Make Your First AI Automation

Course timing: 10.00 to 14.00

Why come?

Many charities use valuable tools that do not always work well together. Staff can spend significant time copying information, updating documents and completing repetitive administrative tasks.

This course will help you move from using AI as a standalone assistant to building AI workflows that can carry out multi-step tasks. You will explore how to connect your most useful tools, save time and create automations that work for you.

The aim is to reduce repetitive administration so people can focus on the work that needs human judgement, strong relationships and effective delivery.

Who should attend?

This advanced course is for people responsible for improving how their charity works.

It is particularly relevant for staff leading AI adoption, IT and digital teams, operations staff, and marketing or fundraising professionals who want to develop their technical skills.

Participants should already feel confident using digital tools and have some experience of using AI.

Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Identify where automation could improve their existing workflows
• Understand how AI can support multi-step tasks
• Use AI as part of a connected workflow rather than only as a standalone assistant
• Understand the risks involved in connecting multiple tools and systems
• Build their first working automation
• Identify the steps needed to monitor and maintain an automation
• Consider security and governance when designing automated workflows

What will it cover?

The course will explore how to:

• Identify suitable automation opportunities
• Connect common tools used by charities
• Build AI workflows using Claude Cowork, ChatGPT work features or Copilot Cowork
• Use prompt chaining to structure multi-step tasks
• Build a first automation using platforms such as Make, Power Automate, Zapier or n8n
• Monitor automated processes and respond when something goes wrong
• Maintain and improve automations over time
• Assess the risks involved in sharing data between tools
• Apply appropriate security and governance controls
• Design automations that create more time for judgement, relationships and delivery

Technology

To take part in the practical activities, participants will need access to Claude Cowork, ChatGPT Work or Microsoft Copilot Cowork. These tools will be used to develop and carry out multi-step AI workflows.

Participants can use a free Make.com account to build a repeatable automation that connects different tools and services. You can sign up for this before the training date.

Please check that you can access and log in to your chosen tools before the course. The features available may depend on your organisation’s subscription, permissions and security settings.

Trainer: George Knight, DSC