# Requirements: Finance Report Autopilot

> **Version 1.0.0 · Last updated 2026-10-22 · Estimated setup time: 60–90 minutes**

Use this checklist before you hand CLONE-INSTRUCTIONS.md to your clone. Your clone will also check most of this during discovery.

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## 1. Required skills / operators

Use the exact names below. **Confirm them in your skill catalog** before saving the skill. Your clone will report the exact names it finds.

> Skill names can differ slightly between orgs. Confirm the exact names in your skill catalog before saving the skill.

**Pick one email provider (required):**

| # | Skill / operator (exact name) | What it's used for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | **GoogleGmailOperator** | Find finance emails, read PDF/CSV/Excel attachments, send the summary | Google Workspace users |
| 2 | **Outlook email operator** | Same as above | Microsoft 365 users (confirm exact name in your catalog) |

**Pick one workbook route (required):**

| # | Skill / operator (exact name) | What it's used for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | **Microsoft_Excel** | Open the master workbook, save a dated copy, write inputs, recalculate, audit | Excel in OneDrive or SharePoint |
| 4 | **Microsoft_OneDrive** | Locate files, save copies in the copies folder | Microsoft 365 users |
| 5 | **Microsoft Share Point Queries** | Read files/lists if the workbook lives on SharePoint | Needs Sites.Read.All on the Microsoft connection |
| 6 | **GoogleSheets-Operator** | Same as Microsoft_Excel for Google Sheets | Google Workspace users |
| 7 | **GoogleDriveCoreOperator** | Locate files, copy sheets, manage sharing | Google Workspace users |

**Also required:**

| # | Skill / operator (exact name) | What it's used for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | **Finance Report Autopilot** (custom skill) | The workflow itself | Saved from CLONE-INSTRUCTIONS.md section 7 |
| 9 | **Scheduled task** (via the `platform` tool) | Run on `{SCHEDULE}` | Needed for automation; on-demand works without it |

## 2. Connections and minimum permissions

| Connection | Minimum permission | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail or Outlook | **Read** mail and attachments, plus **Send** | Find reports, send the summary |
| Microsoft 365 (OneDrive/SharePoint) | **Read** the master workbook; **edit** the copies folder. Sites.Read.All to read SharePoint | Copy, update and audit the workbook |
| Google Drive / Sheets | **View** the master; **edit** the copies folder | Same |
| Slack or Teams (optional) | Post to a private channel or to you | Summary notification |

Important points:

- Use **your own** accounts. Connections are made by you through the platform's sign-in (OAuth). Your clone never needs your password or bank credentials.
- **SharePoint "access denied"?** Delete and re-create the Microsoft connection so it picks up new permissions (Sites.Read.All), and confirm your own access to the file and folder.
- Keep the copies folder **restricted** to the people in `{RECIPIENTS}`.

## 3. Optional add-ons

| Add-on | Adds | Operators |
|---|---|---|
| **Phase 2 suggestions** | Short cash suggestions (collections to chase), labeled as suggestions | `{PHASE2}` setting |
| **Slack or Teams post** | Summary-only notification | Clone's messaging integration |
| **Link instead of attachment** | Shares the dated copy by link to limit file spread | GoogleDriveCoreOperator or Microsoft_OneDrive |
| **Sheet protection** | Blocks accidental writes to formula cells | Your own workbook settings (Excel Protect Sheet, Google Sheets protected ranges) |

### Google ⇄ Microsoft 365 mapping

| Concept | Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Email with attachments | Gmail (GoogleGmailOperator) | Outlook email operator |
| Master workbook | Google Sheets (GoogleSheets-Operator) | Excel (Microsoft_Excel) |
| Files and copies | Google Drive (GoogleDriveCoreOperator) | OneDrive (Microsoft_OneDrive) / SharePoint (Microsoft Share Point Queries) |
| Recalculation | Sheets recalculates automatically | Excel recalculation via Microsoft_Excel; the clone reads computed values back |
| Protect formulas | Data → Protect sheets and ranges | Review → Protect Sheet |

### Slack ⇄ Teams mapping

| Concept | Slack | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Summary post (optional, post only) | Private channel or DM | Private channel or chat |

## 4. Data prerequisites

- [ ] **Finance emails arrive in an inbox the clone can read**, from consistent senders with consistent subjects.
- [ ] **Reports have attachments the clone can read.** CSV or Excel is best; PDFs work but scanned PDFs extract worse.
- [ ] **A master cash workbook** with clearly separated **input cells** and **formula cells**.
- [ ] **A confirmed input map** (`{INPUT_MAP}`): source value → sheet and cell, with formula cells marked "never write".
- [ ] **Formula cells protected** in the workbook (recommended).
- [ ] **A copies folder** with edit access and restricted sharing.
- [ ] **A short `{RECIPIENTS}` list** of people allowed to see this data.
- [ ] **A test copy of the workbook** and 1–2 sample report emails.
- [ ] **A rule for "unusual"** (`{UNUSUAL_THRESHOLD}`) and for tie tolerance (`{TIE_TOLERANCE}`).

## 5. Roles and permissions

| Who | Needs to |
|---|---|
| **Clone admin** (owner of the clone) | Attach operators, approve the plan, save the Finance Report Autopilot skill, create or approve the scheduled task |
| **Finance owner** | Confirm the input map, protect formula cells, answer approval requests in the first `{APPROVAL_RUNS}` runs |
| **Mailbox owner** | Connect Gmail or Outlook with read and send |
| **File owner / IT** | Grant edit access to the copies folder; fix SharePoint permissions if needed |
| **Recipients** | Receive the summary and workbook; keep them confidential |
| **Leadership** (optional) | Decide thresholds for "unusual" and whether to receive phase 2 suggestions |

## 6. Estimated setup time

| Step | Time |
|---|---|
| Pre-flight check (this doc) | 10 min |
| Clone discovery + placeholders + plan | 15 min |
| Build and confirm the input map | 15–20 min |
| Your email and file connections, permissions | 10–20 min |
| Save skill + scheduled task | 5–10 min |
| Test run with negative tests | 20–30 min |
| **Total** | **60–90 min** |

## 7. Pre-flight checklist

- [ ] I'm the clone admin (or have one available)
- [ ] I know the senders and subject patterns of my finance emails (`{SENDERS}`, `{SUBJECT_PATTERNS}`)
- [ ] I can connect Gmail or Outlook with **my own** account (read and send)
- [ ] I know where the master workbook is and whether it is Excel or Google Sheets (`{WORKBOOK}`)
- [ ] I can create files in a copies folder (`{COPY_FOLDER}`) and it is restricted
- [ ] I know which cells are inputs and which are formulas, and I'm ready to confirm the map
- [ ] I've decided `{RECIPIENTS}` (short list) and `{SCHEDULE}`
- [ ] I've decided `{APPROVAL_RUNS}` (2–4)
- [ ] I've decided `{PHASE2}` (default: off)
- [ ] I've asked senders for CSV or Excel versions, if reports are scanned PDFs
- [ ] I have a test copy of the workbook and sample report emails
- [ ] I can create scheduled tasks (or the clone can)

## 8. You're ready when…

- ✅ The email and workbook operators are attached and signed in.
- ✅ The clone can open the master workbook and save a copy in the copies folder.
- ✅ You have a confirmed input map and know which cells are formulas.
- ✅ You have answers for the placeholders in README section 6.
- ✅ You have a test copy and sample report emails.
- ✅ You are comfortable replying "yes" to the clone's write plan.

Then download **CLONE-INSTRUCTIONS.md** and give it to your clone.