Page 178 - JoFA_Jan_Apr23

TECHNOLOGY Q&A

MICROSOFT EXCEL

Using ChatGPT with Excel

Q. I have seen
several articles
about an AI tool
called ChatGPT,
where you ask a
question and it
can give you the
answer. Can this
be used to assist
with Excel?

A. ChatGPT is an AI chatbot from OpenAI that different. To get started, simply go to chat.openai.
can have a conversation with you and assist with com and create an account.
certain questions or tasks. ChatGPT is currently I thought it fitting to start off by asking Chat-
in its initial preview and therefore free. This tool is GPT the question above. See its answer in the
already capable of some great things, but it is being screenshot above.
improved and enhanced even more during this This response intrigued me, so I put it to the
initial stage. While the tool can certainly be helpful, test. Although ChatGPT currently cannot directly
it has limitations, including that it sometimes gives interact with an Excel spreadsheet, I found it could
incorrect information. Be sure to check the accuracy do many things to assist with Excel, which is espe-
of the information ChatGPT provides. If you use cially helpful for more challenging tasks.
it for Excel assistance, you can simply see if the I first asked ChatGPT, “Is it possible to make a
information it gives you works. If it does not, you PivotTable using multiple sources of data in Excel?”
can ask ChatGPT again, and it will try something See the screenshot below for its response.

About the
authors

Wesley Hartman
is founder at
Automata Practice
Development
and director of
technology at
Kirsch Kohn &
Bridge LLP. Kelly
L. Williams, CPA,
Ph.D., MBA, is an
associate professor
of accounting at
the Jones College
of Business at
Middle Tennessee
State University.

40 | Journal of Accountancy April 2023