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Use the Copilot pane in Excel to ask questions about a structured table or table-like range, request a chart or PivotTable, generate formulas, and explain formulas you inherit. Start in chat when you want an answer without changing the workbook, use plan to review a proposed multi-step change, and use edit when you want Copilot to modify the sheet. Always identify the columns or sheets involved, state the output you want, and verify the result against known data.
What Copilot in Excel can do
Copilot turns a natural-language request into an analysis, a proposed formula, an explanation, or a workbook change. Depending on your request and mode, it can:
- Summarize a table and describe trends.
- Compare categories such as regions, products, or time periods.
- Find outliers, anomalies, or notable values.
- Produce a chart, PivotTable, static table, or image visualization.
- Analyze comments or other text fields.
- Write a one-cell formula, a formula column or row, or a cross-sheet lookup.
- Explain an existing formula when you select its cell.
- Reshape data, merge sheets, or build a report when you use edit mode.
The data-analysis chat experience uses Python-based analysis to interpret your question, identify relevant workbook data, and calculate an answer. It works with one table or table-like range, or with multiple such ranges in the same workbook. It does not support unstructured data in that experience.
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Check access and choose the right Copilot mode
Copilot availability depends on your Microsoft 365 subscription and, in an organization, administrator settings. If the Copilot pane or a mode described below is absent, confirm that your account is eligible and that your administrator has not restricted the feature.
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| Mode | Use it when | What happens to the workbook |
|---|---|---|
| Chat | You need an answer, explanation, exploratory analysis, or a suggested formula without making changes. | Responses stay in chat. An inserted table or image visualization is static and does not refresh with later data changes. |
| Plan | You want a structured approach for a complex change before anything is applied. | Copilot presents a plan for your review before the work begins. |
| Edit | You want Copilot to carry out multi-step work such as reshaping data, merging sheets, or building a report. | Copilot can change the workbook directly. Review each proposed change before relying on it. |
Microsoft currently lists edit, chat, and plan on Windows, Mac, and the web. On iPad, chat and plan are available while edit support is rolling out; on iPhone, chat is available while edit support is rolling out; Android lists chat. The exact rollout can differ by account and organization.
Prepare the workbook before asking a question
Copilot can only reason reliably about data it can identify. Before opening the pane, make the data easy to interpret:
- Put one field in each column and one record in each row.
- Give every column a descriptive header, such as
Region,Revenue,Cost, andProduct. - Keep numeric columns numeric; remove currency symbols or stray text that would turn numbers into text.
- Separate totals, notes, and blank spacer rows from the main table.
- Convert a contiguous range to an Excel table when practical, so the table name and headers identify the analysis scope.
- For a cross-sheet request, make the related key consistent in both sheets—for example, use the same spelling and data type for every item ID.
Identify the exact sheet, table, range, and columns you expect Copilot to use. If several similar tables exist, naming the intended one in your prompt reduces ambiguity.
Open Copilot and write a useful first prompt
- Open the workbook in an Excel version where Copilot is available.
- Open the Copilot pane from Excel.
- Choose chat, plan, or edit according to whether you want an answer, a reviewable plan, or a workbook change.
- State the data scope, the question or operation, and the form of the result.
- Read the response, inspect any cited source data or code, and decide whether to insert or apply anything.
A strong prompt contains three parts:
- Scope: name the table, sheet, range, or columns.
- Task: say exactly what to calculate, compare, classify, or explain.
- Output: request a direct answer, formula, new column, chart, or PivotTable.
For example: “In the Sales table, compare total Revenue by Region. Tell me which region is highest and lowest, and return the totals in a table.” This is more actionable than “Analyze my data,” because it defines the fields and the desired format.
Analyze data in chat
Ask a comparison question
Use a question that names the grouping and measure. Microsoft’s examples include:
- “Which region had the highest and lowest sales?”
- “Compare revenue by region and show the difference between the highest and lowest.”
- “Summarize the average ROI for each product.”
Ask for a table when you need exact values that can be checked, or a chart when the shape of the trend matters. If you need both, request both explicitly.
