Course Outline
DAY 1
Module 1 — Claude Fundamentals, Prompting and Personalisation
Gain a deeper understanding of Claude beyond the basic chat interface. Learn to identify its unique strengths, determine when it is the optimal choice over other AI tools, and customize the tool to align with your specific user profile.
Topics
• Claude’s market positioning and its key differentiators from other AI tools in 2026
• Model families: Fable, Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku, along with guidance on when to use each
• The probabilistic nature of AI, understanding hallucinations, and strategies for risk mitigation
• Plan differences and the specific benefits of a paid account
• Effective prompting: why context is more critical than syntax; foundational structures; and best practices for starting new chats
• Custom Instructions tailored to user profiles: defining roles, priorities, and communication tone
Exercises
• Exercise 1 — Construct a comprehensive prompt to address a customer complaint
• Exercise 2 — Set up Custom Instructions for your specific user profile
Module 2 — Projects, Artifacts and Skills
Leverage Projects to establish persistent workspaces equipped with dedicated knowledge bases, such as manuals, technical sheets, and standards. Understand Artifacts as a production environment within the chat interface. Develop structured working instructions using Skills.
Topics:
• Projects: Persistent workspaces featuring their own history and specialized knowledge bases
• Project Instructions vs. Profile Preferences — understanding how they complement one another
• Sharing Projects with teams: Features available on Team and Enterprise plans
• File uploads: Handling PDFs, Excel files, and images
• Artifacts: Creating documents, dashboards, and interactive prototypes directly within the chat
• Web Search: Accessing real-time information with verifiable citations
• Skills: Defining and applying repeatable procedural workflows
Exercises:
• Exercise 3 — Build a functional Project tailored to your own context
• Exercise 4 — Generate a functional Artifact relevant to your work environment
• Exercise 5 — Create a functional Skill suited to your specific needs
DAY 2
Module 3 — Cowork, agents and Microsoft 365 integration
Move beyond viewing AI as a chatbot and begin leveraging it as a work partner capable of processing real, day-to-day data in the background.
Topics:
• Claude Desktop: Installation, system requirements, authentication, initial setup, and key differences from browser-based usage
• Claude in Chrome: Installing the official extension, managing permissions, practical use cases, limitations, and security considerations
• Claude Mobile: Usage in mobile environments, cross-device synchronization, and best practices for mobile work
• Cowork: Overview of functionality and scenarios where it adds value
• Microsoft 365 connector: Connecting to Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams
• Multi-step tasks: Executing searches, reading, summarizing, writing, and sending
• Scheduled tasks: Utilizing Scheduled Prompts
• MCP: Exploring the Model Context Protocol and the Connectors ecosystem
• Identifying Cowork limitations and strategies to work around them
Exercises:
• Exercise 6 — Set up a Cowork project and organize its folder structure
• Exercise 7 — Configure a complete Cowork project using Skills, instructions, and folders. Test this setup on a complex task.
Module 4 — Claude in Excel, Word and PowerPoint
Integrate Claude with Microsoft 365 applications, including documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Use your own files to accelerate analysis, writing, review, and the preparation of professional work materials.
Topics:
• Excel: Data analysis, formula creation, table cleaning, indicator interpretation, and drafting executive summaries
• Word: Reviewing, rewriting, structuring documents, and creating proposals, reports, minutes, and professional communications
• PowerPoint: Converting content into presentation narratives, drafting scripts, refining key messages, and adapting content for specific audiences
Exercises:
• Exercise 8 — Utilize Claude to analyze an Excel spreadsheet and generate an executive summary with conclusions and recommendations
• Exercise 9 — Transform a Word document or a set of notes into a structured PowerPoint presentation
Requirements
To fully engage in the practical sessions, participants must have the following prepared prior to the course:
- Active Claude Account (Paid): A Pro, Team, or Enterprise subscription is mandatory to access Projects, Artifacts, and the advanced models utilized in Module 2.
- Microsoft 365 Access: A valid account with access to OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint is required to complete the integration tasks in Modules 3 and 4.
- Laptop with Installation Rights: A computer that permits the installation of Claude Desktop and the Chrome extension, which is essential for Module 3.
- Your Own Files (Highly Recommended): Prepare 2–3 real-world documents (such as a PDF manual, an Excel sheet, or a Word report) for use in hands-on exercises. Please ensure these files do not contain strictly confidential data.
Testimonials (2)
Learning how to prompt Claude and use it to digest all of the data I have available.
Mike Hartleroad - Furniture Row
Course - Claude AI for Data Analysis and Business Intelligence
how to engage with the Office environment and set up repetitive tasks
