Write a good first message
In a new workspace, you do not need a long brief that spells out every table and formula. A good first message names the decision, gives a few facts, and says where your numbers are:We sell [an annual software subscription] to [small accounting firms] for about [$6,000 a year]. We have [9] employees and about [$1.2 million] in the bank. Our books are in [QuickBooks]. Build a 12-month plan so I can see how long our cash lasts and whether we can hire two engineers in Q1.Ari labels every number it estimates as an assumption you can change later, and asks about anything that changes the answer. If you already have a model in a spreadsheet, attach it instead. See Import an existing spreadsheet model.
Say what decision the answer is for
Ari builds a better Model when it knows what the answer is for.Name the period, the comparison, and the detail
Say which period matters and what to compare it with:Compare March Actuals with the March Forecast and with February Actuals.Ask for the business categories that explain the result, such as department, customer, product, or region:
Break payroll down by department, then show the employees behind the largest change.If you are working in a Scenario other than the one you are viewing, name it.
Point at what you mean
Mention the exact cell instead of describing it. Right-click the cell, choose Mention cell in chat, and ask “Why is this lower than last month?” A description such as “the revenue number in that table” leaves Ari to guess which one you mean. See Ask Ari about a number.Say whether you want an answer or a change
Ari reads the Model to answer a question and changes it when you ask for something new. Make the difference explicit, and fence off what must not move:
To try a change without risk, use a Scenario. See Test a decision in a Scenario and Make a precise change with Ari.
Ask Ari to show its work
Follow-ups that make an answer easy to check:- “Which source data supports that conclusion?”
- “Which assumptions did you make, and which did you estimate?”
- “What changed compared with the prior period?”
- “Which formula applies to this cell?”
- “Can you reconcile this total to the detail below it?”
- “Where can I change this assumption and compare another outcome?”
Correct Ari when it guesses
Instead of starting over in a new chat, tell Ari what is true and ask it to remember:Our customers pay annually up front, not monthly. Fix the revenue timing, and remember this for the whole workspace.See Teach Ari your company’s conventions.