I first got into Claude.ai because it could write quality content faster on the first draft than I could do myself. Now I’m using Claude to extract information from spreadsheets and then create spreadsheets from my chat prompts.
Claude creates and edits Excel spreadsheets, documents, PowerPoint slide decks, and PDFs directly through my Claude.ai desktop app. This transforms how I work with rough and ready spreadsheet data. I no longer use Claude just for text responses from ideas I give it. Now I can describe what I need, upload relevant data, and get ready-to-use files in return.
I can get insights from raw data because Claude can clean raw data very efficiently. I’ve used Claude to create financial models such as scenario analyses, project trackers with automated dashboards, and budgets with variance calculations.
I also like being able to upload a PDF to Claude and then get a PowerPOint deck. I can scan text from my handwritten notes after a meeting and Claude can produce a formatted document.
I’m very impressed with how Claude handles tedious work and how it can present information the way I demand the formatting.
The screencap above shows the setting I toggled on with Claude.
- I enabled “Upgraded file creation and analysis” under Settings > Features > Experimental
- Then I upload relevant files or describe what I need.
- I have to chat with Claude to move through the work.
- When I’m finished with a Claude session, I can download completed files or save them directly to Google Drive.