Learn how accountants and finance teams can use AI tools in the real world with practical cases that reduce manual accounting and finance processes, improve reporting accuracy, and build AI-augmented workflows in Excel and Power BI

Key Features

• Automate accounting workflows with AI-powered Excel techniques
• Build Power BI reporting, reconciliation, and validation workflows
• Apply repeatable AI frameworks for safer, audit-ready finance work
• Free with your book: DRM-free PDF version + access to Packt’s next-gen Reader*

Book Description

Finance teams need faster reporting and sharper insight without compromising accuracy, control, or trust. AI-Powered Accounting with Excel and Power BI shows accountants and finance professionals how to apply generative AI to real-world accounting workflows while keeping human judgment at the center.

Drawing on Lance Rubin’s experience as a CFO, financial modeling specialist, and founder of Model Citizn, this book uses tools such as the HACK Framework and Six Pillars to help you structure data, evaluate AI tools, write reliable prompts, and verify outputs. Ten practical modules cover Excel formulas, PDF extraction, reconciliation, financial controls, management accounting, account mapping, workbook restructuring, audit-ready validation, and dashboards in Excel and Power BI.

This book will help you build AI-assisted accounting and financial reporting workflows, turn recurring tasks into reusable Skills, and identify hallucinations before they affect decisions. By the end, you’ll have a practical roadmap for safer finance automation and the confidence to know when to trust AI and when to step in.

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What you will learn

• Extract and structure finance data from PDFs using AI
• Build AI-assisted reconciliation and control workflows
• Automate financial reporting with Excel, Power BI, and AI
• Restructure complex workbooks into reliable data models
• Create validation and audit-ready accounting processes
• Evaluate AI tools for finance and accounting tasks
• Build reusable prompt libraries for recurring workflows
• Apply governance and privacy practices when using AI in finance

Who this book is for

This book is for accountants, finance analysts, management accountants, FP and A professionals, controllers, CFOs, audit professionals, finance transformation teams, practice partners, and finance educators, including candidates working toward CA, CPA, ACCA, or AICPA qualifications. It suits professionals who use Excel and financial reporting and want practical AI automation for reconciliation, controls, validation, and Power BI. Basic Excel knowledge is recommended; prior AI experience is not required.

Table of Contents

Part 1. Foundations and Framework for Change

Chapter 1. Defining the AI-Powered Accountant

Chapter 2. The HACK Framework

Chapter 3. The Six Pillars of an AI-Powered Accountant

Chapter 4. Why AI Is Fundamentally Different

Chapter 5. The Technology Assessment Framework

Chapter 6. AI Concepts: How LLMs Actually Work

Chapter 7. Growth Mindset

Chapter 8. Human-Centric Skills

Chapter 9. How to Prepare for the Journey Ahead

Part 2. The Practical Modules

Chapter 10. Introducing the Modules – the Operating Manual

Chapter 11. Module 1 – Foundations and Formula Ideas

Chapter 12. Module 2 – PDF Extraction and Analysis

Chapter 13. Module 3 – Transaction Reconciliation and Financial Control

Chapter 14. Module 4 – Management Reporting and Analysis

Chapter 15. Module 5 – Mapping Tables and Source Systems

Chapter 16. Module 6 – Workflow Analysis on a Real Workbook

Chapter 17. Module 7 – Restructuring a Messy Workbook

Chapter 18. Module 8 – Validation, Checks, and Comprehensive Audit

Chapter 19. Module 9 – Dashboards and Data Visualization

Chapter 20. Module 10 – Skills, Your Digital Twin, and Building Your Own Library

Chapter 21. Unlock Your Exclusive Benefits

About the Author

Lance Rubin is a leading financial modelling expert and the Founder and CEO of Model Citizn. With more than 20 years of experience across PwC, KPMG, Investec Bank, NAB, and multiple fintech CFO roles, he specializes in financial modelling, reporting, analytics, and finance transformation. Lance co-authored the CA ANZ study guide on financial modelling and is a certified trainer for the Financial Modeling Institute (FMI). He has delivered workshops across Australia and New Zealand on data analytics and Power BI and has spoken at global Power BI events. Lance is also the Chief Excel Officer and Co-founder for EXL Cloud and the founder of the Future of Finance Lab, where he helps finance professionals apply AI in practical, real-world workflows. He runs the Maven "AI-Powered Accountant" course — the live cohort programme that this book builds on — and hosts the Future of Finance Lab community sessions where accountants share what is and isn't working as they adopt AI in their day jobs.