TL;DR
What did @ruthdulac use Claude for?
The founder of a small butter brand had Claude help build an Excel workbook that tracks direct orders, expenses, inventory and revenue month to month, then grew it into their own system and started writing bi-monthly investor-style reports to themselves. The sheet helped them catch things they would otherwise have missed and understand what the business is doing, beyond just how many orders came in.
What they did
They used Claude to help build an Excel sheet for the business that tracks direct orders, expenses, inventory, revenue and month-to-month performance, then kept adjusting it until it fit how the business runs. They also began sending themselves bi-monthly investor reports to build the habit before they have investors.
How it went
The sheet helped them catch things they would otherwise have missed and understand what the business is doing, beyond just how many orders came in.
Worth knowing
- Double-check the formulas Claude writes against a month you already know the totals for. A spreadsheet isn't a substitute for an accountant at tax time.
- Price check: Claude: free plan; Pro: US$20/month, or US$17/month on a yearly plan (US$200/year) (checked Nov 1, 2026).
Paying for Claude? See cheaper Claude alternatives.
Try it yourself
Paste this into a chatbot, then add your own details underneath.
Help me build a simple Excel workbook for my small product business. Tabs: Orders (date, channel, product, qty, revenue), Expenses (date, category, amount), Inventory (product, stock in, stock out, on hand), and a Monthly Summary that shows revenue, expenses, profit and change vs. last month. Tell me exactly which columns and formulas to add, step by step.
Original post
See @ruthdulac's original post on X → (Oct 1, 2026)
Sources
- @ruthdulac on X, Oct 1, 2026 — the original post
- Claude pricing — checked Nov 1, 2026