The verdict in three sentences
In Thiès, many SME managers, assistants and traders spend hours every week copying, pasting and chasing: the Automate Your Work With AI course has you build 8 concrete projects so those tasks run on their own, without writing a line of code. It sits at level 4 Intermediate, 100,000 FCFA (152 EUR), 20 h, using Make, Zapier, ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Google Sheets, Airtable and Notion. The course page estimates 4 to 10 hours saved per week depending on how many repetitive tasks you have, an estimate that depends entirely on your activity.
The 8 projects, one per module
Each module of the Automate Your Work With AI, no-code course, taught in French, ends with a project to submit. Together they form a portfolio of eight documented automations, useful for your own business and for approaching clients.
| Module | Project to submit | Tools used |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Choosing what to automate (free preview) | Map of 20 scored tasks and a diagram of your first 3 automations | Task log, decision grid in FCFA |
| 2. Custom AI assistants | Assistant with instructions and knowledge base, tested on 10 cases | Custom GPTs, Claude Projects, Gemini Gems |
| 3. Google Sheets and AI | A 200-row sheet classified and summarised, with quality control | Google Sheets, Gemini, AI add-ons |
| 4. Make and Zapier scenarios | 3 working scenarios, one with human approval | Make, Zapier, filters, routers |
| 5. Automatic documents and emails | A quote or minutes generator connected to a form | Google Forms, Google Docs, Gmail |
| 6. Customer intake with WhatsApp and AI | A WhatsApp Business intake flow with hand-off-to-human rules | WhatsApp Business, base of 30 FAQs |
| 7. AI agents and guardrails | A task delegated to an AI agent, with its guardrail sheet | 2026 agents, least access, action log |
| 8. Make it reliable, documented, maintained | Final project: a complete automated, documented and costed process | Process sheet, monthly cost, Senegal's 2008-12 data law |
The logic is simple: choose first (module 1), build (modules 2 to 7), then make it durable and measurable (module 8). Quality control comes back everywhere: a 10-case test set for the assistant, sampling and error rate for the 200-row sheet, human approval before anything sensitive is sent.
What these projects look like in a Thiès business
Take a hardware store on the Dakar road, a tailoring workshop, an accounting firm or a building-materials supplier working with sites across the region. Requests arrive on WhatsApp, quotes are typed in Word, follow-ups get forgotten. Here is how the course projects translate into that daily routine.
| Repetitive task | Matching project | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Answering the same price and lead-time questions 30 times a day | WhatsApp Business flow (module 6) | Prepared quick replies, labels, a human keeps complaints and payments |
| Typing each quote from a scribbled note | Quote generator (module 5) | Form, tagged Google Docs template, PDF quote drafted for approval |
| Following up with clients at D+2 | Make or Zapier scenario (module 4) | Follow-up prepared automatically, sent after your approval |
| Sorting 200 customer reviews or requests | AI-processed sheet (module 3) | Batch classification and summary, checked on a sample |
| Explaining procedures to every new employee | Custom assistant (module 2) | An assistant fed with your documents, tested before use |
| Knowing whether the automation is worth it | Costed process (module 8) | Monthly cost in FCFA compared with time saved |
On tools, exercises work with free plans. In real use, the course page gives September 2026 orders of magnitude: about 5,200 FCFA a month for Make (Core plan, 9 USD), 11,500 FCFA for Zapier (Professional plan, annual billing) and 11,500 FCFA for an AI subscription such as ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro (20 USD).
Prerequisites: level 3 "Generative AI for professionals" is recommended, or equivalent practice with structured prompts. You need a computer and a stable connection, because automation tools cannot be configured on a phone (the written lessons can be read on mobile). A Google account is enough to start; no programming skills are required. The suggested pace is 3 hours a week for 7 weeks.
What it costs, and what comes next
| Option | Indicative 2026 cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free Make or Zapier tutorials | 0 FCFA | Isolated demos, no selection method or quality control |
| A provider who automates for you (order of magnitude) | 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA per simple automation | A delivered result, but dependency for maintenance |
| Kolonell Academy, level 4 only | 100,000 FCFA, 20 h | 8 modules, 8 projects, verifiable certificate |
| Full Artificial Intelligence track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | From beginner to AI consulting missions |
This course is level 4 of the Artificial Intelligence track, after "Generative AI for professionals" (level 3) and before "AI consultant: sell, scope and deliver missions" (level 5). By passing the quizzes at 70% minimum, you receive a numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online (QR code), to add to LinkedIn.
Mini case study
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
Consider a hypothetical learner: Ousmane, 34, runs a building-materials depot in Thiès. He estimates spending 6 hours a week on quotes, follow-ups and repetitive WhatsApp replies.
Illustrative calculation: if he automates quotes and follow-ups and recovers 4 hours a week, about 16 hours a month, and values his hour at 3,000 FCFA, that is 48,000 FCFA of time per month. Subtract about 16,700 FCFA of tools (Make plus an AI subscription): an order of magnitude of 31,000 FCFA a month remains, and the course would pay for itself in a little over 3 months. This scenario is a hypothesis: the real gain depends on his task volume.
FAQ
Do I need to code to build the 8 projects?
No. Everything is built by drag and drop in Make and Zapier, with forms, sheets and document templates. If a need truly requires development, the course tells you which questions to ask a provider.
Can I take the course on a phone only?
The written lessons and PDFs can be read on a phone, even on 3G. But Make and Zapier scenarios are configured on a computer: plan to have one for the 8 projects.
Can WhatsApp really be automated?
Partly. Module 6 uses what WhatsApp Business allows (catalogue, quick replies, automated messages, labels) and prepares a base of 30 validated answers. It also explains why unofficial tools expose your number to being banned.
How are the projects supported?
Each module provides written lessons, a PDF handout, exercises with answer keys and a quiz. Questions go on the course forum and through WhatsApp support; there are no live classes and no videos.
Can I try before paying?
Yes, module 1 "Choosing what to automate" is a free preview. Full access is activated within 24 working hours after payment, it is lifetime, but no longer refundable once activated.
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Take the next step. Enroll in Automate Your Work With AI, no code: 20 h, level 4 Intermediate, 100,000 FCFA (152 EUR), verifiable Kolonell Academy certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
