# Know if you can afford to hire before you post the job > Drag a slider for the new hire's hours and watch your lowest cash month and break-even point move on the spot. Turn your monthly numbers in Google Sheets into an interactive what-if model with sliders for pay, hours and growth, so you see cash with and without a new hire. - Page: https://thesolocreators.com/prompts/afford-to-hire-what-if-canvas/ - Category: Make smarter decisions - Made for: Small business owners, Coaches, Consultants - Works in: Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude - Time: About 20 minutes - Effort: A few steps - Note: Sheets canvas needs Google AI Pro or Ultra, or Workspace Business or Enterprise Standard and up. A planning aid, not advice. - Published: 2026-11-01 ## How can I tell if my small business can afford to hire? Build a what-if model from your own monthly numbers and test the hire's hours and pay against your cash. If your numbers are in Google Sheets and you have a paid Google AI or Workspace plan, Sheets canvas (as of November 2026) builds it with sliders right in your sheet. Without that plan, paste the same numbers into ChatGPT or Claude and ask for the table and verdict instead. Check the result with your bookkeeper. ## The prompt Fill in the parts in [square brackets], or leave them and the AI will ask you for them. ```text Using the numbers in this sheet, build me an interactive model that answers one question: can I afford to hire [ROLE TO HIRE, e.g. a part-time assistant] at [HOURLY PAY AND HOURS, e.g. $22 an hour, 20 hours a week]? My monthly revenue, costs and cash are in [SHEET TAB NAME, e.g. Monthly P&L]. If you can't see my sheet, here are the numbers: [PASTE NUMBERS IF NEEDED]. Add sliders for monthly revenue growth, the new hire's hours and pay, how many hours of my own time they free up, and what share of that freed time I turn into paid work at [YOUR HOURLY RATE, e.g. $120]. Show a 12-month line of cash in the bank with and without the hire, the month cash runs lowest, and the break-even month. Flag in red any month cash drops below [SAFETY CUSHION, e.g. $5,000]. Put a short plain-words verdict at the top that updates as I move the sliders. ``` ## Step by step 1. Open the Google Sheet with your monthly revenue, costs and cash. 2. Click Ask Gemini, then choose Create canvas. 3. Paste the prompt and press Enter. 4. Move the sliders to test hours, pay and growth, then share the tab with your bookkeeper. ## What you'll get An interactive tab with sliders, a 12-month cash line with and without the hire, the lowest cash month, and a verdict that updates as you adjust. ## Good to know **How can I tell if my small business can afford to hire?** Build a what-if model from your own monthly numbers and test the hire's hours and pay against your cash. If your numbers are in Google Sheets and you have a paid Google AI or Workspace plan, Sheets canvas (as of November 2026) builds it with sliders right in your sheet. Without that plan, paste the same numbers into ChatGPT or Claude and ask for the table and verdict instead. Check the result with your bookkeeper. **Which AI tools does this work in?** It works in Gemini, ChatGPT and Claude. On this page, ChatGPT and Claude open with your prompt already typed in. Sheets canvas needs Google AI Pro or Ultra, or Workspace Business or Enterprise Standard and up. A planning aid, not advice. **How long does it take?** About 20 minutes. It's rated "A few steps". There are 4 steps, listed above. **What do I need before I start?** Just your details for 6 blanks: role to hire, hourly pay and hours, sheet tab name, paste numbers if needed, your hourly rate and safety cushion. You can skip any, and your AI will ask for them. **What will I get back?** An interactive tab with sliders, a 12-month cash line with and without the hire, the lowest cash month, and a verdict that updates as you adjust. Idea spotted on X, shared by @GoogleWorkspace: https://x.com/GoogleWorkspace/status/2115429123854090247. The prompt is The Solo Creators' own version. ## Go further Ready-made skills in the Solo Creators AI Studio (https://thesolocreators.com/studio/) that fit this: Board of Advisors (Convene seven AI advisors who debate your decision, vote, and hand back a stress-tested verdict); Fact Checker (Every quote, number, date, and link in your draft checked against its real source, with the fixes handed back as tracked changes you accept or reject). From AI Use Cases and Prompts by The Solo Creators: https://thesolocreators.com/prompts/. Free to use; please link back to the page when you share it.