What is Shortcut?
Shortcut is an AI agent for Excel that builds and edits spreadsheets, financial models and analyses on web, desktop, Excel and Google Sheets. It comes from Fundamental Research Labs and went viral in 2025 when it was introduced as a superhuman Excel agent. You describe the task, such as a three-statement model or a cohort analysis, and Shortcut writes the formulas, formats the sheets and explains what it did.
Shortcut differs from formula helpers because it works across the whole workbook, creating new tabs, linking schedules and editing existing models rather than answering one cell at a time. It is available as a web app, desktop app and plugins for Excel and Google Sheets, so analysts can stay in the tools they already use. Finance teams, investors, consultants and students use it for DCF and LBO models, budgets, data cleaning, reconciliations and charts.
Main Features
- Build complete spreadsheets and financial models from a plain language request.
- Edit existing Excel workbooks, adding tabs, formulas and formatting.
- Work inside Excel and Google Sheets through plugins.
- Use the web or desktop app when you want a standalone workspace.
- Clean and analyse data, then generate charts.
- Access Shortcut programmatically through the platform API on Pro.
- Share prompts, workflows and configurations on the Teams plan.
How to Get Started with Shortcut
- Sign up free at shortcut.ai to get 20 weekly credits.
- Open the web app or install the Excel or Google Sheets plugin.
- Upload a workbook or start blank, then describe the model or analysis you need.
- Review the formulas and outputs, ask for changes, and upgrade to Pro for heavier use.
Shortcut Pricing
The Free plan gives 20 credits per week across web, desktop, Excel and Google Sheets. Pro costs $100 per month billed annually for 1,000 monthly credits and API access, and Teams costs $320 per month plus $100 per seat billed annually. Enterprise pricing is custom, and a typical message uses 2 to 15 credits.
Who Should Use It?
- Investment banking and private equity analysts building models.
- FP&A teams creating budgets and forecasts.
- Consultants analysing client data in Excel.
- Founders building financial plans for fundraising.
- Finance students learning modelling.
Shortcut Alternatives
- Quadratic: AI spreadsheet with code built in
- Sourcetable: AI spreadsheet that connects to data sources
- FormulaBot: cheaper help for writing individual formulas
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shortcut free?
Yes, Shortcut has a free plan with 20 credits per week. Pro costs $100 per month billed annually.
What is Shortcut used for?
Shortcut is used to build and edit Excel spreadsheets with AI. Finance professionals use it for models, analyses and data cleanup.
Does Shortcut work with Google Sheets?
Yes. Shortcut has plugins for both Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, plus web and desktop apps.
Is Shortcut secure?
Shortcut says it is SOC 2 Type II certified and GDPR compliant, and Enterprise adds SSO and bring-your-own-key options.