Dispatches
Library11 startersStarters
02

Athena starters for finance

Weekly packets, forecasts, close, and the numbers leadership asks about. 11 starters, 7 of which run on a schedule. Each shows what it needs, what it delivers, and the full prompt to copy.

Athena Library

Athena starters for finance are 11 ready-made prompts grouped into Reporting packets, Close and AP and Markets and peers. 7 run on a schedule: Athena runs them once, delivers a spreadsheet, PowerPoint deck and Word document, emails them to you, and repeats on the cadence you pick. A few need a connected app: email (Outlook or Gmail). The rest need no setup.

FIG. 01 / FINANCEREPORTING PACKETSMonday exec packetSCHEDBudget vs. actualsSCHEDRolling forecastSCHEDBoard finance slidesCLOSE AND APInvoice inbox sweepSCHEDAP invoice reconciliationMonth-end close checklistRevenue recognition memoMARKETS AND PEERSPeer earnings trackerSCHEDTariff and FX impact watchSCHED13-week cash forecastSCHEDFIG. 01 / FINANCEREPORTING PACKETSMonday exec packetSCHEDBudget vs. actualsSCHEDRolling forecastSCHEDBoard finance slidesCLOSE AND APInvoice inbox sweepSCHEDAP invoice reconciliationMonth-end close checklistRevenue recognition memoMARKETS AND PEERSPeer earnings trackerSCHEDTariff and FX impact watchSCHED13-week cash forecastSCHED
FIG. 01The finance starters by group. SCHED marks a starter that runs on a schedule; each has its own page.
Contents
  1. 01Reporting packets
  2. 02Close and AP
  3. 03Markets and peers
  4. 04Why run it in Athena
  5. 05For your team
  6. 06Related dispatches
  7. 07Questions teams ask

01Reporting packets

Monday exec packet

KPIs against plan, the biggest variances, and what to watch. See how it runs →

Setup
No setup needed
Runs
Every Monday at 7am, or every weekday or monthly instead
Outputs
spreadsheet, PowerPoint deck, Word document; emailed to you after every run
Runs on a scheduleSheetDeckDocNo setup needed
Show the prompt
Build the weekly executive performance packet. Ask me which spreadsheet in Athena holds the numbers (or to upload one) and which KPIs matter most. Show each KPI against plan and last week, explain the five biggest variances in plain words, and end with what to watch next week. Use the exact numbers from the file and say where each came from. Deliver three files in my company's brand. If I have Word, PowerPoint, or Excel templates in Athena, ask once which to use and build every file from them, keeping their layouts, styles, and formulas. For the brand, use my company's design system if one exists. Otherwise find my company's website (search the web if you are not sure of the domain), run design_system_retriever on it to get the real logo, colors, and fonts, and save the result with create_design_system so every run matches. Use the real logo image; never redraw it or type the company name in its place. The files: (1) a spreadsheet with one row per KPI (metric, actual, plan, prior week, variance, explanation); (2) a PowerPoint deck with the logo on the title slide, a one-slide summary, a slide per section with a chart wherever there are numbers, and a so-what slide; (3) a Word document with the logo in the header, the full brief, and every source cited. Brand colors and fonts throughout, one idea per slide, no walls of text. Finish with a short summary in chat that links all three. When each run finishes, this one included, email me the three files from Athena: send them to my own email address with the chat summary in the body. If Athena cannot send email in this workspace, say so instead. When you are done, ask me if I want this every Monday at 7am (or every weekday, or monthly instead). Also ask which sections to keep and confirm my IANA time zone (for example America/New_York), and pass it explicitly when creating the schedule. If I choose a schedule, set up a scheduled agent that runs this same brief on it, keeps the spreadsheet asset ID and any template IDs in its instructions, reads the latest dated tab before each run, and reports only what changed since the last run. It says plainly when nothing material changed, and says comparison is unavailable if the prior tab cannot be read. Each run adds a dated tab to the same spreadsheet and makes a new dated deck and document. Whenever I give feedback on a run, in this chat or a later one, update the scheduled agent's instructions (and the template or design system when the feedback is about how the files look) so every later run follows it, then tell me exactly what you changed.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

