Excel has long been a staple tool for businesses and professionals. However, as datasets grow larger and analyses become more complex, users often find themselves spending considerable time wrestling with formulas, generating graphs, and manipulating data. Enter Microsoft Copilot, an AI-powered assistant designed to revolutionise how users interact with Excel – not to mention free up time!
Copilot is an innovative feature that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to enhance the user experience in Excel. By integrating these advanced technologies, Copilot provides users with intelligent suggestions, formulas, and insights as they work on their spreadsheets. It’s like having a smart helper right inside your spreadsheet, making data analysis more accessible and efficient, regardless of your Excel proficiency.
Key Capabilities of Excel Copilot:
1. Formula Assistance:

• Copilot assists users in writing complex formulas. Whether you’re calculating averages, performing lookups, or creating custom functions, Copilot suggests relevant formulas based on context.
• Simply describe what you need in plain language, and Copilot will generate the appropriate formula for you.

2. Insightful Visualisations:

• Copilot helps users create insightful visualisations, such as charts and graphs, directly from their data.
• Describe the type of visualisation you want (e.g., bar chart, line graph), and Copilot will guide you through the process.

3. Data Manipulation:

• Copilot streamlines data manipulation tasks. Need to filter, sort, or transform data? Copilot provides step-by-step instructions.
• Describe your data manipulation goal, and Copilot will suggest the necessary actions.

4. Automated Insights:

• Copilot analyses patterns, context, and user behaviour to anticipate your needs.
• It highlights interesting portions of data, identifies outliers, and suggests relevant actions.

How to Get Started with Copilot:
1. Format Your Data as a Table: Before using Copilot, format your data as an Excel table. This ensures that Copilot can analyse it effectively.
2. Access Copilot: Make sure you have a Microsoft 365 subscription that supports Copilot (e.g., Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Business).
3. Open Excel and select the Copilot button in the ribbon.
4. Start Communicating with Copilot: Describe your intentions using regular language. For example: “Create a bar graph showing the sales growth between Q2 and Q3.” “Add a new column showing the percentage difference between column A and column C.”
5. Copilot will understand your request and guide you accordingly.
6. Explore Insights: After Copilot analyses your data, review the insights it provides. Use the refresh button to discover more prompts and explore different ways to enhance your analysis.
Benefits of Using Excel Copilot:
• Time Savings: Copilot accelerates your workflow by suggesting relevant actions, eliminating the need to search for functions or formulas.
• User-Friendly: You don’t need to be an Excel expert. Copilot understands your natural language and translates it into Excel actions, giving ‘hot-to’ guidance.
• Confidence Boost: For many users, Excel can be intimidating, especially when tackling data analysis tasks. Microsoft Copilot acts as a knowledgeable assistant, guiding users through the process and empowering them to confidently navigate Excel’s capabilities.
Microsoft Copilot empowers users to navigate Excel’s vast capabilities effortlessly, transforming data analysis into an intuitive and productive experience, empowering users to derive valuable insights from their data more efficiently and with confidence. However, it’s important to recognise that this is just one of the many use cases for Copilot within business contexts. From software development to content creation, Copilot’s AI capabilities have the potential to revolutionise a wide range of processes and workflows across various industries. By embracing Copilot as a versatile assistant, organisations can unlock new levels of productivity, innovation, and effectiveness across their operations.
Does this sound like the missing ingredient in your workplace? Connect with our team today and let’s craft a bespoke Copilot solution for your organisation today.