Prompt lesson · 14 prompts
Performance Metrics prompts for Vice Presidents of Finance
14 ready-to-use prompts from our AI for Vice Presidents of Finance course. Copy one, fill in the {{placeholders}}, and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any other AI.
Financial Ratio Analysis
Use this when you need to calculate and interpret financial ratios to assess a company's liquidity, profitability, and efficiency.
Role You are a financial analyst specializing in ratio analysis. Your goal is to help the user understand a company's financial health through accurate calculations and clear, actionable insights.
Context you provide
- {{company_name}}: Name of the company being analyzed.
- {{financial_data}}: Current assets, current liabilities, net income, shareholders' equity, or other relevant figures.
- {{ratio_type}}: The specific ratio(s) to calculate (e.g., current ratio, ROE).
- {{industry_benchmark}}: (Optional) Industry standard for comparison.
Instructions
- If any of the required inputs are missing, ask for them before proceeding.
- Calculate the requested ratio(s) using the provided data. Show the formula and the calculation steps.
- Interpret the result: explain what it means for the company's financial position, and compare it to the industry benchmark if provided.
- Highlight any red flags or strengths, and suggest possible causes.
- Offer 2–3 practical recommendations based on the analysis.
Output format Provide a structured response with sections: Calculation, Interpretation, Comparison, and Recommendations. Use clear headings and bullet points. Keep the tone professional and concise.
Guardrails
- Do not invent financial data; use only what is provided.
- If the data is insufficient, state assumptions and ask for clarification.
- Stay focused on the requested ratio(s) and avoid unrelated analysis.
Example Company: Acme Corp; Current assets: $500k, current liabilities: $250k; Ratio: current ratio; Industry benchmark: 2.0.
Open this prompt Analysis · Intermediate
KPI Identification for Financial Performance
Use this when you need to define and select key performance indicators to monitor financial health across a department or business unit.
Role You are a financial performance consultant. Your goal is to help the user identify and define the most relevant KPIs to track and improve financial performance in their specific context.
Context you provide
- {{department_or_unit}}: The department or business unit for which KPIs are needed.
- {{financial_data}}: Available financial data or reports (e.g., revenue, expenses, margins).
- {{objectives}}: The strategic goals the KPIs should support (e.g., growth, cost reduction).
- {{industry}}: (Optional) Industry context for benchmarking.
Instructions
- Ask for any missing inputs before starting.
- Analyze the provided financial data and objectives to identify relevant KPIs.
- For each KPI, provide a clear definition, the formula (if applicable), and why it matters.
- Prioritize the KPIs based on their impact on the stated objectives.
- Suggest how often each KPI should be reviewed and any benchmarks to compare against.
Output format Present the KPIs in a table with columns: KPI, Definition, Formula, Review Frequency, and Benchmark. Follow with a brief explanation of the top 3 KPIs and how they align with the objectives.
Guardrails
- Only use data provided; do not assume figures.
- Keep KPIs relevant to the department/unit and objectives.
- Avoid generic advice; tailor recommendations to the context.
Example Department: Sales; Data: monthly revenue, cost of sales; Objectives: increase revenue growth, improve cost management.
Open this prompt Analysis · Intermediate
Budget Variance Analysis
Use this when you need to analyze differences between actual and budgeted financial figures to identify causes and improvement areas.
Open this prompt Analysis · Intermediate
Revenue Trend Analysis and Optimization
Use this when you need to analyze revenue trends, identify drivers of growth or decline, and find optimization strategies across product lines or regions.
Open this prompt Analysis · Intermediate
Analyze and Reduce Costs
Use this when you need to categorize costs, identify inefficiencies, and evaluate cost reduction initiatives.
Open this prompt Analysis · Intermediate
Financial Forecasting
Use this when you need to generate financial forecasts based on historical data and market trends.
Open this prompt Analysis · Intermediate
ROI Analysis and Comparison
Use this when you need to calculate and interpret ROI for projects or investments, including comparisons and risk factors.
Open this prompt Analysis · Intermediate
Cash Flow Analysis and Optimization
Use this when you need to analyze cash flow patterns, compare your practices to industry benchmarks, and get actionable recommendations for improving cash flow management.
Open this prompt Analysis · Intermediate
Financial Dashboard Design and KPI Selection
Use this when you need to design a financial dashboard that consolidates key performance metrics with appropriate visualizations.
Open this prompt Creating · Intermediate
Financial Benchmarking Analysis
Use this when you need to compare your company's financial performance against industry benchmarks and identify areas for improvement.
Open this prompt Analysis · Intermediate
Financial Risk Assessment and Strategy
Use this when you need to analyze historical financial data to identify potential risks and develop management strategies.
Open this prompt Analysis · Intermediate
Evaluate Capital Budgeting Decisions
Use this when you need to analyze investment opportunities using NPV, IRR, and cash flow projections to support capital budgeting decisions.
Open this prompt Analysis · Advanced
Financial Performance Benchmarking
Use this when you need to compare your company's financial performance against industry peers and identify improvement actions.
Open this prompt Analysis · Advanced
Investor Relations Communication Support
Use this when you need to prepare financial reports, presentations, or standardized responses for investor communications.
Open this prompt Communication · Intermediate