Budget vs. actuals

Variances by line, with the biggest ones explained. See how it runs →

Setup
No setup needed
Runs
Every weekday at 7am, weekly on Mondays at 7am, or monthly on the 1st
Outputs
spreadsheet, PowerPoint deck, Word document; emailed to you after every run
Runs on a scheduleSheetDeckDocNo setup needed
Show the prompt
Run budget vs. actuals. Ask me for the budget and the latest actuals (spreadsheets in Athena or uploads) and the variance threshold I care about. Compare by department and line, flag every variance over the threshold, and explain the five biggest with the likely driver and who to ask. Deliver three files in my company's brand. If I have Word, PowerPoint, or Excel templates in Athena, ask once which to use and build every file from them, keeping their layouts, styles, and formulas. For the brand, use my company's design system if one exists. Otherwise find my company's website (search the web if you are not sure of the domain), run design_system_retriever on it to get the real logo, colors, and fonts, and save the result with create_design_system so every run matches. Use the real logo image; never redraw it or type the company name in its place. The files: (1) a spreadsheet with one row per line (department, line, budget, actual, variance, variance %, likely driver); (2) a PowerPoint deck with the logo on the title slide, a one-slide summary, a slide per section with a chart wherever there are numbers, and a so-what slide; (3) a Word document with the logo in the header, the full brief, and every source cited. Brand colors and fonts throughout, one idea per slide, no walls of text. Finish with a short summary in chat that links all three. When each run finishes, this one included, email me the three files from Athena: send them to my own email address with the chat summary in the body. If Athena cannot send email in this workspace, say so instead. When you are done, ask me how often I want this: every weekday at 7am, weekly on Mondays at 7am, monthly on the 1st, or not now. Also ask which sections to keep and confirm my IANA time zone (for example America/New_York), and pass it explicitly when creating the schedule. If I choose a schedule, set up a scheduled agent that runs this same brief on it, keeps the spreadsheet asset ID and any template IDs in its instructions, reads the latest dated tab before each run, and reports only what changed since the last run. It says plainly when nothing material changed, and says comparison is unavailable if the prior tab cannot be read. Each run adds a dated tab to the same spreadsheet and makes a new dated deck and document. Whenever I give feedback on a run, in this chat or a later one, update the scheduled agent's instructions (and the template or design system when the feedback is about how the files look) so every later run follows it, then tell me exactly what you changed.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

Rolling forecast

Twelve months with base, upside, and downside, kept fresh. See how it runs →

Setup
No setup needed
Runs
Every weekday at 7am, weekly on Mondays at 7am, or monthly on the 1st
Outputs
spreadsheet, PowerPoint deck, Word document; emailed to you after every run
Runs on a scheduleSheetDeckDocNo setup needed
Show the prompt
Refresh a rolling 12-month forecast. Ask me for the actuals and the drivers I plan with (spreadsheets in Athena or uploads). Build base, upside, and downside cases, show what changed since the last forecast and why, and list the assumptions that move the result most. Deliver three files in my company's brand. If I have Word, PowerPoint, or Excel templates in Athena, ask once which to use and build every file from them, keeping their layouts, styles, and formulas. For the brand, use my company's design system if one exists. Otherwise find my company's website (search the web if you are not sure of the domain), run design_system_retriever on it to get the real logo, colors, and fonts, and save the result with create_design_system so every run matches. Use the real logo image; never redraw it or type the company name in its place. The files: (1) a spreadsheet with one row per month and case (month, case, revenue, costs, margin, cash, key assumption); (2) a PowerPoint deck with the logo on the title slide, a one-slide summary, a slide per section with a chart wherever there are numbers, and a so-what slide; (3) a Word document with the logo in the header, the full brief, and every source cited. Brand colors and fonts throughout, one idea per slide, no walls of text. Finish with a short summary in chat that links all three. When each run finishes, this one included, email me the three files from Athena: send them to my own email address with the chat summary in the body. If Athena cannot send email in this workspace, say so instead. When you are done, ask me how often I want this: every weekday at 7am, weekly on Mondays at 7am, monthly on the 1st, or not now. Also ask which sections to keep and confirm my IANA time zone (for example America/New_York), and pass it explicitly when creating the schedule. If I choose a schedule, set up a scheduled agent that runs this same brief on it, keeps the spreadsheet asset ID and any template IDs in its instructions, reads the latest dated tab before each run, and reports only what changed since the last run. It says plainly when nothing material changed, and says comparison is unavailable if the prior tab cannot be read. Each run adds a dated tab to the same spreadsheet and makes a new dated deck and document. Whenever I give feedback on a run, in this chat or a later one, update the scheduled agent's instructions (and the template or design system when the feedback is about how the files look) so every later run follows it, then tell me exactly what you changed.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

Board finance slides

Five slides from your financials.

