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Money, quotes and admin

Bookkeeping, invoices, quotes and the paperwork side of running a small business with AI.

• Can AI do my bookkeeping?
  Partly. Bookkeeping apps now use AI to read receipts, match them to bank transactions and suggest categories, which takes much of the typing out. You still need to check the categories, deal with odd items, and make sure the records are complete and right. ChatGPT on its own isn't bookkeeping software and shouldn't hold your bank data.
• Can AI help with invoicing?
  Yes. AI can turn job notes into invoice line items, draft payment reminders and late payment letters, and, inside bookkeeping apps, read receipts and match payments to invoices. Use invoicing software to issue the invoice itself, so it's numbered, stored and includes what HMRC requires. Check every amount and VAT figure before it goes out.
• Can ChatGPT make and read Excel spreadsheets?
  Yes. ChatGPT can read Excel files you upload, build new spreadsheets with formulas and charts, and work directly inside Excel and Google Sheets through the ChatGPT for Excel add-in. OpenAI says the add-in is available on Free, Go, Plus, Pro and Business plans. Always check its formulas before you rely on the numbers.
• Can Copilot analyse Excel data?
  Yes. Copilot in Excel can summarise your data, spot trends, write formulas, build charts and PivotTables, and edit the workbook directly when you describe what you want. You need Microsoft 365 Premium, Personal or Family with an AI credits plan, or an eligible business plan. Microsoft warns that results can be wrong, so check its numbers.
• Does Copilot work in OneNote and Visio?
  Copilot works in OneNote if your account has an M365 Copilot (Basic) or M365 Copilot (Premium) label. It can summarise notes, make to-do lists and draft plans from a page. Visio is different: Microsoft's Copilot service description doesn't list Visio among the apps with Copilot built in, so use Copilot Chat alongside it instead.
• How do I get an invoice for my ChatGPT subscription?
  For ChatGPT Plus or Pro, open Settings, then Account, then Payment, then Manage, and download past invoices from Invoice History. For ChatGPT Business, open Workspace settings, then Billing, then Invoices. If you subscribed through the Apple App Store or Google Play, the receipt is in that store's purchase history, not in ChatGPT.
• How do you use AI in Excel?
  You can use AI in Excel three ways: Copilot, built into Excel for eligible Microsoft 365 plans; the free ChatGPT for Excel add-in; or Claude for Excel on Claude's paid plans. Each sits in a side panel, reads your workbook and can build formulas, charts and summaries. Check every change before you save.
• How do you use AI in Outlook, and will Copilot search my email?
  Open Copilot in Outlook to summarise long threads, draft replies and ask questions about your inbox and calendar. Microsoft says all eligible Microsoft 365 subscribers get Copilot in Outlook. Without a Copilot add-on licence it covers your inbox, calendar and limited data. With one, it can also draw on your chats, meetings and files.
• Is there VAT on ChatGPT in the UK?
  It depends on what your invoice shows and whether you're VAT registered. OpenAI lets you add a VAT number to your billing details, and it then appears on future invoices. If your business buys services from outside the UK, HMRC's reverse charge rule usually applies, so you account for the VAT yourself on your return. Ask your accountant to confirm.
• Will AI replace accountants and bookkeepers?
  Not wholesale. AI and accounting software are taking over data entry, bank matching and first drafts, and Making Tax Digital is moving more record-keeping into apps. But someone still has to check the numbers, give tax advice, deal with HMRC and take responsibility. Expect the job to change: less typing, more checking and advising.

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