Paste any of these into Claude or ChatGPT. Swap the words in [brackets] for your own. Upload the spreadsheet first.
Prompt 1: See what's in the file first
I just uploaded a spreadsheet: [file]. Before you analyze anything, tell me what's in each column, what looks blank or off, and what this data can and can't answer.
Prompt 2: Ask it a plain question
Using only this file: [your question]? Show me the numbers you used and which rows they came from. If something's missing, say so. Don't guess.
Prompt 3: Spot the weird rows
Which 5 rows look least like the others? Weird amounts, odd dates, strange combinations. Tell me why each one stands out and what I should double-check.
Prompt 4: Clean up the mess
Go through this file and list everything messy: duplicates, dates in different formats, names spelled two ways, blanks that matter. Tell me how to fix each one in Excel or Google Sheets.
Prompt 5: Get the formula written
I want a column that shows [what you want]. Write the formula for [Excel or Google Sheets], explain it in plain English, and give me 2 rows I can test it on.
Prompt 6: Compare this month to last
Compare [this month] to [last month]. What are the 3 biggest changes, which rows are behind them, and what's one question I should ask about each?
Prompt 7: Pick one chart
If I could show one chart from this data to answer [question], what should it be? Tell me the chart type, what goes on each axis, and the one sentence I'd say about it.