Copilot Tips: Excel Tricks – Tech Tip for August 14, 2025

In this week’s tech tip, we explore how Microsoft Copilot can take the intimidation out of pivot tables—one of Excel’s most powerful tools for turning raw data into clear insights. From setting up your first table to exploring advanced analysis, Copilot can guide you step-by-step, using plain-language prompts.

Create a Pivot Table in Seconds

Pivot tables let you summarize large data sets, spot trends, and make comparisons without complex formulas. You might use them to:

• See total sales by region.
• Compare monthly performance.
• Track averages across categories.

With Copilot, you don’t need to know the exact setup steps—just describe what you want.

Open a sheet or workbook with data in Excel:

• Be sure your workbook/sheet data is formatted as a Table.
• Drag your cursor to highlight your data and use the ‘CTRL’ + ‘T’ keyboard shortcut to prompt to create a table.
  • Include the ‘headers’ option in the selection if your data has headers.
  • Save your workbook to the Cloud to work with and enable Copilot.
• Open Copilot using the keyboard shortcut Alt method, ‘Alt’ + ‘H’ (Home) + ‘FX.’
  • The Copilot side pane should open.
  • In the prompt area, type:
    • “Create a pivot table showing total sales by region.”
    • Select ‘Add to a new sheet’ button to see your results.

Customize and Explore Your Pivot Table

Once your pivot table is created, Copilot can help you to refine and visualize it:

Try these example prompts:

• “Add a column showing the average sales by category”
• “Display this data as a column chart.”
• “Highlight months with unusually high or low sales.”

These aren’t just shortcuts—they can help you see your data in different ways without manually hunting for the right Excel commands.

Go Deeper with Copilot’s Suggestions

After you create a pivot table, Copilot often offers follow-up suggestions to extend your analysis. Here’s what they mean:

• Get deeper results using advanced analysis: Copilot will look for patterns, correlations, or trends that might not be obvious.
• Average your data as a column chart: Turns your average values into a visual format for quicker comparisons.
• Find the outliers in your data: Identifies unusual data points so you can investigate potential errors or opportunities.

TIP: Drag your cursor to highlight your data (along with your headers) and select ‘Analyze Data’ from the menu ribbon on the ‘Home’ tab to see further Excel data analysis options.

TIP: Remember to ‘Refresh’ your pivot table after changing your original data. To do this, go to the pivot table, select it (and headers), then click the ‘Data’ tab, and choose ‘Refresh’ to update it.

Keyboard Shortcuts to Speed Things Up

Pair Copilot’s intelligence with Excel’s built-in shortcuts:

• CTRL + T: Format data as a table for easier pivot table setup.
• Alt + N + V: Manually start a pivot table without using Copilot.
• CTRL + Z: Undo changes, including Copilot actions.
• CTRL+ Arrow Keys: Move quickly across large datasets.

TIP: Keep your favorite shortcuts on a sticky note, or in OneNote, Word, or Notepad, until they become second nature.

Pivot tables can be the key to turning complex spreadsheets into actionable insights—and with Copilot the process is faster and easier than ever. Whether you’re building your first table or diving into advanced analysis, Copilot’s prompts and suggestions can help you work smarter, not harder.

Reach Out to TechWise Group

Interested in learning more about Microsoft Copilot and Excel? Reach out to TechWise Group. We’ll help you make the most of your Microsoft tools.

Important Microsoft Announcements:

• Prepare for Windows Server 2016 End of Support (EoS):
  • Extended Support ends on January 12, 2027.
• Windows 10 reached End of Support (EoS) on October 14, 2025:
  • Put a plan in place to upgrade to Windows 11.
• Maximize your organization’s Security with Secure Score and MFA:
  • Get to know your Secure Score—your essential tool for proactive threat management.
  • Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is the best way to prevent cyberthreats.
• Give your business a productivity boost with Microsoft Copilot:
  • Get started with Copilot consulting services to organize and secure your data, while also training you and your team.
• Contact TechWise Group to get started.