Setup
No setup needed
Runs
When you ask
Outputs
PowerPoint deck
DeckNo setup needed
Show the prompt
Turn these financials into five board slides: [attach or pick from Athena]. Cover performance against plan, cash and runway, the three biggest variances, risks, and the decisions we need. One chart per slide with a title that states the finding. Use my company's brand. If I have Word, PowerPoint, or Excel templates in Athena, ask once which to use and build every file from them, keeping their layouts, styles, and formulas. For the brand, use my company's design system if one exists. Otherwise find my company's website (search the web if you are not sure of the domain), run design_system_retriever on it to get the real logo, colors, and fonts, and save the result with create_design_system so every run matches. Use the real logo image; never redraw it or type the company name in its place.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

02Close and AP

Invoice inbox sweep

Invoices from your email in one sheet, every week. See how it runs →

Setup
Needs Email (Outlook or Gmail)
Runs
Every Monday at 7am, or every weekday or monthly instead
Outputs
spreadsheet, PowerPoint deck, Word document; emailed to you after every run
Runs on a scheduleSheetDeckDocNeeds Email
Show the prompt
Sweep my email for invoices received in the last 7 days. Pull vendor, invoice number, dates, amount, and currency, flag duplicates and anything due in the next 10 days, and total what we owe by vendor. Deliver three files in my company's brand. If I have Word, PowerPoint, or Excel templates in Athena, ask once which to use and build every file from them, keeping their layouts, styles, and formulas. For the brand, use my company's design system if one exists. Otherwise find my company's website (search the web if you are not sure of the domain), run design_system_retriever on it to get the real logo, colors, and fonts, and save the result with create_design_system so every run matches. Use the real logo image; never redraw it or type the company name in its place. The files: (1) a spreadsheet with one row per invoice (vendor, invoice number, invoice date, due date, amount, currency, flag, source email); (2) a PowerPoint deck with the logo on the title slide, a one-slide summary, a slide per section with a chart wherever there are numbers, and a so-what slide; (3) a Word document with the logo in the header, the full brief, and every source cited. Brand colors and fonts throughout, one idea per slide, no walls of text. Finish with a short summary in chat that links all three. When each run finishes, this one included, email me the three files from Athena: send them to my own email address with the chat summary in the body. If Athena cannot send email in this workspace, say so instead. When you are done, ask me if I want this every Monday at 7am (or every weekday, or monthly instead). Also ask which sections to keep and confirm my IANA time zone (for example America/New_York), and pass it explicitly when creating the schedule. If I choose a schedule, set up a scheduled agent that runs this same brief on it, keeps the spreadsheet asset ID and any template IDs in its instructions, reads the latest dated tab before each run, and reports only what changed since the last run. It says plainly when nothing material changed, and says comparison is unavailable if the prior tab cannot be read. Each run adds a dated tab to the same spreadsheet and makes a new dated deck and document. Whenever I give feedback on a run, in this chat or a later one, update the scheduled agent's instructions (and the template or design system when the feedback is about how the files look) so every later run follows it, then tell me exactly what you changed.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

AP invoice reconciliation

Unpaid, underpaid, overpaid, and duplicate invoices.

Setup
No setup needed
Runs
When you ask
Outputs
spreadsheet
SheetNo setup needed
Show the prompt
Reconcile these invoices against payments: [attach the invoice and payment exports]. Match them, then list unpaid, underpaid, overpaid, and duplicate invoices with amounts and the likely cause of each, in a spreadsheet with one tab per exception type.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

Month-end close checklist

Tasks, owners, due days, and dependencies.

Setup
No setup needed
Runs
When you ask
Outputs
spreadsheet
SheetNo setup needed
Show the prompt
Build a month-end close checklist for a [size] [industry] company in a spreadsheet: task, owner role, due day (day 1 to 5), dependency, and the evidence to keep for audit.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

Revenue recognition memo

An ASC 606 memo for one contract.

