Course Outline
DAY 1
Module 1 — Claude Essentials, Prompting, and Personalization
Move beyond the basic chat interface with Claude. Learn to identify its unique strengths, determine when it is the optimal choice over other AI tools, and customize the tool to align with your specific user profile and professional needs.
Key Topics
• Claude’s market positioning and what differentiates it from other AI solutions in 2026
• Understanding model families: Fable, Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku, and best practices for selecting the right one
• The probabilistic nature of AI, addressing hallucinations, and strategies for risk mitigation
• Plan differences and the specific benefits of a paid account
• Effective prompting: why context outweighs syntax; foundational structures; and deciding when to initiate a new chat
• Custom Instructions tailored to user profiles: defining roles, priorities, and communication tone
Practical Exercises
• Exercise 1 — Construct a comprehensive prompt to address a customer complaint
• Exercise 2 — Set up Custom Instructions for a specific user profile
Module 2 — Projects, Artifacts, and Skills
Utilize Projects to establish persistent workspaces equipped with dedicated knowledge bases, including manuals, technical specifications, and standards. Explore Artifacts as a production environment within the chat interface. Develop standardized working procedures using Skills.
Key Topics:
• Projects: Persistent workspaces featuring their own history and dedicated knowledge resources
• Comparing Project Instructions and Profile Preferences — understanding how they complement each other
• Sharing Projects across teams: Available on Team and Enterprise plans
• File management: Uploading PDFs, Excel files, and images
• Artifacts: Generating documents, dashboards, and interactive prototypes directly within the chat
• Web Search: Accessing real-time information with verifiable sources
• Skills: Defining and applying repeatable workflows
Practical Exercises:
• Exercise 3 — Develop a functional Project tailored to your specific work context
• Exercise 4 — Create a functional Artifact relevant to your work context
• Exercise 5 — Define a functional Skill for your professional environment
DAY 2
Module 3 — Cowork, Agents, and Microsoft 365 Integration
Shift your perspective from viewing AI as a chatbot to treating it as an autonomous work partner capable of handling background tasks on real-time operational data.
Key Topics:
• Claude Desktop: Installation, system requirements, authentication, initial setup, and key differences from browser-based usage
• Claude in Chrome: Installing the official extension, managing permissions, practical use cases, limitations, and security best practices
• Claude Mobile: Applications in mobile settings, cross-device synchronization, and best practices for working on the go
• Cowork: Understanding its functionality, capabilities, and ideal use cases
• Microsoft 365 connector: Linking with Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams
• Multi-step workflows: Searching, reading, summarizing, drafting, and sending communications
• Scheduled automation: Utilizing Scheduled Prompts
• MCP: The Model Context Protocol and the broader Connectors ecosystem
• Acknowledging Cowork’s current limitations and strategies to work around them
Practical Exercises:
• Exercise 6 — Initiate a Cowork project and structure its folder hierarchy
• Exercise 7 — Configure a complete Cowork project with Skills, instructions, and folders. Test this setup on a complex task.
Module 4 — Claude in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
Leverage Claude alongside Microsoft 365 applications for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Use your own files to accelerate data analysis, content creation, review processes, and the preparation of work materials.
Key Topics:
• Excel: Data analysis, formula generation, data cleaning, metric interpretation, and drafting executive summaries
• Word: Document review, rewriting, structuring, and creating proposals, reports, minutes, and professional communications
• PowerPoint: Converting content into narrative presentations, developing scripts, refining key messages, and tailoring content for specific audiences
Practical Exercises:
• Exercise 8 — Utilize Claude to analyze an Excel spreadsheet and generate an executive summary with conclusions and recommendations
• Exercise 9 — Transform a Word document or set of notes into a structured PowerPoint presentation
Requirements
To fully engage in the practical components, please ensure the following are prepared prior to the course:
- Active Claude Account (Paid): A Pro, Team, or Enterprise subscription is necessary to access Projects, Artifacts, and the advanced models utilized in Module 2.
- Microsoft 365 Access: A functional account with permissions for OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint is required to complete the integration tasks in Modules 3 and 4.
- Laptop with Installation Privileges: A device where you are authorized to install Claude Desktop and the Chrome extension (essential for Module 3).
- Personal Business Documents (Strongly Recommended): Prepare 2–3 real-world files (such as a PDF manual, an Excel spreadsheet, or a Word report) for use in the hands-on sessions. Please verify that these documents do not contain strictly confidential information.
Testimonials (2)
Considerations about privacy and policy
Angelo Stefano Soglia - Parkino srl
Course - Claude AI for Workflow Automation and Productivity
Learning how to prompt Claude and use it to digest all of the data I have available.
