Excel Tips: Copilot and AI – Tech Tip for April 9, 2026

In this week’s tech tip, we explore recent updates to Copilot in Excel and discuss how newer updates to the AI are changing the way users can analyze, build, and interact with data within the app. Instead of manually creating formulas, or sorting through large datasets, users can now describe what they want, and Excel with Copilot AI can help generate results directly within the workbook. Let’s take a look!

Getting Started with Copilot in Excel

Recent updates to Copilot in Excel make it easier to begin working with your data.

Get Started:

• Open Excel and an existing workbook or create a new one
• Select the ‘Copilot’ icon from the ribbon (Home tab)
• The Copilot panel will open on the right-hand side
• Enter a request describing what you want to do with your data

Try These Prompts:

• “Summarize this data” to get an overview of trends and totals
• “Create a monthly sales summary” to group and organize data
• “Create a chart showing monthly sales” to generate a visual automatically

TIP: Be specific about the outcome you want. For example, instead of asking for a chart, try “create a monthly sales chart with totals.”

TIP: Copilot works best when you describe the full outcome you want, not just a single step. If you’re unsure how to build a formula, ask Copilot first. It can generate a starting point you can refine.

Using Copilot AI makes Excel more accessible for users who may not use it every day, while still saving time for more experienced users.

Clean and Analyze Data More Efficiently

Working with messy or inconsistent data is one of the biggest challenges in Excel. Copilot helps simplify that process.

• Identify duplicates or inconsistent entries
• Suggest formatting fixes
• Highlight patterns or outliers

Copilot can help simplify everyday Excel tasks, including:

• Creating formulas
• Building charts
• Summarizing data
• Organizing or cleaning spreadsheets

TIP: Use Copilot to review your data before applying changes to ensure accuracy but always review suggested changes in AI responses before applying them.

By improving data quality at the start, your reports become more reliable and easier to maintain.

Turning Data into Insights Faster

Copilot also helps users move from raw data to meaningful insights more quickly.

• Generate summaries of large datasets
• Create charts without manual setup
• Highlight key trends automatically

TIP: Instead of working step-by-step, you can describe your goal and let Copilot handle the structure and output. Start with a draft using Copilot, then refine results as needed.

A Smarter Way to Use Excel

Excel is evolving from a traditional spreadsheet tool into a more intelligent, user-friendly platform. With Copilot in Excel, teams can reduce manual work, improve accuracy and get more value from their data.

Reach Out to TechWise Group

Contact TechWise Group to review how your team is working with Copilot in M365 Apps including Excel and explore how Copilot can help improve productivity, accuracy, and streamline daily tasks.