Describe the task
Hand the workflow the practice cost split: staff, software, premises, insurance, PI cover. Name the variable that might change this year - losing a £15k client, adding a junior, switching off Sage. Ask for three scenarios side by side, with a toggle between pounds and percentages. Click into any scenario for a one-line read on where the real pressure lands.
Give the workflow context
An AI workflow connected to the practice management system and the accounting ledger for the firm itself. It reads current fee income, cost lines, utilisation by fee earner, and any committed contracts. It respects the partner's house view on what counts as a discretionary cost and what is locked in.
What the workflow creates
Three scenarios rendered side by side with the key numbers tiled on each. Toggle between pounds and percentages for the view that suits the audience. One-line sensitivity reads underneath each scenario, flagging whichever line moves the most. Ready to take into the partner meeting before you commit to the decision.
Follow-up prompts
- Add a fourth scenario where we lose the £15k client and add the junior in the same year.
- Stress-test the base case against a 10% fee increase across the top quartile of clients.
- Show the monthly cash profile for each scenario, not just the annual totals.
Tricks and tips
- Start with three scenarios, no more. Four is already noise; two is the spreadsheet you already have.
- Label the variables clearly. The workflow reads your labels back to the partner, so vague inputs become vague outputs.
- Rerun the scenarios quarterly. The base case drifts faster than most partners expect.