Setup
No setup needed
Runs
When you ask
Outputs
Word document
DocNo setup needed
Show the prompt
Write an ASC 606 memo for this contract: [attach]. Walk the five steps, call out judgments and variable consideration, and give the journal entries for the first year. Put it in a Word document. Use my company's brand. If I have Word, PowerPoint, or Excel templates in Athena, ask once which to use and build every file from them, keeping their layouts, styles, and formulas. For the brand, use my company's design system if one exists. Otherwise find my company's website (search the web if you are not sure of the domain), run design_system_retriever on it to get the real logo, colors, and fonts, and save the result with create_design_system so every run matches. Use the real logo image; never redraw it or type the company name in its place.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

03Markets and peers

Peer earnings tracker

Peers’ results, guidance, and what they said on the call. See how it runs →

Setup
No setup needed
Runs
Every weekday at 7am, weekly on Mondays at 7am, or monthly on the 1st
Outputs
spreadsheet, PowerPoint deck, Word document; emailed to you after every run
Runs on a scheduleSheetDeckDocNo setup needed
Show the prompt
Track earnings for the closest public peers of my company (from my work email domain and profile; if you cannot tell, ask me). Tell me which 4-6 peers you chose. For each one's latest quarter, cover revenue, margin, and guidance against expectations, what management said about demand, pricing, and costs, and how it compares with us. Use filings and call transcripts and cite every number. Deliver three files in my company's brand. If I have Word, PowerPoint, or Excel templates in Athena, ask once which to use and build every file from them, keeping their layouts, styles, and formulas. For the brand, use my company's design system if one exists. Otherwise find my company's website (search the web if you are not sure of the domain), run design_system_retriever on it to get the real logo, colors, and fonts, and save the result with create_design_system so every run matches. Use the real logo image; never redraw it or type the company name in its place. The files: (1) a spreadsheet with one row per peer and metric (peer, quarter, metric, value, prior year, guidance, source link); (2) a PowerPoint deck with the logo on the title slide, a one-slide summary, a slide per section with a chart wherever there are numbers, and a so-what slide; (3) a Word document with the logo in the header, the full brief, and every source cited. Brand colors and fonts throughout, one idea per slide, no walls of text. Finish with a short summary in chat that links all three. When each run finishes, this one included, email me the three files from Athena: send them to my own email address with the chat summary in the body. If Athena cannot send email in this workspace, say so instead. When you are done, ask me how often I want this: every weekday at 7am, weekly on Mondays at 7am, monthly on the 1st, or not now. Also ask which sections to keep and confirm my IANA time zone (for example America/New_York), and pass it explicitly when creating the schedule. If I choose a schedule, set up a scheduled agent that runs this same brief on it, keeps the spreadsheet asset ID and any template IDs in its instructions, reads the latest dated tab before each run, and reports only what changed since the last run. It says plainly when nothing material changed, and says comparison is unavailable if the prior tab cannot be read. Each run adds a dated tab to the same spreadsheet and makes a new dated deck and document. Whenever I give feedback on a run, in this chat or a later one, update the scheduled agent's instructions (and the template or design system when the feedback is about how the files look) so every later run follows it, then tell me exactly what you changed.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

Tariff and FX impact watch

Tariff, currency, and rate moves and what they cost us. See how it runs →

Setup
No setup needed
Runs
Every weekday at 7am, weekly on Mondays at 7am, or monthly on the 1st
Outputs
spreadsheet, PowerPoint deck, Word document; emailed to you after every run
Runs on a scheduleSheetDeckDocNo setup needed
Show the prompt
Watch tariffs, exchange rates, and interest rates that affect my company (from my work email domain and profile; if you cannot tell, ask me). Ask me for our main import origins, currencies, and debt if you cannot tell. Cover the last 30 days: what changed, when it takes effect, and a rough cost impact with the math shown. Cite every item. Deliver three files in my company's brand. If I have Word, PowerPoint, or Excel templates in Athena, ask once which to use and build every file from them, keeping their layouts, styles, and formulas. For the brand, use my company's design system if one exists. Otherwise find my company's website (search the web if you are not sure of the domain), run design_system_retriever on it to get the real logo, colors, and fonts, and save the result with create_design_system so every run matches. Use the real logo image; never redraw it or type the company name in its place. The files: (1) a spreadsheet with one row per change (date, type, what changed, effective date, our exposure, estimated impact, source link); (2) a PowerPoint deck with the logo on the title slide, a one-slide summary, a slide per section with a chart wherever there are numbers, and a so-what slide; (3) a Word document with the logo in the header, the full brief, and every source cited. Brand colors and fonts throughout, one idea per slide, no walls of text. Finish with a short summary in chat that links all three. When each run finishes, this one included, email me the three files from Athena: send them to my own email address with the chat summary in the body. If Athena cannot send email in this workspace, say so instead. When you are done, ask me how often I want this: every weekday at 7am, weekly on Mondays at 7am, monthly on the 1st, or not now. Also ask which sections to keep and confirm my IANA time zone (for example America/New_York), and pass it explicitly when creating the schedule. If I choose a schedule, set up a scheduled agent that runs this same brief on it, keeps the spreadsheet asset ID and any template IDs in its instructions, reads the latest dated tab before each run, and reports only what changed since the last run. It says plainly when nothing material changed, and says comparison is unavailable if the prior tab cannot be read. Each run adds a dated tab to the same spreadsheet and makes a new dated deck and document. Whenever I give feedback on a run, in this chat or a later one, update the scheduled agent's instructions (and the template or design system when the feedback is about how the files look) so every later run follows it, then tell me exactly what you changed.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

