Copilot in Excel can answer questions about a structured table, identify trends and anomalies, draft charts or PivotTables, and write formulas from plain-language instructions. The safest workflow is to name the relevant columns, state the output you want, choose the mode that matches the risk of changing your workbook, and then verify every result against the source data. Chat is best for exploration without edits; plan is a reviewable blueprint for complex work; edit is for changes Copilot should make in the workbook.
This guide covers the current Excel experience, including the removal of the COPILOT worksheet function on September 14, 2026. Existing cached results remain visible, but recalculating a cell that contains that function now returns #NAME?. Use the Copilot pane instead of teaching or creating new =COPILOT(...) formulas.
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What Copilot in Excel can do
Copilot works best when your information is arranged as an Excel table or a table-like range with clear headers. In the data-insights chat experience, it can interpret a question, select relevant workbook data, and perform Python-based analysis. Typical outputs include a written summary, comparisons, trend descriptions, outlier or anomaly findings, charts, PivotTables, and text analysis. You can ask about one table or table-like range, or about multiple such ranges in the same workbook. Unstructured material is not supported by this analysis path.
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Check access before you start
The Copilot pane may be absent when your Microsoft 365 subscription is not eligible or when an organization administrator has restricted the feature. Confirm that you are signed in with the account that owns the eligible subscription, and ask your administrator whether Copilot is enabled for the account and workbook environment.
| Platform | Modes Microsoft documents | Availability note |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Edit, chat, and plan | All three modes are listed. |
| Mac | Edit, chat, and plan | All three modes are listed. |
| Excel for the web | Edit, chat, and plan | All three modes are listed. |
| iPad | Chat and plan | Edit support is rolling out. |
| iPhone | Chat | Edit support is rolling out. |
| Android | Chat | Microsoft lists chat for this platform. |
Labels and rollout status can vary by account. If a step below refers to a mode you do not see, use the closest available mode or complete the operation manually after Copilot provides the formula or plan.
Choose the right Copilot mode
Chat for questions and non-destructive analysis
Chat keeps the response in the Copilot conversation. It can analyze workbook data without changing the sheet, which makes it the safest starting point for questions such as which region had the highest sales or whether a column contains anomalies. A response can include a static table or an image visualization that you may insert into the workbook. Once inserted, those results are not refreshable: if the source data changes, the inserted answer or image does not automatically recalculate.
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Plan for a reviewable approach
Plan mode presents a structured approach before changes begin. Use it when a request has several operations, such as reshaping data, merging sheets, or building a report. Read the proposed sequence, confirm the intended sheets and columns, and adjust the plan before allowing any edits. Plan mode is especially useful when you know the outcome but want to catch an incorrect assumption about ranges, joins, or output locations.
Edit for direct workbook changes
Edit mode is intended for multi-step work that should become part of the workbook. Copilot can add or change columns, reorganize information, merge sheets, or build report elements. State exactly what may be changed and where. Save a copy or use version history before a large edit, and inspect the affected cells afterward.
| Goal | Recommended mode | What persists |
|---|---|---|
| Answer a question or explore a pattern | Chat | Conversation response; inserted tables or images are static. |
| Review a complex sequence before execution | Plan | A proposed approach that you can revise before changes. |
| Make Copilot change the workbook | Edit | Workbook edits and objects, subject to your review. |
| Run customizable analysis and keep the computation | Advanced analysis | A new sheet with Python; code can be inserted as a refreshable Python cell. |
Prepare data so Copilot can interpret it
Before prompting, make the data legible to both Excel and Copilot. Put one field in each column, use a single header row, and keep records in rows. Convert a range to an Excel table when practical so the headers and boundaries are explicit. Remove accidental blank rows, duplicate headers, and mixed data types in a column. Give columns descriptive names such as Region, Product, Revenue, Cost, and Order Date instead of relying on ambiguous labels such as Column1 or Total.
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Decide whether the question needs all rows or a defined period, product group, or region. If dates are stored as text, or amounts combine currencies, fix those issues first or mention the limitation in the prompt. Copilot can only reason from the data it identifies; an unclear range can produce a plausible answer based on the wrong rows.
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- Open the workbook and select the Copilot control to open the pane.
- Choose chat when you want an answer without changing the sheet. If you expect several workbook edits, choose plan first; choose edit only when you are ready for Copilot to make those changes.
- Name the table, sheet, or columns that matter. For example, identify
Salesas the table and specifyRegion,Revenue, andOrder Date. - Describe the operation in ordinary language and define the output format. Ask for a direct answer, a table, a chart, a PivotTable, or a new column rather than leaving the format implicit.
