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You can use PowerPoint Copilot to create a draft presentation that references an Excel workbook. The workflow is useful for turning organized data into a starting deck, but access depends on your Microsoft 365 account and organization settings—and every number and claim in the result needs to be checked against the workbook.
What you need before you start
- PowerPoint with Copilot access: Copilot may not appear if it is not included with your Microsoft 365 subscription or your organization has disabled access. Check with your Microsoft 365 administrator if you cannot find it. Microsoft’s presentation guidance describes the feature and its access caveat.
- Permission to use the workbook: You must be allowed to access and use the file you reference.
- A workbook that is clear to interpret: Copilot can work with Excel data, but Microsoft does not guarantee that every workbook will be interpreted correctly.
Prepare the Excel workbook
Make the source easy to read before asking AI to turn it into slides. A clean workbook reduces ambiguity and makes the later fact-check more manageable.
- Give each column a clear heading and use consistent date, currency, percentage, and number formats.
- Label units and reporting periods directly, such as “Revenue (USD)” and “Quarter ending June 30.”
- Remove unrelated rows and columns, and organize relevant data into a well-structured table where appropriate.
- Use charts or PivotTables to inspect the data and identify the comparisons that matter. Microsoft documents Copilot in Excel working with tables, charts, PivotTables, and formulas, but this does not ensure that a generated presentation will reproduce every result correctly. Microsoft’s Copilot in Excel overview
Decide what the presentation should communicate
Before generating slides, determine who will read them, what period they cover, and what decision or conclusion the deck should support. Choose a few findings that deserve attention rather than asking the presentation to reproduce the entire workbook.
For a monthly sales review, that might mean the revenue trend, regional differences, and risks. For an operating review, it might mean target versus actual, the largest variances, and proposed next actions. These choices are your editorial direction; they are not guaranteed Copilot capabilities.
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Create the presentation from the Excel file
- Open PowerPoint and start a new presentation.
- Open Copilot and choose its create-presentation flow.
- When prompted to provide a source, reference the Excel workbook you prepared.
- Review the generated draft and refine its content and slides before sharing it.
Microsoft’s 2025 release notes say users can reference an Excel file when creating a presentation in PowerPoint. The exact interface and availability can vary with app version, platform, subscription, and organization settings, so follow the options shown in your current PowerPoint experience. See Microsoft’s PowerPoint release notes.
Give Copilot direction when the workflow allows it
Microsoft’s file-reference FAQ says you cannot add extra context in the same prompt when creating a presentation by referencing a file. Follow the flow presented in the app; if it offers a later interaction or supported editing step, use that to provide additional direction. Do not assume the file-reference prompt accepts a detailed brief.
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When prompting is available, you can adapt this instruction:
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Create a concise presentation for the quarterly leadership review. Use the workbook’s reporting period and units. Lead with the three most decision-relevant findings, compare regions, explain meaningful changes over time, and end with risks and next steps. Do not invent causes or values. Flag unclear or missing data for review.
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This is suggested wording, not a Microsoft-provided prompt or a guaranteed result. Ask for observed results to be distinguished from recommendations, and treat any explanation of why a result changed as a claim that must be verified.
Verify the draft against the workbook
Copilot’s output is a draft, not a validated report. Microsoft says AI-generated presentation content should be human-reviewed and edited. Check the source workbook before accepting or sharing each substantive detail.
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- Confirm every number, calculation, unit, date range, and comparison.
- Check chart titles, labels, axes, and the data behind each chart.
- Make sure a summary does not present correlation as a cause.
- Separate workbook findings from recommendations or interpretations.
- Replace unsupported statements, edit or remove slides, and adjust the slide order as needed.
Microsoft’s Create a new presentation with Copilot in PowerPoint guidance explicitly advises human review and editing of generated content.
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Apply a template and check the design
If your organization has a PowerPoint template or Brand Kit assets available, use them to bring the draft closer to your usual presentation style. Microsoft documents Copilot using templates, selecting layouts from sample slides, and applying brand assets or voice. Review the finished slides for readable text, consistent layouts, and appropriate use of brand elements rather than assuming the generated deck meets your standards automatically. Microsoft’s Brand Kit guidance
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