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Find outliers and anomalies
Ask Copilot to inspect a named measure and explain which records look unusual: “In the Orders table, identify outliers in OrderValue, list the affected order IDs, and explain the comparison used.” Treat the result as an investigative lead. Check the underlying rows for data-entry errors, legitimate one-off events, and missing values before taking action.
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Summarize text fields
For comments, survey responses, or notes, name the text column and the categories you want. For example: “Review the Comments column, group the feedback into themes, and give the number of comments in each theme.” If you need the classification stored in the workbook, ask for a new column and use edit mode; a chat answer alone does not alter the sheet.
Request a chart or PivotTable
State the category, measure, and visualization: “Create a column chart of monthly Revenue by Region” or “Build a PivotTable with Region in rows, Product in columns, and Sum of Revenue as values.” In chat, a returned table or image can be inserted, but the inserted result is static and is not refreshable. If the artifact must update when source data changes, ask for a lasting workbook object in edit mode or use the advanced-analysis workflow described next.
Use advanced analysis when the question needs Python
For deeper or more customizable work, use the advanced analysis path rather than a simple chat answer. Copilot opens a new sheet and runs Python code to perform the analysis. You can modify that code and insert it as a refreshable Python cell.
- Open Copilot and choose the advanced analysis option offered for the workbook.
- Describe the data scope, analytical method or comparison, and the output you need.
- Review the new sheet and expand any code block included in the response.
- Check that the code selects the intended columns, handles blanks and data types as expected, and uses the right grouping or calculation.
- Edit the code if the analysis needs different filters, categories, or calculations.
- Insert the result as a Python cell only after you understand what will be recalculated and what source data it depends on.
This route is appropriate when you need a repeatable analysis rather than a one-time answer. A refreshable Python cell is a different outcome from a static image or table returned in chat; choose deliberately based on whether the workbook will change.
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Generate a formula for one calculation
Select the relevant cell or describe the fields and ask for the formula. Include the intended result and any edge-case behavior you care about. Examples:
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- “Write a formula for the percentage increase from A1 to B1. Return a blank if A1 is zero.”
- “Write a formula that calculates the difference between D1 and E1.”
- “Extract the first name from the full name in C1. Explain how the formula handles a name with no space.”
Ask Copilot to explain the suggested formula if you are learning the function or inheriting someone else’s workbook. The explanation is useful for checking which cells, ranges, and conditions the formula actually references.
Build a formula column or row
When the same calculation belongs on every record, request a new formula column and identify the source fields. Examples include:
- “Add a column that calculates profit margin for each product as Profit divided by Revenue.”
- “Add a column showing each region’s percentage of total sales.”
- “Add columns with the average Revenue, ROI, and Sales for each product.”
Specify whether percentages should be returned as decimals or formatted percentages, and what should happen when a denominator is blank or zero. Copilot may propose a structured-reference formula for an Excel table or ordinary cell references for a range; verify that the references fill correctly through the entire column.
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Describe the key and the value to retrieve: “In the Orders sheet, add a Stock Quantity column by matching ItemID to the Inventory sheet and returning the stock quantity. Flag items with no match.” XLOOKUP is one possible formula for this pattern. Check that the key is unique where you expect one result, and inspect unmatched rows instead of treating a blank as zero.
Explain an existing formula
- Select the cell containing the formula.
- Ask Copilot to explain the formula in plain language, naming the inputs, conditions, and returned value.
- Ask a follow-up question about any unfamiliar function or reference.
- Compare the explanation with the formula bar and test the formula on a known row.
Use Excel’s proactive formula suggestions
Excel also documents suggestions that appear while you work, separate from a conversational request:
Formula completion
After you type =, Excel can use headers, nearby cells, and table structure to suggest a complete formula. It previews the result and explains the formula. Accept it only after checking that the suggested columns and row references match your intent.
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Formula by example
Enter representative sample values and Excel can detect the pattern and propose one formula to fill the rest of a column. Examples include extracting ZIP codes or first names. Test samples that include blanks, different lengths, punctuation, and unexpected formats; pattern detection can reproduce a pattern without understanding whether the output is semantically correct.