- Read the response and inspect the source references or data explanation. If the response includes expandable code, open it and examine how the analysis was generated.
- Spot-check the result against known rows, totals, and edge cases before inserting anything or using the result in a decision.
Prompt patterns that produce useful answers
A good prompt combines the data scope, the question, and the desired artifact. These examples use Microsoft’s documented scenarios:
Using the Sales table, which region had the highest and lowest sales? Return a two-row table with the region and total sales.Review the Revenue column in the Sales table for outliers or anomalies. List the affected rows, explain the rule you used, and do not change the data.Compare monthly revenue by region and show the trend as a chart. Use Order Date for the month and Revenue for the measure.Summarize the customer comments column into the three most common themes and include the number of comments in each theme.Create a PivotTable that shows revenue by region and product category. Place it on a new sheet and leave the source table unchanged.
Specify whether a percentage should be calculated from a grand total, a group total, or a row-level denominator. For example, “each region’s percentage of total sales” is different from “each product’s percentage of its region.” Naming the denominator prevents a mathematically correct formula from answering the wrong business question.
Use advanced analysis when the standard answer is not enough
For deeper or more customizable work, use the advanced analysis path. Microsoft describes this experience as opening a new sheet and running Python code. The code can be modified, and you can insert it as a refreshable Python cell when you need the calculation to run again as the data changes. This is different from a chat response that merely displays a static table or image.
Decide whether the output should be durable
Tell Copilot whether you need an explanation now or an object that will remain useful. A request such as Answer which region grew fastest last quarter can stay in chat. A request such as Create a refreshable analysis of quarterly growth by region on a new sheet, with the Python code visible for review signals that the computation should become a workbook artifact.
Inspect the generated code before inserting it. Check the input table or ranges, date filters, grouping fields, treatment of missing values, and the definition of any calculated metric. A refreshable cell is more durable than a pasted image, but it still depends on the same source structure and assumptions.
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Ask Copilot to create a single formula
For one calculation, select a nearby cell or open the pane and describe the inputs by address or field name. State the intended result and the direction of the calculation. Examples include:
Write a formula that calculates the percentage increase from A1 to B1 as (B1-A1)/A1. Return the formula and explain what happens when A1 is zero.In C1, extract the first name from the full name in C1 and explain the formula. Account for names with a single space.Calculate the difference between D1 and E1 and return a formula that treats a blank E1 as zero.
When the request could be interpreted several ways, define the convention. “Percentage increase” normally uses the original value as the denominator, while “percentage-point difference” applies to percentages and subtracts one percentage from another. Tell Copilot which interpretation you need.
Create a formula column or row for repeated calculations
For a repeated operation, ask for a new formula column or row and identify the fields that feed it. Copilot can create examples such as a profit-margin column for each product, each region’s share of total sales, or averages for revenue, return on investment, and sales.
- Identify the source table and the output location, for example,
Salesand a new column namedProfit Margin. - Define the numerator and denominator in words, such as
(Revenue-Cost)/Revenue, and say how blanks or zero denominators should be handled. - Ask Copilot to add the formula to every table row, or ask for the formula only if you want to review and fill it yourself.
- Check several rows manually, including a normal row, a row with a blank, and a row at a boundary such as zero revenue.
- Format the output as a percentage, currency, date, or number only after confirming the calculation itself is correct.
For a row of summary formulas, specify the columns and aggregation. For example: Add a summary row that calculates the average Revenue, average ROI, and average Sales for the visible rows only. If filtered rows should be excluded, say so explicitly; otherwise a formula may include hidden records.
Build a cross-sheet lookup
Copilot can draft a lookup column that retrieves a related value from another sheet. Microsoft’s example is obtaining each item’s stock quantity from an inventory sheet, with XLOOKUP offered as a possible formula.
- Name the key in the current sheet, such as
Item ID, and the matching key on the inventory sheet. - Identify the return field, such as
Stock Quantity, and specify what to display when no match exists. - Ask for a formula that fills the new column and uses exact matching.
- Review the proposed lookup and confirm that the key columns have the same data type and formatting. A numeric ID stored as text will not reliably match a numeric ID.
- Test a known match, a duplicate key, and a missing key. Decide whether duplicates should return the first match, be flagged, or be aggregated.
A precise prompt could be: In the Orders table, add a Stock Quantity column. Match Orders[Item ID] to Inventory[Item ID] with an exact match, return Inventory[Stock Quantity], and show Not found when there is no match. Explain the formula.
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Ask Copilot to explain an inherited formula
Select the cell containing the formula and ask Copilot to explain it. Request a plain-language description of each reference, function, condition, and error-handling branch. For a long formula, ask it to break the explanation into stages and identify which ranges expand when rows are added.
