Prompt Library Explorer 📖 6 min read 🏷️ Accountants

Looking for AI prompts for accountants that actually work? You don’t need to become an AI expert to start saving time. You just need the right prompts.

These 15 prompts are designed for everyday accounting work — the kind of tasks that eat your day without adding much value. Client letters, tax summaries, bookkeeping queries, practice management. Each one has been tested in ChatGPT and Claude, and they all work in the free tiers.

Copy them. Save them. Tweak them for your practice. That’s it.

📋 How to use these prompts
  1. Copy the prompt exactly as written
  2. Replace anything in [square brackets] with your own details
  3. Paste into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini — they all work
  4. Review the output and refine. AI gives you the first draft; you make it yours.

Client Communication

The emails and letters that take 20 minutes each but feel like they should take 2.

Prompt 1: Chase a client for missing documents

Write a polite but firm email to a client named [CLIENT NAME] who hasn’t sent their [DOCUMENT TYPE, e.g. bank statements / receipts / P60] for their [TAX YEAR] tax return. The deadline is [DATE]. This is the [first / second / third] reminder. Keep it under 150 words, professional but warm. Use British English.

Why this works: Specifying the reminder number changes the tone automatically — first is gentle, third is urgent.

Best in: ChatGPT (free), Claude (free)

Prompt 2: Explain a tax position to a non-technical client

My client is a [BUSINESS TYPE, e.g. sole trader / limited company director] who needs to understand [TAX TOPIC, e.g. why their corporation tax bill is higher this year / how dividend tax works / what Making Tax Digital means for them]. Write a clear, jargon-free explanation in under 200 words. Use a friendly, reassuring tone. British English, UK tax rules only.

Why this works: Telling AI to use ‘jargon-free’ and specifying ‘UK tax rules only’ prevents American terminology and technical language.

Best in: Claude (best for nuanced explanations), ChatGPT

Prompt 3: Write a year-end summary cover letter

Write a cover letter to accompany the year-end accounts for [CLIENT NAME], a [BUSINESS TYPE] in [INDUSTRY]. The key figures are: turnover [X], profit [X], corporation tax due [X], payment deadline [DATE]. Include any action items they need to complete. Professional but approachable tone. Under 250 words. British English.

Why this works: Filling in the key figures means the output is ready to send after a quick check, not a rewrite.

Best in: ChatGPT (free), Claude (free)

Prompt 4: Draft an engagement letter paragraph

Write a paragraph for an accountancy engagement letter covering [SPECIFIC SERVICE, e.g. annual accounts preparation / self-assessment tax return / VAT return filing / payroll services] for a [CLIENT TYPE, e.g. sole trader / partnership / limited company]. Include scope of work, client responsibilities, and standard caveats. Formal but readable tone. British English. Compliant with ICAEW/ACCA guidance.

Why this works: Asking for ‘ICAEW/ACCA guidance’ compliance helps frame the output correctly for UK practice standards.

Best in: Claude (best for formal documents), ChatGPT

Tax and Compliance

Research, calculations, and technical queries that would normally mean digging through HMRC guidance.

Prompt 5: Research a tax question

I need to understand the UK tax treatment of [SPECIFIC SCENARIO, e.g. a company car benefit for an electric vehicle / capital allowances on a new piece of machinery / IR35 for a contractor working through a PSC]. Explain the current rules, any relevant allowances or reliefs, and what my client needs to do. Cite the relevant HMRC guidance reference if possible. British English, current UK tax law.

Why this works: Asking for HMRC guidance references lets you verify the answer. AI occasionally gets tax details wrong, so always check the source.

Best in: Claude (more thorough research), ChatGPT

⚠️ Always verify tax details AI is excellent at structure, tone, and drafting. It is not always accurate on specific tax thresholds, deadlines, or allowance amounts. Treat every technical output as a first draft that needs professional review.

Prompt 6: Summarise MTD requirements for a client

Write a clear summary of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) requirements for a [CLIENT TYPE, e.g. sole trader with turnover above £50,000 / landlord with property income above £50,000]. Include: who it affects, when it starts, what software they need, what quarterly updates mean, and what action they should take now. Under 300 words. No jargon. British English.

Why this works: MTD rules change frequently. Always verify the dates and thresholds against current HMRC guidance after generating.

Best in: ChatGPT (free), Claude (free)

Prompt 7: Check if an expense is allowable

Is [SPECIFIC EXPENSE, e.g. a home office desk for a sole trader / a Christmas party for staff / a new laptop used 60% for business] an allowable expense for UK [tax type: corporation tax / income tax / VAT purposes]? Explain the rules, any conditions or limits, and whether it’s fully or partially deductible. Reference HMRC guidance where possible.

Why this works: Specifying the tax type prevents the AI mixing up corporation tax and income tax rules.

Best in: ChatGPT, Claude

Bookkeeping and Data

Prompts that help with the repetitive data work that fills up your week.

