Lesson 1 of 8 · Automate Spreadsheets with AI Formulas
In this lesson. Use AI for messy text and planning; keep numbers in the sheet.
What you will learn
- AI for text and explanations
- Formulas as source of truth
- Auditability
Walkthrough
Spreadsheets already calculate. You will use AI for classifying notes, drafting formulas you then test, and explaining errors — not for being the system of record. If a number matters, it lives in a cell with a formula you can audit.
Work through the ideas in order. After each point, pause and connect it to a task you already do — a document, a workflow, or a feature you own. The goal of Automate Spreadsheets with AI Formulas is usable skill, not a pile of notes.
If something is unclear, rewrite it in your own words before you continue. Teaching the step back to yourself is the fastest way to see gaps.
Practice
List five spreadsheet tasks. Mark each as formula, AI draft, or human.
Keep the first attempt small. A finished example you can reuse beats a perfect plan you never run.
Check your understanding
- Can you explain the goal of this lesson in one sentence to a teammate?
- Where would you apply “AI for text and explanations” in your own work this week?
- What would you change on a second pass of the practice?
Next. Continue to the following lesson when the practice has a real artifact, even a rough one.