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Use Excel’s proactive formula suggestions
Formula completion
When you type =, Excel can use headers, nearby cells, and table context to suggest a complete formula. The suggestion previews a result and explains the formula. Accept it only after checking that the references point to the intended columns and that relative or absolute references behave correctly when filled.
Formula by example
Formula-by-example detects a pattern from sample values and proposes one formula to fill the rest of a column. Microsoft’s examples include extracting ZIP codes or first names. Provide representative examples, including values with different lengths or formats, then inspect the proposed formula before filling the column. Pattern detection can follow the samples while missing an exception that appears later in the data.
Verify every Copilot result
Microsoft advises reviewing, editing, and verifying AI-generated content. Use this routine for both analysis and formulas:
- Restate the question in one sentence and confirm the exact columns, ranges, sheets, and filters used.
- Confirm the output type: direct answer, formula, new column, chart, PivotTable, static table, or refreshable Python cell.
- For text insights, inspect any superscript reference that identifies the source data used.
- For analysis responses with code, expand the code block and check the inputs, transformations, and calculations.
- Recalculate or spot-check formulas against rows with known answers. Include blanks, zeros, duplicates, missing matches, negative values, and date boundaries where relevant.
- Compare totals with an independent Excel calculation, such as a simple
SUMor a manually filtered subset. - Only then insert a visualization, accept an edit, publish a report, or use the result in a decision.
Verification is particularly important for static outputs. An inserted table or image from chat will not refresh when the source changes, so record its source date or replace it with a formula, PivotTable, or refreshable Python cell when ongoing updates matter.
Common problems and fixes
The Copilot pane is missing
Check that the signed-in account has an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription and that your organization has not disabled Copilot. On a managed device, contact the administrator if the subscription appears eligible but the pane still does not appear. Platform rollout can also explain why a mode shown in desktop instructions is not available on a mobile device.
Copilot analyzes the wrong range
Rewrite the prompt with the table name, sheet name, column headers, and date or row filter. Convert the intended range to a table, remove duplicate header rows, and ensure the table boundary includes the records you expect. Ask Copilot to list the columns and row scope it used before asking for the final calculation.
The answer is plausible but not reproducible
Ask for the method, source fields, and any code. A chat response can be a one-time static result. If the workbook needs repeatable analysis, request a PivotTable, formulas, or advanced analysis inserted as a refreshable Python cell, then inspect the resulting object.
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A formula gives an error or unexpected value
Check data types, blank and zero handling, absolute versus relative references, and the exact-match setting for lookups. Test a known row and a deliberately missing or boundary case. Ask Copilot to explain the formula and to provide a corrected version that explicitly handles the failing case.
A previously used COPILOT formula now fails
The Excel COPILOT worksheet function is no longer available beginning September 14, 2026. Cached results that were already calculated remain, but recalculation returns #NAME?. Replace the function with a request in the Copilot pane, such as asking Copilot to summarize feedback or classify comments and add the result in a new column. Review the generated output before keeping it.
A practical prompt template
Use this sequence when you are unsure how to phrase a request:
- Scope: name the workbook table, sheet, columns, and date range.
- Task: state the comparison, calculation, classification, lookup, or explanation you need.
- Rules: define denominators, matching behavior, missing values, duplicates, filters, and rounding.
- Output: request a direct answer, formula, new column, chart, PivotTable, plan, or refreshable Python cell.
- Safety: say whether Copilot may change the workbook and ask it to explain the result.
For example: Using the Orders table on the Data sheet, compare quarterly Revenue by Region for 2026. Exclude blank dates, calculate each region’s share of the quarterly total, return a table and a column chart, and do not change the source table. Explain the denominator and list the columns used.
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| Your task | Best starting point | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Find the highest or lowest value | Chat | Fast answer without altering the workbook. |
| Find anomalies and inspect the method | Chat, then advanced analysis if needed | Chat is exploratory; advanced analysis exposes customizable Python. |
| Write one formula | Chat or formula completion | Obtain a formula and explanation, then test it. |
| Fill a calculated column | Edit after reviewing a plan | The task changes many cells and needs a defined output location. |
| Merge sheets or reshape a report | Plan, then edit | Review the sequence before making structural changes. |
| Keep analysis refreshable | Advanced analysis or workbook formulas | Static chat tables and images do not refresh. |
Copilot is most useful as an analyst and formula assistant, not as an unattended authority. Clear scope, an explicit output request, and independent checks turn a conversational suggestion into a dependable Excel workflow.
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