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Copilot-generated content is a starting point, not a guarantee. Use this verification routine before sharing a workbook or making a decision:
- Restate the scope: confirm that the response used the intended sheet, table, columns, and date or category filters.
- Check the output type: distinguish a chat answer, a static inserted visualization, a formula in cells, an editable workbook change, and a refreshable Python cell.
- Inspect evidence: for text insights, open any superscript reference that identifies the source data. For advanced analysis, expand the provided code and read the operations it performs.
- Spot-check known rows: calculate several results independently, including a typical row, a boundary value, a blank, and a duplicate or unmatched key where relevant.
- Recalculate and test edge cases: check zero denominators, missing values, negative numbers, duplicate IDs, and dates at the start or end of the period.
- Review edits: in plan or edit mode, inspect the proposed changes before accepting them and keep a recoverable copy of important workbooks.
For a formula, compare the displayed value with a hand calculation on a few rows and read the references in the formula bar. For an analysis, compare totals with a PivotTable or another known summary when available.
Understand what is and is not refreshable
| Result | Can it change automatically when source data changes? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Answer returned in chat | No workbook artifact is created. | Run the question again when the data changes. |
| Table or image inserted from chat analysis | No; Microsoft describes these as static. | Reinsert or recreate the result after updating the source. |
| Formula placed in a cell or table column | Yes, subject to normal Excel recalculation and valid references. | Check the formula and its fill range. |
| Workbook object created in edit mode | Depends on the object and its source references. | Inspect the resulting ranges, formulas, and connections. |
| Python cell from advanced analysis | Designed to be refreshable when its source and code remain valid. | Inspect and maintain the code and source dependencies. |
Important limitation: the COPILOT worksheet function has been removed
Beginning September 14, 2026, the Excel COPILOT worksheet function is no longer available. Existing calculated outputs remain cached, but recalculating a cell that contains the function returns #NAME?. Do not start a new workflow with a formula such as =COPILOT(...).
Use the Copilot pane instead. Describe the task in natural language—for example, ask Copilot to summarize feedback or classify comments and add the results in a new column—then choose chat, plan, or edit according to whether you need an answer, a reviewable plan, or a workbook change.
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The Copilot pane does not appear
- Confirm that the signed-in Microsoft 365 account has an eligible subscription.
- Check whether an organization administrator has disabled or restricted Copilot.
- Verify that your Excel platform and account have the mode you are trying to use; mobile rollouts differ from Windows, Mac, and the web.
The response uses the wrong data
- Name the table or sheet and list the exact columns in a follow-up prompt.
- Remove duplicate headers, blank spacer rows, and unrelated totals from the selected range.
- Ask for the source rows or references used, then compare them with the intended scope.
The answer is plausible but wrong
- Ask Copilot to show the calculation or formula rather than only the conclusion.
- Expand and inspect Python code in advanced analysis.
- Recalculate several known cases manually and test blanks, zeros, duplicates, and outliers.
A formula fills incorrectly
- Check whether the formula uses relative, absolute, or structured references appropriate for the fill direction.
- Confirm that headers and data types are consistent in every row.
- Ask Copilot to explain the formula and to return a version that handles your stated edge cases.
An inserted chart or table becomes stale
A static result from chat does not refresh. Re-run the analysis, request a workbook object in edit mode, or use a refreshable Python cell when a durable, updateable result is required.
A repeatable workflow for real workbooks
- Clean and name the table, fields, and keys.
- Open the Copilot pane and choose chat for exploration, plan for review before complex changes, or edit for direct workbook changes.
- Write a prompt that identifies the scope, task, and output format.
- For a one-off or explanatory result, stay in chat; for a persistent calculation, request a formula or new column.
- For deeper, customizable analysis, use advanced analysis, inspect the Python code, and insert a refreshable Python cell only when that durability is useful.
- Verify source references, formulas, totals, edge cases, and whether the result will refresh.
- Document or label accepted formulas and generated columns so another person can understand their purpose.
This approach keeps Copilot useful without confusing a conversational suggestion with a tested workbook calculation or a refreshable analytical model.
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