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Small Business New Zealand
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AI Productivity Toolkit

AI Productivity Toolkit — Save Hours Every Week with AI

AI tools like ChatGPT can save small business owners hours every week — writing emails, summarising meetings, drafting quotes and more. The trick is knowing where to start and how to use them safely.

Start with the Read Me First guide, follow the 15-minutes-a-day plan to build the habit, copy prompts from the library, and use the safety and privacy rules so you never paste in information you should not. Track what works in the workflow spreadsheet.

What’s inside

  • AI in 15 minutes a day plan
  • Copy-paste prompt library for everyday business tasks
  • Meeting notes to actions workflow (SOP)
  • Safety and privacy rules (lite)
  • Prompt and workflow tracker spreadsheet

Who it’s for

Busy NZ small business owners and teams who want to start using AI practically and safely — no technical skills needed.

General guidance only — not legal, tax or financial advice.

More free resources

Start Here

Start Here — Business Health Check and Pick Your Pathway

New to SBNZ? Start here: a business health check scorecard, a one-page guide to picking your pathway, and a weekly CEO meeting agenda.

4 files · PDFsLearn more

Step-by-Step Plans

Choose Your Outcome — Six Step-by-Step 30-Day Pathways

Six step-by-step plans: cashflow rescue, leads to sales, delivery systems, people and hiring, owner step-back, and exit and succession.

6 files · PDFsLearn more

HR & Employment Toolkit

HR, Employment & Immigration Toolkit — Hire, Manage and Keep Great People

Twenty templates and guides covering recruitment, employment contracts, onboarding, performance reviews, retention, culture and employment issues.

20 files · PDFsLearn more

Quick Wins Toolkit

Quick Wins Toolkit — Fast Improvements for Cash, Sales and Profit

Seven fast-action guides: debtor chase scripts, expense trim checklist, price-rise email, follow-up scripts, review requests and a weekly planner.

7 files · PDFsLearn more

Weekly Rhythm & KPI Toolkit

Weekly Rhythm & KPI Toolkit — Know Your Numbers and Run a Tight Weekly Routine

A weekly rhythm and KPI system: KPI builder, scorecard, 90-day priorities, meeting agenda and a dashboard spreadsheet.

8 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Systems & Process Toolkit

Systems & Process Toolkit — Get the Business Out of Your Head and Into Systems

Document how your business runs: process maps, SOP templates, role clarity, handover checklists and a systems register.

8 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Cashflow & Profit Control Toolkit

Cashflow & Profit Control Toolkit — Stay on Top of Cash and Protect Your Profit

Weekly cash and debtor routines, monthly targets, a pricing review checklist, crisis action plan, 13-week forecast and breakeven calculator.

7 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Cashflow Rescue Toolkit

Cashflow Rescue Toolkit — A Done-for-You Pack for When Cash Is Tight

A complete pack for when cash is tight: a 13-week forecast, weekly routine and supplier negotiation scripts.

5 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Lead Generation Toolkit

Lead Generation Toolkit — A Simple Lead System That Creates More Enquiries

A simple lead system that creates more enquiries and improves conversion: offer builder, follow-up sequence, weekly rhythm and lead tracker.

6 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Hiring & Onboarding Toolkit

Hiring & Onboarding Toolkit — Hire Well and Set New Staff Up to Succeed

The complete hiring pack: hiring plan, role scorecard, job ad builder, phone screen, interview questions and scorecard, reference scripts, offer checklist, 30-60-90 day plan and trackers.

13 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Sales Pipeline & Follow-Up Toolkit

Sales Pipeline & Follow-Up Toolkit — Turn More Quotes into Sales

Stop losing quotes to silence: pipeline stages, discovery call notes, follow-up scripts, objection handling and a weekly sales review.

8 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Marketing Engine Toolkit

Marketing Engine Toolkit — Simple, Consistent Marketing That Brings in Work

Build a simple marketing engine: offer one-pager, lead magnet builder, referral and review systems, campaign planner, content calendar and metrics tracker.

8 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Delivery & Job Management Toolkit

Delivery & Job Management Toolkit — Run Jobs on Time, on Budget and Profitably

Run every job smoothly: job pack, pre-start, site diary, variations, quality control, handover checklists, plus scheduling and job profitability spreadsheets.

9 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Exit & Succession Readiness Toolkit

Exit & Succession Readiness Toolkit — Build a Business Someone Will Want to Buy

Get ready to sell or hand over: exit readiness scorecard, value drivers checklist, owner-dependence plan, buyer pack index and a 12-month action plan.

6 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Compliance & Health and Safety Lite Toolkit

Compliance & Health and Safety Lite Toolkit — Practical H&S Basics for Small Business

Cover the health and safety basics: H&S policy, hazard and risk register, incident forms, toolbox talks, inductions and a compliance calendar.

7 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Customer Experience Toolkit

Customer Experience Toolkit — Keep Customers Happy and Coming Back

Map the customer journey, set service standards, handle complaints, request reviews and deliver great handovers with ready-made templates.

6 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Strategy & 90-Day Execution Toolkit

Strategy & 90-Day Execution Toolkit — Turn Your Plan into Action Every Quarter

Put strategy on a page, set 12-month targets, plan quarterly rocks and run weekly execution meetings, plus a 90-day plan spreadsheet.

6 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Financial Reporting & Management Accounts Toolkit

Financial Reporting & Management Accounts Toolkit — Understand Your Numbers Every Month

Run a monthly close, produce a one-page management report, review budget vs actual, find profit levers and manage working capital.

7 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Owner Step-Back & Delegation Toolkit

Owner Step-Back & Delegation Toolkit — Get Out of the Day-to-Day

Audit your time, decide what to stop or delegate, set decision rights, hand over well and build a weekly rhythm that frees you up.

7 files · PDFs + ExcelLearn more

Business Exit Readiness Checklist NZ

Could You Sell Your Business Tomorrow? — The 25-Point Exit Readiness Checklist

The 25-point exit readiness checklist. Score your financials, people, customers and legal setup.

2 pages · PDF checklistLearn more

Business Succession Planning Checklist NZ

The NZ Business Owner’s Succession Planning Checklist

Plan a handover to family, staff or a buyer — goals, successors, protection and tax.

2 pages · PDF checklistLearn more

How to Value a Business NZ

What Is My Business Really Worth? — A Practical Guide for NZ Business Owners

A practical guide to normalised profit, valuation methods and what moves the multiple.

2 pages · PDF guideLearn more

Business Runs Without Owner Checklist

Could Your Business Run Without You? — A 5-Minute Owner Dependence Test

A 5-minute owner dependence test with a score and three quick wins.

2 pages · PDF self-testLearn more

Preparing a Business for Sale NZ

Thinking About Selling Your Business? — 21 Things to Fix Before You Talk to a Buyer

21 things to fix before you talk to a buyer — and protect your price.

2 pages · PDF checklistLearn more

Staff Assessment Form

Staff Assessment Form

A fair, printable performance review form with scoring, goals and sign-off.

2 pages · PDF templateLearn more

Template

One-Page Business Plan

Your whole plan on a single page — customers, goals, numbers, risks and next actions.

1 page · PDF templateLearn more

Spreadsheet

12-Month Cashflow Forecast

Enter money in and out each month — totals and bank balance calculate automatically.

Excel spreadsheet · CalculatorLearn more

Spreadsheet

Simple Pricing Calculator

Work out your price, margin and break-even point from your costs.

Excel spreadsheet · CalculatorLearn more

How's business for you right now?

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