Prompt 8: Categorise a list of transactions

I have a list of business transactions for a [BUSINESS TYPE] in [INDUSTRY]. Please categorise each one into the appropriate nominal code. Use standard UK chart of accounts categories. Here are the transactions: [PASTE YOUR LIST HERE] Return the results as a table with columns: Date, Description, Amount, Category, Nominal Code.

Why this works: Asking for a table output means you can paste the result straight into a spreadsheet.

Best in: ChatGPT (handles tables well), Claude

Prompt 9: Draft a bank reconciliation query email

Write an email to my client [CLIENT NAME] about [NUMBER] unreconciled transactions in their [ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE, e.g. Xero / QuickBooks / FreeAgent] account for [MONTH/YEAR]. I need them to explain or provide receipts for these items. List the items clearly and ask them to respond within [TIMEFRAME]. Keep it professional and specific. British English.

Why this works: AI structures the ‘missing items’ list clearly, which is the part that usually takes the time to write.

Best in: ChatGPT (free), Claude (free)

Prompt 10: Create a chart of accounts for a new client

Create a chart of accounts for a UK [BUSINESS TYPE] in [INDUSTRY, e.g. construction / retail / hospitality / professional services]. Include all standard income, cost of sales, overhead, asset, liability, and equity accounts. Use standard UK nominal codes. Format as a table with: Code, Account Name, Type, Description. Include any industry-specific accounts that are commonly needed.

Why this works: Industry-specific charts are much more useful than generic ones. The prompt forces AI to think about what’s actually needed.

Best in: Claude (better at structured outputs), ChatGPT

Practice Management and Marketing

Growing your practice and working more efficiently.

Prompt 11: Write a blog post for your practice website

Write a 600-word blog post for an accountancy practice website. Title: [TITLE, e.g. “5 Things Every Sole Trader Should Do Before the Tax Year Ends” / “What Making Tax Digital Means for Your Business”]. Target audience: small business owners who are not financially literate. Tone: helpful, authoritative, not patronising. Include a call to action to book a free consultation. British English. UK tax context only.

Why this works: The ‘not patronising’ instruction is crucial — without it, AI tends to over-explain basic concepts.

Best in: Claude (better tone control), ChatGPT

Prompt 12: Create a standard operating procedure

Create a standard operating procedure (SOP) for [PROCESS, e.g. onboarding a new limited company client / processing a monthly payroll / preparing a self-assessment tax return / conducting an annual accounts review]. Include: trigger event, step-by-step instructions, tools used at each step, quality checks, common errors to watch for, and estimated time. Format for a UK accountancy practice.

Why this works: SOPs are tedious to write but invaluable for training and consistency. AI gives you 80% of the structure; you add your practice-specific details.

Best in: Claude (more thorough), ChatGPT

Prompt 13: Draft social media posts for your practice

Write 5 social media posts for a UK accountancy practice. Mix of: (1) a tax tip, (2) a deadline reminder, (3) a ‘did you know’ fact about business finances, (4) a practice update about using new technology, (5) a client-focused question to drive engagement. Each under 150 words. Professional but personable. Include relevant hashtags. The current month is [MONTH YEAR].

Why this works: Specifying the current month means the AI includes timely references to upcoming deadlines.

Best in: ChatGPT (quick and good enough), Claude

Prompt 14: Prepare for an advisory meeting

I have an advisory meeting with [CLIENT NAME], who runs a [BUSINESS TYPE] in [INDUSTRY] with turnover of approximately [X]. They want to discuss [TOPIC, e.g. growth strategy / tax planning / cash flow management / exit planning]. Create a meeting agenda with talking points, 3–5 questions I should ask, and a list of information I should review beforehand. UK context.

Why this works: This turns a vague meeting request into a structured, valuable conversation — and makes you look incredibly prepared.

Best in: Claude (best for advisory prep), ChatGPT

Prompt 15: Respond to a new enquiry

A potential new client has emailed asking about [SERVICE, e.g. annual accounts / tax returns / bookkeeping / payroll / advisory]. They are a [BUSINESS TYPE] based in [LOCATION]. Write a response that: thanks them for getting in touch, briefly explains how we help businesses like theirs, mentions one specific benefit (e.g. “most of our sole trader clients save 10+ hours a month”), and suggests a free initial call. Confident but not salesy. Under 150 words. British English.

Why this works: The specific benefit and ‘confident but not salesy’ instruction makes this feel personal, not like a template.

Best in: ChatGPT (free), Claude (free)

How to Write Your Own Prompts

💡 Three rules for better prompts

Be specific. “Write me an email” gives you generic output. “Write a second reminder email to a sole trader client about their missing P60 for 2024/25, deadline 31 January” gives you something you can actually send.

Specify UK context. Always include “British English” and “UK tax rules” in your prompts. Without this, AI defaults to American English and US tax law.

Always verify tax details. AI is excellent at structure, tone, and drafting. It is not always accurate on specific tax thresholds, deadlines, or allowance amounts. Treat every technical output as a first draft that needs professional review.

📥 Download this prompt library as a PDF

All 15 prompts in a printable format you can keep next to your desk.

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