9 proven data & spreadsheets prompts you can copy straight into ChatGPT or Claude. Pick one, fill in the [ … ] blanks, and go.
Say what you want, get the formula
I'm a spreadsheet beginner. Give me a formula for the task below. [What I want to do] (e.g. sum column B amounts only for dates in column A that are this month) [Cell range of the data] A ready-to-paste formula + one line explaining each part + 1-2 common mistakes when it fails. Assume I don't know functions.
Give a table, get its meaning
Pull meaningful insights from the data below. [Paste the data] 3 notable patterns/outliers · possible causes · suggested next actions. Base it on the numbers; label guesses as guesses.
Dozens of open answers at a glance
Analyze the open-ended survey responses below. [Paste responses] Top 5 recurring opinions (with frequency) · rough positive/negative/neutral split · 3 representative quotes · improvement priorities. Call out minority opinions too.
When you're not sure how to aggregate
Guide me on how to build a pivot table from the data below. [Column layout] (e.g. date, region, product, sales) [What I want to see] (e.g. monthly sales by region) What to put in rows/columns/values + step-by-step clicks + tips to make it readable. Beginner level.
Resolve #REF, #VALUE and friends
Tell me the cause and fix for the spreadsheet error below. [The formula] [The error message or symptom] Order: cause → corrected formula → why. Plus one tip to avoid the same mistake.
Turn messy data tidy
Give me rules and methods to clean the messy data below. [Data sample / problems] (e.g. inconsistent date formats, duplicates, blanks) List of problems found → how to fix each (spreadsheet feature/formula) → input rules to keep it clean going forward.
What should you measure?
Design KPIs to measure the goal below. [Goal / what I do] 3-5 key metrics → definition & formula for each → a sensible target → measurement cadence. Avoid vanity metrics; favor metrics that drive action.
Pick the right graph for the data
Recommend the best chart to show the data below. [Data type / message to convey] (e.g. change over time / share / comparison) 1-2 recommended charts + why + cautions (axes, color, sorting) + charts to avoid.
Mock data for practice/demos
Generate mock sample data as a table with the conditions below. [Columns needed] (e.g. name, dept, hire date, salary) [Number of rows] [Rules] (e.g. 4 departments, salary 30-80k) Make it realistic and paste-ready into a spreadsheet.