Quick Start Guide

Get productive with Minttu in under 5 minutes. This guide covers the essential workflows.

Opening Minttu

1. Open any Excel workbook (or start with a blank one)
2. Click the Minttu tab in the Excel ribbon
3. Click Open Panel to display the Minttu sidebar

Choosing a Processing Mode

Before you start, select the appropriate mode for your task:

You can change modes anytime from the Minttu panel.

Asking Questions (Q&A Mode)

With a workbook open, ask questions about your data:

What are the key assumptions in this model?

Show me the revenue forecast for 2025

Which cells depend on the discount rate?

Minttu will analyze your workbook and respond with answers that include citations to specific cells. Click any citation to jump directly to that cell.

Editing a Workbook

Describe the changes you want:

Add a column for Year 3 projections following the same pattern as Years 1-2

Create a sensitivity table showing NPV at different discount rates (6%, 8%, 10%, 12%)

Update all CapEx values to reflect a 15% cost increase

Minttu will understand your workbook structure and implement the changes.

Creating a New Model

For complex creation tasks, use Expert mode and describe what you need:

Build a solar PV project finance model with:
- 100 MW capacity
- 25-year PPA at $45/MWh
- Construction starting in 2025
- 70/30 debt-equity split

The Survey Process

When Minttu needs more information to build something precisely, it will present a survey form. This typically asks about:

• Project specifications
• Timeline and milestones
• Revenue assumptions
• Cost structure
• Financing terms

Fill out the survey to give Minttu the parameters it needs. This ensures the output matches your requirements without guesswork.

Tips for Better Results

Be Specific

Instead of:

Make a financial model

Try:

Create a 10-year DCF model for a wind farm with 50 MW capacity,
including construction phase financing and a DSCR covenant of 1.25x

Use Expert Mode for Complex Tasks

When your prompt is long or involves multiple components, switch to Expert mode. It takes more time but produces more thorough results.

Let Surveys Help You

Don't skip the survey forms. They exist to ensure precision—answering them upfront saves time compared to multiple revision cycles.

Provide Context

If you're editing an existing model, mention key details:

In the Assumptions sheet, update the electricity price escalation
from 2% to 2.5% annually, and ensure all dependent calculations update

Common Workflows

Analyzing an Existing Model

1. Open the workbook
2. Use Standard mode
3. Ask: "Give me an overview of this model's structure"
4. Follow up with specific questions about assumptions, outputs, or calculations

Building a Model from Scratch

1. Start with a blank workbook (or no file)
2. Use Expert mode
3. Describe your model requirements in detail
4. Complete the survey form when prompted
5. Review the generated model

Making Targeted Edits

1. Open the workbook
2. Use Fast or Standard mode depending on complexity
3. Describe the specific change you want
4. Review Minttu's changes

What's Next?