“Excelling in Excel”  | “Everyday AI”

GFOA Alberta Essential Skills Bootcamps 2026

Webinars will be held via ZOOM, and will be available to members and non-members of GFOA alike. Additional information for each Seminar may be found below, while common characteristics include:

Events will run for either 60 or 90 minutes on Zoom, with links sent to registrants a few days before each event.

All start times 10:00 AM MST
All sessions are English language

Events will be recorded and available for purchase in our Learning Library after the series is complete.

Scroll down to see the entire series!

Excelling in Excel” Bootcamp 2026

** To register for the full Excelling at Excel Bootcamp at an additional discount, click any Register Today button and select the ‘Full Bootcamp’ option

Excelling in Excel Part One | Foundational Skills

Tuesday, 13 January 2026 | 10:00AM – 11:00AM MST
Non-Member Rate $105.00 | Member Rate $85.00

Do you feel like you’re “getting by” in Excel rather than actually using it as a tool?
Are you manually adding numbers on your calculator that Excel could total in seconds?
Do you lose track of rows and columns every time you scroll through a large report?

If you would like to build a solid Excel foundation with a clear municipal finance slant, you should attend this introductory session in the GFOA Alberta Essential Skills Bootcamp for Excel. You’ll learn core Excel skills using familiar examples such as budget worksheets, GL exports, and project tracking lists. The session will focus on practical, real-world tasks so you can immediately apply what you learn back at your desk.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• • Navigate and format worksheets efficiently for day-to-day finance work

  • Use basic formulas to calculate totals, averages, and simple metrics

  • Organize finance data so that it is easy to read, print, and share

  • Apply simple tools (sorting, filtering, freezing panes) to work with long lists

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• • Excel interface, workbooks, and worksheets

  • Entering, editing, and formatting data (numbers, dates, text)

  • Basic formulas: SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX

  • Relative vs. absolute references (why some formulas “break”)

  • Sorting, filtering, and freezing panes for long reports

  • Basic printing and page setup for council/management reports

WHO WILL BENEFIT:

This session is designed for municipal finance officers, clerks, and administrative staff who are new to Excel or largely self-taught. It is ideal for anyone who updates spreadsheets but does not yet feel confident building them. Staff who prepare or update budget working files, track invoices or projects, or maintain basic registries (vendors, capital projects, grants, etc.) will benefit from learning a consistent, reliable way to work in Excel.

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Excelling in Excel Part Two | Working with Data: Functions, Tables & Data Cleanup

Tuesday, 10 February 2026 | 10:00AM – 11:00AM MST
Non-Member Rate $105.00 | Member Rate $85.00

Do you spend too much time cleaning up reports exported from your financial system?
Are you retyping the same information instead of letting Excel fill it in for you?
Do you wish you could quickly find “only this department” or “only this funding source”?

If you would like to use Excel to manage and clean finance data instead of wrestling with it, Part 2 of Excelling in Excel Essential Skills Bootcamp is perfect for you. We’ll take the next step beyond the basics and focus on functions, tables, and data validation using examples like revenue detail, vendor listings, and departmental expense reports.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• • Convert messy lists into structured Excel tables you can actually work with

  • Use core finance-friendly functions (IF, SUMIF, COUNTIF, TEXT functions)

  • Clean and standardize exported data without retyping

  • Control data entry with drop-downs and simple rules

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• • Excel tables and structured references

  • Using IF, SUMIF, SUMIFS, COUNTIF, and COUNTIFS in municipal examples

  • Working with dates, account codes, and text fields

  • Cleaning “dirty” exports: trimming spaces, splitting and joining columns

  • Data validation: drop-down lists, basic checks, and error prevention

  • Simple conditional formatting to highlight key values and exceptions

WHO WILL BENEFIT:

This session is for municipal finance staff who regularly export data from accounting or payroll systems into Excel. Analysts, senior accountants, and finance assistants who prepare reconciliations, monitor cost centres, or track grants and projects will find this especially useful. It is also a good fit for anyone who already uses basic formulas and wants to start using Excel more intelligently with real municipal datasets.

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Excelling in Excel Part Three | Analysis & Reporting: PivotTables, Charts & What-If Scenarios

Tuesday, 03 March 2026 | 10:00AM – 11:00AM MST
Non-Member Rate $105.00 | Member Rate $85.00

Do you ever feel stuck when leadership asks, “Can you break this down by department and by funding source?”
Are you manually creating multiple summary tabs instead of letting Excel summarize the data for you?
Do you want to show trends and comparisons visually, without spending hours formatting charts?

