TFF #021 - How to Use Simple Machine Learning in G-Sheets to Predict Future Values

1-2-3 Newsletter - Read Time - 3 Mins

Hello, and welcome to a another edition of the Tech for Finance Newsletter where we have:

1 Tutorial on how to use Machine Learning in Google Sheets
2 Expert resources on moving beyond automation with CFOTech & How to use ChatGPT with Xero
3 Tech tools for you to analyze company data, visualise your data and improve productivity

1/ How to Use Simple ML for Sheets to Predict the Future

Step 1 - Install the Simple ML for Sheets App Using this link.

Step 2 - Create a New Sheet

Make sure you’ve got a column for the dates, and a column for the historic values.

You will need to make sure you’ve got dates for the historic values, as well as dates that go into the future, as it’s the future dates that the algorithm will use to make the predictions.

Step 3 - Open the ML for Sheets App

Go to your extensions tab, find the app, and click start

Step 4 - Choose the ‘Forecast Future Values’ Option

Step 5 - Click ‘Forecast'

[Note - You may need to go into your advanced options and switch the Holiday field to ‘No Holiday’ as this can sometimes produce an error. Also, if you get an authentication error, it could be because you’re logged into multiple Google accounts. If so, you’ll need to open an incognito tab and repeat the process]

Step 6 - Review Your Results

You’ll see it’s added an additional column for predicted values, as well as a graph.

Happy forecasting!

2/ Expert Resources

1. [Podcast] This week I was excited to announce a guest I’d been wanting on the podcast for ages! Wouter Born, who it the Founding and Manageming Partner at Born Capital, a PE company that invest in CFOTech. For the full conversation where we talk about ‘Moving Beyond Automation to Strategic Value with CFOTech’ click here.

2. [Post] Earlier this week, I posted a how to guide on how to connect the ChatGPT Zapier plugin to Xero. To see how you can use it to find invoices, create contacts, and to receive payments, check out the guide here.

3/ Tech Tools

1. Ask Edith - Analyze your company data with an AI powered Q & A - Find out more here.

2. Cognosys - An AI AutoGPT style agent to improve your productivity and simplify complex tasks - Find out more here.

3. VizGPT - Upload a CSV and quickly visualise your data with a fast chat interface - Find out more here.

So that’s it for this week. Did you like it?

I’m always looking for feedback, so anything you don’t like, or anything you want to see more of, let me know.

Until next time.

Adam

P.S - The ‘The Ultimate GPT Framework for Finance: ChatGPT, AutoGPT & Beyond” will be released next week, if you want first dibs you can join the waitlist here.

Know someone else that'll like this? It'd mean a lot to me if you could forward on 🙂

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