Charleston AI Playbook

Directory / Prompts / Finance & bookkeeping

What to hand the bookkeeper

Updated

Problem it solves

Month end is a scavenger hunt. You want the list of files before you email a messy folder.

Best tool

  • ChatGPT (free chat)
  • Claude (free chat)
  • Gemini (free chat)
  • Copilot (free chat)

The free chat is enough for one draft. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and the free Microsoft Copilot chat can each do this. A paid plan only helps if you hit a usage limit. Copilot inside Word, Excel, or Outlook is a separate paid Microsoft 365 feature. You do not need it to try this once.

Copy-paste prompt

Make a checklist of files to send a bookkeeper for this month. Use only the accounts and tools I list. Do not tell me to create an account I do not have.

Month: [month]
Bank accounts: [names only]
Card accounts: [names only]
Sales system: [name or none]
Payroll system: [name or none]
Questions I already have: [list]

Replace every [bracket]. If you cannot fill one, delete that line.

Example output

A usable draft is a checklist of exports and questions, named the way you named the accounts. It does not include a tax strategy.

Tips

  • Do not paste passwords or full accounts into the chat. Names of systems are enough.
  • Ask your bookkeeper if they want a different list. Their process wins.

Time saved

Estimate: the checklist is short. Downloading the files is the time, and it is still yours.

How to use it

  1. Copy the prompt. Copy the prompt on this page into a free chat.
  2. Fill every bracket. Replace each [bracket] with a fact from your own notes. If you cannot fill one, delete that line instead of guessing.
  3. Edit before you use it. Read the draft against your notes. Delete any price, date, name, or promise you did not supply. You decide what gets sent.

Where this came from

  • Original to this library.