Moving on from Parts One and Two, this session focuses on PivotTables, charts, and simple what-if tools, using real-life examples such as budget-to-actual comparisons, utility revenues, and capital project tracking.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Build PivotTables to summarize large datasets in seconds

• Slice and filter the same data in multiple ways without duplicating work

• Create clear charts and visuals for council, management, and public reports

• Apply simple what-if analysis to support budget and forecast discussions

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Creating and refreshing PivotTables from GL exports and other data

• Grouping by periods, departments, funds, and account types

• PivotCharts for visualizing key municipal metrics

• Designing readable charts: do’s and don’ts for finance audiences

• What-If tools: Scenario Manager, Goal Seek, and simple sensitivity checks

• Using PivotTables for budget-to-actual and variance analysis

WHO WILL BENEFIT:

This session is ideal for finance managers, analysts, and staff who prepare internal or external reports, budget presentations, or performance dashboards. Anyone responsible for turning large Excel data dumps into digestible summaries will benefit. It is also appropriate for staff who have used PivotTables “a little” but do not yet feel confident setting them up or troubleshooting issues.

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Excelling in Excel Part Four | Power User Tools: Advanced Functions, Templates & Automation Basics

Tuesday, 07 April 2026 | 10:00AM – 11:30AM MST
Non-Member Rate $150.00 | Member Rate $125.00

Are you spending hours every month repeating the same Excel clean-up and reporting steps?
Do you ever wish Excel could “just do this for me” when working with large or messy datasets?
Are you curious about Python, but worried it’s “only for programmers”?

If you would like to see how Python can work with Excel to automate repetitive municipal finance tasks, this session introduces Python using familiar Excel-based examples—no prior coding experience required. We’ll focus on practical, realistic workflows: cleaning exported data, standardizing files, and producing repeatable reports for management and council.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Understand how Python and Excel can work together (not compete)

• Recognize when a task is better automated with Python instead of manual Excel steps

• Learn the basic building blocks of a simple Python script using real finance examples

• See end-to-end workflows: from raw export → Python clean-up → polished Excel output

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• What is Python, and why it’s useful for municipal finance professionals

• Working with Excel files in Python (reading/writing XLSX and CSV)

• Cleaning and transforming recurring exports (GL detail, vendor lists, utility data)

• Automating repetitive steps:

  • Standardizing column names and formats

  • Removing duplicates and obvious errors

  • Splitting and combining data for different reports

• Generating recurring reports and templates from a Python script

• How Python fits into your existing toolkit (Excel, finance system, BI tools)

• Practical next steps if you want to keep learning Python after the bootcamp

WHO WILL BENEFIT:

This session is designed for municipal finance officers, analysts, and managers who are comfortable in Excel and curious about taking the next step into automation—without becoming full-time programmers. It will be especially valuable for those who regularly:

• Export large datasets from finance, payroll, or utility systems

• Repeat the same clean-up and reformatting steps every month or quarter

• Build or maintain complex spreadsheets that are difficult to update manually

Participants will come away with a clear understanding of how Python can extend Excel, reduce manual effort, and improve consistency in key municipal finance workflows—along with a realistic sense of what they can start doing right away.

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Everyday AI Bootcamp 2026

** To register for the full Everyday AI Bootcamp at an additional discount, click any Register Today button and select the ‘Full Bootcamp’ option

Everyday AI  Part One | First Steps with AI: What It Is and How to Talk to It

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 | 10:00AM – 11:00AM MST
Non-Member Rate $105.00 | Member Rate $85.00

How many times have you heard that the people who will not lose work in the future are those who know HOW to use AI?
Do you want to learn how to use tools like ChatGPT but have no idea where to start or what it can do?
Are you confused about the multitude of  AI options available for use, and slightly afraid of making an irreversible mess somehow?

If you would like a clear, practical introduction to AI that is grounded in practical reality, GFOA Alberta’s Essential Skills Bootcamp on “Everyday AI” is for you.

You’ll learn the basics of how tools like ChatGPT work, how to ask questions, and how to use AI for simple everyday tasks at home—no technical background, job title, or decision-making authority required.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Understand, in plain language, what AI is and what it is not

• Learn how to “chat” with AI: asking questions, following up, and correcting it

• Try simple personal uses (planning, recipes, hobbies) in a safe environment

• Start noticing where similar ideas might someday help at work

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• What is AI? A simple explanation with everyday examples

• How chat-based AI works: questions, follow-ups, and “teaching” it what you mean

• Easy starter uses at home:

  • Ideas for meals and shopping lists

  • Trip ideas, reading lists, and hobby suggestions

  • Explaining complex topics in simpler language

• What AI is good at, and where it makes mistakes

• Basic safety and privacy: what not to put into AI tools

WHO WILL BENEFIT:

This session is for anyone in a municipal workplace who has never used AI or has only “clicked once and backed out.” You do not need to be a manager, a tech person, or a decision-maker. If you can use email and a web browser, you’re ready. It’s especially helpful for people who are curious but cautious and want to build confidence before suggesting any AI ideas at work.

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Everyday AI  Part Two | AI for Everyday Writing, Ideas & Personal Creativity

Tuesday, 24 February 2026 | 10:00AM – 11:00AM MST
Non-Member Rate $105.00 | Member Rate $85.00

Do you stare at a blank screen when you need to write something—at home or at work?
Would you like help drafting birthday messages, letters, or project ideas?
Do you have creative hobbies you never quite get around to exploring?

