Copilot in Excel: 10 ways AI can simplify your spreadsheets

Microsoft’s AI assistant lets you describe in natural language what you want to do in Excel, and it uses the program’s familiar features—such as formulas, charts, and pivot tables—to get the job done. The availability of these features varies depending on your Microsoft 365 edition and license.

Below are ten tasks that Copilot can perform or help you complete.

1. Create custom formulas

You can ask for a formula to calculate a specific result, such as the difference between two numbers or a percentage change. Copilot also explains how the formula it creates works.

2. Create calculated columns

If your spreadsheet contains price and cost data, for example, you can ask for a column that shows the profit margin for each product. The AI creates the formula and automatically applies the calculation to existing data.

3. Search across spreadsheets

The assistant can create lookup formulas, such as XLOOKUP, to find a value in another part of the workbook and bring the result to a new column.

4. Generate charts

All you need to do is specify which elements you want to compare. Copilot can create charts from the data and let you refine the results with new commands.

5. Create pivot tables

Large amounts of data can be summarized in a pivot table without you having to manually configure rows, columns, and values. For example, you can group sales by month and category.

6. Identify trends and outliers

You can ask Copilot questions like “Which regions had the highest sales?” or “Are there any values that don’t fit the pattern?” The answer can be displayed as a summary, chart, or pivot table.

7. Filter and sort data

The assistant can apply filters and organize data based on a defined criterion. For example, a command can request to display only items expiring next week or to sort a rate from lowest to highest value.

8. Highlight specific information

You can also ask for certain values to be highlighted. Examples provided by Microsoft include highlighting the lowest numbers of units sold or emphasizing the ten highest values.

9. Summarize text in the spreadsheet

Customer comments, survey responses, and other text collections can be synthesized by Copilot. The AI can also detect recurring themes and incorporate the results into the workbook.

10. Explain complex formulas

If you come across an unfamiliar formula in an old spreadsheet, simply select the cell and ask for an explanation. Copilot will describe what the formula does and how it arrives at the result.

These features demonstrate how artificial intelligence can streamline routine tasks in Excel, freeing up time for more strategic work.