Learn how to use Copilot in Excel

A man working on Excel on his Windows Surface laptop computer

Spreadsheets have long been a cornerstone of data management, analysis, and reporting. But manually entering formulas and sorting through massive datasets can be time-consuming and error-prone. Enter Microsoft Copilot for Excel—an AI-powered assistant designed to streamline spreadsheet tasks, automate processes, and provide real-time insights. Whether you’re managing financial data or creating complex reports, Copilot in Excel makes working with spreadsheets smarter and more efficient. In this article, we’ll walk you through how you can use this digital companion to your advantage.

What is Copilot in Excel?

When you purchase a subscription to Copilot Pro or Microsoft 365, you can access Copilot’s AI features in select Microsoft Office applications, including Excel.¹ With this useful AI companion integrated into your spreadsheets, you can automate calculations, generate insights, and structure data seamlessly. Instead of manually inputting formulas or sorting through rows of numbers, Copilot can suggest functions, analyze trends, and create easy-to-understand visualizations. With Copilot as your work buddy, you can create stunning spreadsheets in a flash, just in time for your project report.

What are the practical applications of Copilot in Excel?

Copilot in Excel is a game-changer, especially for those who work in data-driven fields. Rather than spending endless hours manually checking each box, you can let Copilot do that heavy lifting for you. Here are just a few ways you might put Copilot to work for you in Excel:

Financial Analysis: Need help analyzing last quarter’s spending or projecting what future sales could look like? Copilot can help detect trends, generate financial projections, and provide insights on cash flow so you can make more informed decisions.
Budget Tracking: Whether you need help with tracking spending at home or for work, you can use Copilot to set up automated expense tracking and AI-generated summaries to stay on top of your financial goals.
Reports: When you need to distill complex information into an easily digestible report, Copilot has your back. Whether monthly sales reports or inventory tracking, Copilot can generate summaries and identify patterns that clearly showcase the data in a visual form.

A worker uses Copilot for Excel automation in his spreadsheet

AI art created via Copilot

Use AI to your advantage in Excel

Using Copilot in your Excel spreadsheets brings numerous advantages:

Save time: Copilot automates repetitive tasks like sorting data, applying formulas, and formatting tables.
Reduce errors: Copilot can check for inconsistencies in the dataset to help ensure more accurate calculations.
Simplify data visualization: Copilot can generate charts, graphs, and trend analyses effortlessly to make complex information more digestible.

How can I integrate Copilot into my workflow?

Ready to merge AI-powered automation into your workflow? Follow these steps to start using Copilot as your Excel buddy:

Open Excel and select the Copilot icon in the top right of the Excel Ribbon¹ or choose a cell and select the Copilot icon next to it.
Enter your dataset. Whether financial records, inventory logs, or project metrics. For Copilot to work properly in Excel, you’ll need to format your dataset as an Excel table or as a supported range.
Use AI-powered prompts. Here are some example commands:
- Create a bar graph showing the sales growth between Q2 and Q3.
- Bold the top 3 values in Annual Sales.
- Add a new column showing the percentage difference between column A and column C.
Customize reports and dashboards using Copilot’s AI-generated recommendations.

Data management for beginners and experts

Whether you’re an Excel novice working on your monthly budget or a spreadsheet whiz focused on scenario planning and predictive analytics, Copilot makes all the difference in managing your data. To clean up your data and become a true Excel sheet wizard, here are a few prompt examples you can use in your next spreadsheet:

Set up data validation to allow only numbers in this column.
Highlight cells with missing values.
Suggest a formula column for my data.
Perform forecasting using Python.

Copilot and Excel: Your digital data companions

Working in Excel has never been smarter, thanks to Copilot’s intuitive AI assistance. Whether you need financial analysis, budget tracking, reports, or predictive insights, Copilot helps to simplify your workflows and enhance your accuracy. Try Copilot today and experience a power boost to your spreadsheet wizardry!

DISCLAIMER: Features and functionality subject to change. Articles are written specifically for the United States market; features, functionality, and availability may vary by region.
[1] Copilot Pro subscribers can use Copilot in the web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook in more than 20 languages. Those who have a separate Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription get the added benefit of using Copilot in the more fully featured desktop apps. Copilot in Excel requires AutoSave to be enabled, meaning the file must be saved to OneDrive; it doesn't function with unsaved files. Copilot features in Outlook apply to accounts with @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, or @msn.com email addresses.