If you would like to use AI as a friendly writing and ideas partner, then you’ll benefit from Part 2 of the Everyday AI Bootcamp. This session focuses on everyday writing, personal projects, and “slightly left-brain creativity” that you can try at home first—while also giving you a sense of how similar uses could support writing and communication at work later.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Use AI to draft and edit everyday writing (messages, letters, simple documents)

• Generate ideas for hobbies, learning, and creative experiments

• Ask AI to adjust tone, length, and reading level

• Recognize which of these uses might translate into workplace benefits

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Everyday writing helpers:

  • Polishing emails, letters, and simple notices

  • Birthday messages, thank-you notes, and invitations

• Creative uses at home:

  • Story prompts, character ideas, and journaling support

  • Learning plans for a new skill, language, or hobby

• “Make this easier to read”: simplifying long or complex text

• Asking AI to give you choices and then picking what feels right

• Where this overlaps with work: clearer explanations, better drafts, less “blank page” time

WHO WILL BENEFIT:

This session is ideal for staff who write occasionally but don’t see themselves as “writers,” and for anyone who wants AI to help with words, ideas, and creativity in their personal life. It will also help municipal staff who want to understand how AI might one day assist with clearer communication at work—even if they’re not the ones approving or implementing it.

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Everyday AI  Part Three | Using AI to Organize Life: Lists, Plans, Numbers & Simple Excel Help

Tuesday, 24 March 2026 | 10:00AM – 11:00AM MST
Non-Member Rate $105.00 | Member Rate $85.00

Do you juggle to-do lists, family schedules, and personal budgets in your head—or on scraps of paper?
Would you like help turning messy notes and ideas into simple plans or checklists?
Do you use Excel or spreadsheets a little and wish you had someone to “talk it through” with?

If you would like to see how AI can help you organize everyday life, try out Part 3 of the Everyday AI Bootcamp. We’ll focus on practical, low-risk uses: lists, plans, small budgets, and gentle support for Excel or Google Sheets. You’ll work with personal examples so you can see how the same thinking might support work tasks later while giving you real skills you can use to streamline some of your daily work by becoming a ‘second brain’ assistant.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Use AI to turn vague ideas into concrete lists, plans, and timelines

• Get help building simple personal budgets and trackers

• Ask AI for step-by-step Excel guidance (without needing advanced skills)

• Start connecting the dots between home organization and workplace workflows

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Everyday organization:

  • To-do lists, packing lists, and event plans

  • Breaking big tasks into smaller steps

• Simple number-related help:

  • Building a basic monthly budget or savings plan

  • Understanding percentages and comparisons in plain language

• AI + spreadsheets (gentle intro):

  • Asking AI, “How would I set this up in Excel?”

  • Getting example formulas and explanations you can copy and adapt

  • How to keep frpm pulling out your hair when asking AI for what seem slike simple help

• Identifying the line between “personal sandbox” and “work systems”

WHO WILL BENEFIT:

This session is for anyone who uses lists, notes, and simple spreadsheets in daily life and wants to feel more organized—with AI as a helper rather than a replacement. It’s especially useful for municipal staff who use Excel at work but aren’t “Excel people,” and who want to experiment safely at home before advocating for smarter tools or workflows in the office.

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Everyday AI  Part Four | Designing Your Personal AI Toolkit (and Spotting Ideas for Work)

Tuesday, 28 April 2026 | 10:00AM – 11:30AM MST
Non-Member Rate $150.00 | Member Rate $125.00

Have you tried AI a few times but don’t feel like you have a “rhythm” with it yet?
Do you want a simple, repeatable way to use AI without having to reinvent the wheel each time?
Are you starting to see where AI might help at work, but you’re not sure how to frame those ideas?

If you would like to turn AI from a novelty into a practical everyday tool, this Advanced session of the GFOA Alberta Essential Skills “Everyday AI” Bootcamp. This session helps you build your own “AI toolkit” for personal or work use and shows you how to capture possible workplace ideas in a way you can bring to your supervisor or IT team when the time is right.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Build a small set of go-to prompts for your own daily use

• Learn how to save, reuse, and adapt prompts instead of starting from scratch

• Reflect on which personal uses hint at potential work improvements

• Understand how to talk about AI ideas responsibly inside a municipality

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Creating your personal AI “menu”:

  • Prompts for planning, writing, organizing, and learning

  • A simple way to store your favourite prompts and tweak them

• Turning one-off experiments into small personal routines

• Spotting safe patterns that could translate to work someday

• How to raise AI ideas at work without overstepping:

  • Respecting policies, privacy, and approval processes

  • Framing AI as “help with tasks,” not “replacing people or systems”

• What to do next if your municipality is not ready for AI yet (and what to do if it is)

WHO WILL BENEFIT:

This session is designed for municipal staff who want to feel genuinely comfortable using AI in their personal lives and who are beginning to notice where similar approaches might help in their jobs. It is especially useful for people who are not in charge of technology or policy but who are often the ones doing the day-to-day work—and who may become the quiet AI champions when their organization is ready.