Building a Custom Finance Assistant

Kanza Basit often found herself fielding repeated questions from colleagues about finance, reimbursements, and the University’s financial regulations. While answering these queries was essential, it was also time-consuming and often left less room for higher-value work. The feeling was also shared by other senior team members of her team. 

To solve this, Kanza turned to ChatGPT Edu and created a custom GPT designed specifically for her team. By training it on the University’s financial regulations and the Division’s terms and conditions, she built a tool that allows colleagues to ask direct questions and receive clear, step-by-step guidance. Whether it’s checking if an expense is eligible for reimbursement or navigating complex rules, the GPT provides accurate answers instantly - freeing Kanza and her team from having to repeat the same explanations hundreds of times. 

The benefits have been immediate. Tasks that once required staff intervention are now automated, giving colleagues faster access to reliable information while reducing the administrative burden on the team. For Kanza, this means less time spent answering repetitive queries and more time to focus on supporting researchers across the Division. 

Her experience also highlights an important lesson: the quality of the GPT depends on the quality of its training material. Feeding it with accurate, up-to-date documents ensures its guidance is correct. Kanza also recommends rigorous testing before rolling out a custom GPT more widely - trialling it with colleagues to identify gaps, refine prompts, and align outputs with expectations. 

By combining her understanding of team needs with ChatGPT Edu’s flexibility, Kanza has transformed a persistent challenge into a practical solution. Her custom finance assistant is not just a time-saver; it’s an example of how AI can be tailored to meet specific organisational needs, making everyday processes smoother, smarter, and more sustainable.