# Working with Reeve

> Learn how to chat with Reeve, the AI assistant in finstory, to ask about your numbers and build reports and stories.

Page: https://help.finstory.ai/working-with-reeve/
Updated: 2026-11-12

Reeve is the AI assistant in finstory. He sits in a chat panel beside your reports and stories, answers questions about your numbers, and builds reports and stories with you.

## What Reeve is

Reeve is an AI assistant. The app marks him as AI, and he says so plainly when asked. He works with you in a chat on the left of the screen while your page stays open on the right. He knows which report or story is open, so you can say "this report" or "this page".

Reeve works with your rights. He can read and change only what your own role allows.

## Opening the chat

- In the menu, open the **Chats** tab and choose **New chat**, or pick an earlier chat to carry on.
- On the home page, use a button such as **Ask Reeve about your numbers**, **Build a report** or **Build a story**.
- On the **Stories** tab, choose **Create with Reeve · AI**.

The chat stays with you as you move between pages. Leave **Effort**, under the message box, on Auto unless you have a reason.

## What to ask him

| You want | Example | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| An answer about the numbers | "How did revenue do last month against budget?" | A headline, one to three cards (tiles, a chart or a table) and follow-up questions to tap |
| A new report | "Build a monthly P&L against budget." | A report beside the chat. Only you see it until you agree to publish it |
| A change to a report | "Add a variance % column next to budget." | The change, saved straight away |
| A story | "Build a board story for last month." | An outline to arrange first, then the story, one chapter at a time |
| To connect or refresh data | "Refresh October from the ledger." | A card to confirm |
| A model from an Excel workbook | Attach the .xlsx file with the workbook button | One review card. Build creates the model and checks it against the workbook |
| A setting | "Show negatives in brackets." | A card for the number format; a link to the right Settings page for anything else |
| Him to remember something | "Remember that we always compare with last year." | A "Remembered" line with Undo |

Everyone can ask questions. Building reports, stories and a model from a workbook needs an editor role or higher. Connecting sources, loading data and changing settings need a power user or an admin.

## How he works with you

- **He asks before he changes your data.** Any change to your sources, models, figures or settings comes as a card that says what it will do. Nothing happens until you confirm it.
- **He asks what the numbers cannot explain.** In a story he asks at most two questions about a chapter, with answers to tap, "Other" for your own words, and Skip. Your answer is saved word for word.
- **He never types a figure into a story.** Every number is read from your data, and each chapter lists its sources.
- **You approve as you go.** He writes one page of a story and waits for your OK or a change.

## How he saves work

- **Reports.** Each change is saved at once. A new report stays hidden from others until you say to publish it. A published report changes for everyone who opens it.
- **Stories.** Reeve writes into a draft. The bar above the story offers **Keep** and **Discard**. Keep makes the draft the story. Discard drops it, though the answers you gave stay. A story stays private until a power user or admin publishes it.
- **Settings.** A number format changed on a card is marked "Changed by Reeve" in Settings, with Undo.

## Memory and Undo

Reeve remembers what you tell him so you do not have to repeat it: why a figure moved, a correction, a decision, a rule for your reports, a plan with a date, or how you like answers.

- When he keeps something, the chat shows **Remembered: … · Undo**. Undo removes it and brings back what it replaced.
- He does not keep figures that are already in your data, secrets, or remarks about people.
- A wish for one chart or one report is not kept. Say "always" or "from now on" for something lasting.
- What he learns about the company is shared with your workspace; how you like answers is yours alone. Only editors and above teach the company.
- **Settings > Memory** lists everything he remembers. You can search, edit and delete items there, and switch memory off for yourself.
- For one private conversation, turn on **Incognito** before your first message. That chat neither reads nor keeps memory.

## What he cannot do

- Delete things: not a report, and never data in bulk.
- Load a file from the chat. Use Data Upload instead.
- Change settings other than the number format.
- Change a report while its designer is open.
- Invent a budget, a forecast or a projection.
- Show the transactions behind a line, unless a connected system provides them.
- Work without limit: a turn lasts a few minutes at most, and each workspace has an AI budget (Settings > AI usage).

He will never ask for a password or key in the chat.

## Tips for good requests

- **Name the period and the comparison.** "September against budget", "Q3 against last year". For "last month" he takes the latest month that has actual figures and names it.
- **Be specific about changes.** Say which table, chart or tile. He changes only what you asked for.
- **For a story, say who it is for**, the period and the goal.
- **For data, name the source and the months.** He loads exactly those.
- **Tell him the cause when you know it.** He cannot read it from the numbers.
- **Say "continue"** if a reply was cut off or he ran out of time. What he saved stays saved.

If Reeve stops because the AI budget is used up, contact finstory support from **Settings > Help & support**.