID and URL prefilled, with 5 matching skills to pin to your profile.
QR code on the certificate
Scans straight to the verification page, so a printed copy proves itself.
Names what you can do
Lists the topics covered, from safe setup and prompts that name the rules, data and checks to client confidentiality under the icai code of ethics and india's dpdp act.
A permanent link
Put it on a CV, a portfolio or an application. The URL never changes.
Earned, not attended
Issued only after every module and a final assessment at 60%, with 3 attempts. That is why it stands up.

Learning is free. The certificate is optional.

Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.

Issued by EDWartens, the training division of Wartens, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales). It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.

Credits

Who made the video lessons

The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

Value Pricing Academythe ChatGPT and AI for Accountants and Bookkeepers series: setup, prompt engineering, mistakes, data analysis, charts of accounts, research, NotebookLM, custom GPTs and security
CA Shivam Palan (CA Monk)the AI for Finance full course lectures on AI basics and Excel automation with AI-written VBA

If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.