Using the AI Report Builder

GrantLink's AI Report Builder transforms how nonprofits create funder reports. Instead of wrestling with templates and manually pulling data, simply describe what you need.

Getting Started

Accessing the Report Builder

1. Click Reports in the sidebar
2. Click New Report or continue an existing conversation
3. You'll see a chat interface - this is your AI assistant

Your First Report

Try starting with something simple:

"Create a financial progress report for the Smith Foundation grant for Q3 2024"

The AI will:

1. Pull your actual financial data
2. Structure it into a professional report
3. Generate charts and visualizations
4. Create a shareable, web-based report

Crafting Effective Prompts

Be Specific About the Grant

• Good: "Create a report for the Community Health Initiative grant"
• Better: "Create a Q3 progress report for the Community Health Initiative grant covering July through September"

Specify the Report Type

• Financial report (budget vs. actual)
• Progress report (accomplishments and milestones)
• Final report (comprehensive grant closeout)
• Interim report (mid-grant update)

Include Key Dates

• "for fiscal year 2024"
• "covering January 1 to June 30"
• "for the period ending December 31"

What the AI Can Include

Financial Data

The AI pulls directly from your QuickBooks data:

• Budget vs. actual spending by category
• Transaction details and summaries
• Spending trends over time
• Remaining funds and burn rate

Visualizations

Request specific charts:

• "Include a pie chart of spending by category"
• "Add a bar chart comparing budget to actual"
• "Show a timeline of monthly spending"

Narrative Sections

The AI can help draft:

• Executive summaries
• Program accomplishments
• Challenges faced
• Plans for remaining funds

Refining Your Report

Iterative Editing

After the initial report, you can refine it:

• "Make the executive summary shorter"
• "Add more detail to the personnel section"
• "Remove the chart on page 2"
• "Change the date format to MM/DD/YYYY"

Adding Context

Provide additional information:

• "Note that we hired two new staff members in August"
• "Add that the program served 250 participants"
• "Mention the partnership with City Hospital"

Adjusting Tone

• "Make it more formal for a government funder"
• "Keep it conversational - this is for a family foundation"

Report Customization

Branding

Your organization's branding is automatically applied:

• Logo (set in Settings > Organization)
• Primary colors
• Contact information

Sections

Common report sections include:

1. Cover page with grant details
2. Executive summary
3. Financial summary
4. Detailed budget vs. actual
5. Transaction listing (optional)
6. Narrative/accomplishments
7. Challenges and solutions
8. Next steps

Formatting

Request specific formatting:

• "Use a two-column layout for the financial section"
• "Put transaction details in an appendix"
• "Make all amounts show two decimal places"

Sharing Your Report

Publish and Share

When your report is ready:

1. Review the final version
2. Click Publish
3. Copy the shareable link
4. Send to your funder

What Funders See

Funders receive a beautiful, web-based report that:

• Works on any device
• Loads instantly
• Looks professional
• Includes all your data and charts

Privacy Controls

• Reports are private by default (link required)
• Optionally password-protect sensitive reports
• Revoke access at any time

Pro Tips

Save Time with History

The AI remembers your conversation. Reference previous requests:

• "Use the same format as the last report"
• "Update the Q3 report for Q4"

Combine Multiple Grants

For funders supporting multiple grants:

• "Create a combined report for all Gates Foundation grants"

Include Supporting Documents

Reference attachments:

• "I'll attach the program photos separately"
• "Detailed receipts are available upon request"

Prepare for Questions

Include details funders commonly ask about:

• Variances over 10% from budget
• Explanations for under/overspending
• Staff changes or program modifications