Course Outline
DAY 1
Module 1 — Claude Fundamentals, Prompting, and Personalization
Move beyond the standard chat interface to understand Claude’s true capabilities. Identify its unique strengths, determine when it is the optimal choice over other AI tools, and learn to personalize the tool so it aligns with your specific professional profile.
Topics
• Claude’s market positioning and its distinct advantages over other AI tools in 2026
• Model families: Fable, Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku, and the ideal scenarios for each
• Understanding probabilistic AI operations, managing hallucinations, and mitigating risks
• Comparing subscription plans and the specific benefits of a paid account
• Effective prompting techniques: the importance of context over syntax, foundational structures, and best practices for initiating new conversations
• Custom Instructions for individual 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 tailored to your professional 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. Explore Artifacts as a production space within the chat interface. Develop repeatable working instructions using Skills.
Topics:
• Projects: Creating persistent workspaces with unique history and dedicated knowledge bases
• Project Instructions vs. Profile Preferences — understanding how they complement one another
• Sharing Projects with teams: Utilizing Team and Enterprise plans
• File uploads: Handling PDFs, Excel files, and images
• Artifacts: Generating documents, dashboards, and interactive prototypes directly within the chat
• Web Search: Accessing real-time information with verifiable citations
• Skills: Defining and applying repeatable procedures
Exercises:
• Exercise 3 — Build a functional Project tailored to your specific context
• Exercise 4 — Generate a functional Artifact for your professional environment
• Exercise 5 — Create a functional Skill suited to your workflow
DAY 2
Module 3 — Cowork, Agents, and Microsoft 365 Integration
Shift your perspective from viewing AI as a simple chatbot to utilizing it as a capable work partner that operates in the background with real, day-to-day data.
Topics:
• Claude Desktop: Installation, requirements, authentication, initial setup, and key differences from browser-based use
• Claude in Chrome: Installing the official extension, managing permissions, practical use cases, limitations, and security best practices
• Claude Mobile: Applying AI in mobile contexts, syncing across devices, and best practices for on-the-go work
• Cowork: Understanding its functionality and optimal use cases
• Microsoft 365 connector: Linking with Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams
• Multi-step tasks: Executing search, reading, summarization, writing, and sending actions
• Scheduled tasks: Utilizing Scheduled Prompts
• MCP: Model Context Protocol and the ecosystem of Connectors
• Identifying current limitations of Cowork and strategies to overcome them
Exercises:
• Exercise 6 — Create a Cowork project and organize its folder structure
• Exercise 7 — Configure a complete Cowork project including Skills, instructions, and folders. Test this setup with a complex task.
Module 4 — Claude in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
Integrate Claude with Microsoft 365 software, including documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Utilize your own files to accelerate data analysis, content writing, review processes, and the preparation of professional work materials.
Topics:
• Excel: Data analysis, formula creation, table cleaning, indicator interpretation, and executive summary preparation
• Word: Reviewing, rewriting, structuring documents, and drafting proposals, reports, minutes, and professional communications
• PowerPoint: Converting content into presentation narratives, creating scripts, refining key messages, and adapting content for specific audiences
Exercises:
• Exercise 8 — Use Claude to analyze an Excel spreadsheet and generate an executive summary with conclusions and recommendations
• Exercise 9 — Transform a Word document or a collection of notes into a structured PowerPoint presentation
Requirements
To fully engage with the practical components, please ensure the following are in place before the course begins:
- Active Paid Claude Account: A Pro, Team, or Enterprise subscription is necessary 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 Permissions: A device where you have the authority to install the Claude Desktop application and the Chrome extension (essential for Module 3).
- Personal Business Files (Strongly Recommended): Please prepare two to three real-world documents (such as a PDF manual, an Excel spreadsheet, or a Word report) to utilize during the hands-on sessions. Ensure these files do not contain highly sensitive or 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
