Work through finance project files in Claude Cowork with a fresh folder
Idea + starter prompt, not run by us yet
For: Finance leads who repeat models and variance checks between projects
A portfolio company CFO gives Claude Cowork a new folder holding only the files a task needs, and moves them back when done. They give Claude years of history plus instructions, upload a new ERP file for scenario analysis, and used Claude Code for a payroll variance web tool. A person reviews every output.
Steps
- Make a new empty folder for each task and copy in only the files it needs. That limits what Claude can delete or change.
- Add the years of history and written instructions, then add the new ERP export for the scenario work.
- Ask for an audit trail on any Excel output, so each number points back to its source.
- Review the results for business context. People in the thread say it still needs checks for hallucinations and hidden errors, and isn't fully automated.
- Move the final files back yourself once you have checked them.
Starter prompt
I'm giving you [test folder] with copies of synthetic history files and a synthetic ERP export. These contain no real client or employee information and no private financial records. Do not open other folders. Work only on these copies and never delete or overwrite an original. First show me a plan: what you will compare, which scenarios you will run and what the output will look like. Wait for my OK. Then put the results in a new Excel file with an audit trail on each figure: source file, sheet and cell. List anything you couldn't verify or that looks odd, such as numbers that don't tie out. Don't ask for logins or card numbers.
Original post: Reddit · found via agentusecases.ai. Written up in our own words. We haven't run it, so test it on made-up data first.