13-week cash forecast

Cash by week under three cases, and the low point. See how it runs →

Setup
No setup needed
Runs
Every Monday at 7am, or every weekday or monthly instead
Outputs
spreadsheet, PowerPoint deck, Word document; emailed to you after every run
Runs on a scheduleSheetDeckDocNo setup needed
Show the prompt
Refresh the 13-week cash forecast. Ask me for the latest bank balances, receivables, and payables (spreadsheets in Athena or uploads). Show base, downside, and severe cases, the week cash runs lowest in each, what changed since last week, and the levers that buy the most time. Deliver three files in my company's brand. If I have Word, PowerPoint, or Excel templates in Athena, ask once which to use and build every file from them, keeping their layouts, styles, and formulas. For the brand, use my company's design system if one exists. Otherwise find my company's website (search the web if you are not sure of the domain), run design_system_retriever on it to get the real logo, colors, and fonts, and save the result with create_design_system so every run matches. Use the real logo image; never redraw it or type the company name in its place. The files: (1) a spreadsheet with one row per week and case (week, case, opening cash, receipts, payments, closing cash, note); (2) a PowerPoint deck with the logo on the title slide, a one-slide summary, a slide per section with a chart wherever there are numbers, and a so-what slide; (3) a Word document with the logo in the header, the full brief, and every source cited. Brand colors and fonts throughout, one idea per slide, no walls of text. Finish with a short summary in chat that links all three. When each run finishes, this one included, email me the three files from Athena: send them to my own email address with the chat summary in the body. If Athena cannot send email in this workspace, say so instead. When you are done, ask me if I want this every Monday at 7am (or every weekday, or monthly instead). Also ask which sections to keep and confirm my IANA time zone (for example America/New_York), and pass it explicitly when creating the schedule. If I choose a schedule, set up a scheduled agent that runs this same brief on it, keeps the spreadsheet asset ID and any template IDs in its instructions, reads the latest dated tab before each run, and reports only what changed since the last run. It says plainly when nothing material changed, and says comparison is unavailable if the prior tab cannot be read. Each run adds a dated tab to the same spreadsheet and makes a new dated deck and document. Whenever I give feedback on a run, in this chat or a later one, update the scheduled agent's instructions (and the template or design system when the feedback is about how the files look) so every later run follows it, then tell me exactly what you changed.
Open in Athena

Opens a new Athena chat with this prompt ready to send. If you're not signed in, you'll sign in first and land in the same chat.

04Why run it in Athena

A chat assistantAthena
What you getText in a chatReal Excel, Word, and PowerPoint files in your templates
Working togetherOne person, one chatYour team and the agent in the same file, live
MistakesRegenerate and start overEvery edit attributed; undo or roll back any change
Next runStarts from scratchBuilds on the last run and on your feedback
Your dataCopy and pasteDocuments, email, and warehouse, under each person's access
Where it runsTheir cloudYours, if you need it
TABLE 1Why run it in Athena: the same prompt in a chat assistant and in Athena.

05For your team

06Related dispatches

07Questions teams ask

How do I use a starter?

Open a new chat in Athena, paste the prompt, and replace anything in square brackets with your details before sending. Athena asks for anything else it needs.

Which starters run on a schedule?

These run on a schedule: Monday exec packet, Budget vs. actuals, Rolling forecast, Invoice inbox sweep, Peer earnings tracker, Tariff and FX impact watch, 13-week cash forecast.

Do these starters need connected apps?

A few need a connected app: email (Outlook or Gmail). The rest need no setup.

Can I use my own templates?

Yes. The scheduled starters ask once which of your Word, PowerPoint or Excel templates in Athena to use and build every file from them. With no template, they use your company's logo, colors and fonts.