From ready to results in 30 days: Your AI action workbook

AI could save you time, reduce admin, and improve cash flow—but only when it’s applied to real work.

If you’re running a small business, AI might still feel abstract. You’ve heard what it could do, but turning that promise into something useful in your day-to-day workflows is often where people get stuck.

This workbook is designed to close that gap. It helps you move from curiosity to your first working AI-powered task, without needing technical expertise or new systems.

What you’ll achieve in 30 days

By working through the workbook, you’ll:

• Identify one finance or admin task that AI can realistically automate.
• Choose tools that fit how you already work.
• Map a simple AI-powered workflow step by step.
• Estimate time or cost saved using a practical return on investment (ROI) calculator.
• Create a clear 30-day plan to build momentum.

You don’t need to do everything. The focus is on starting small and seeing real results.

How the workbook works

Each section builds on the last, combining short real world examples with practical actions you can complete as you go:

1. See AI in action: Short examples showing how small businesses already use AI in everyday workflows.
2. Find your starting point: Take a quick AI readiness quiz to identify where to begin.
3. Choose your tools: Use a simple task-and-tool table to match AI tools to real goals.
4. Map your first workflow: Turn one task into a clear, repeatable process using an editable template.
5. Measure what matters: Estimate time saved, cost reductions, or improvements to cash flow.
6. Build momentum: Use a 30-day planner to test, review, and extend what’s working.
7. Scale with confidence: Identify where freeing up time could support growth next.

Based on how real small businesses use AI

The examples in this workbook are drawn from real small businesses—from those getting paid faster to others spotting cash flow issues earlier, all with the help of AI.

You don’t need to use Sage products to complete the workbook. The examples show how AI can work in practice, using tools you may already have.

Who this workbook is for

This workbook is useful if you:

• Run or support a small business
• Spend too much time on repetitive admin or finance tasks
• Are curious about AI but unsure where to start

It’s not designed for:

• Advanced technical automation projects
• Businesses looking for complex AI systems or theory

What you’ll receive

Each section is designed to be practical, focused, and achievable:

• A fillable PDF workbook
• Type directly into the exercises or print
• Designed to be completed one task at a time
• Free to download