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Supercharge Your Spreadsheets: 
How Microsoft 365 Copilot Transforms Excel

In the modern workplace, speed and clarity are everything. Yet even the most skilled Excel users spend countless hours cleaning data, building formulas, and interpreting endless rows of numbers. That is where Microsoft 365 Copilot comes in. This powerful AI tool brings intelligence directly into Excel, turning complex analysis into natural language conversations.

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What Is The COPILOT Formula?

Copilot in Excel is more than a chat assistant. It is a built-in formula that lets users describe tasks in plain English and see results instantly. The =COPILOT() function simplifies work such as summarizing data, building formulas, or cleaning up messy lists.

When you start typing in Excel, the formula looks like this:

=COPILOT(prompt, [data_range])

  • prompt → Required. Describe what you want Excel to do in plain language.

  • [data_range] → Optional. Specify the range of cells to apply the prompt to. If omitted, Copilot will consider the entire worksheet.

Example:

=COPILOT("Summarize sales trends for the last quarter", A2:B100)

There is no need to remember complicated syntax or formula structures. Just ask naturally.

Why It Matters for Business Users

For corporate teams working with large datasets, Copilot bridges the gap between raw data and actionable insight. It automates repetitive and technical work so users can focus on decision-making and strategy. Copilot is not replacing skills; it is amplifying them.

Top Ways to Use the Copilot Formula

1. Clean, Prepare  and Transform Data

Messy spreadsheets are a thing of the past. Copilot can extract emails, remove extra spaces, or standardize inconsistent entries with a single query.

Example:

=COPILOT("Clean this list and remove duplicates", A2:B100)


2. Analyze and Summarize Data

Turn a page of data into a few key points. Perfect for executives, reports, or quick updates.

Example:

=COPILOT("Summarize key sales drivers from this data", A2:B100)


3. Generate Charts and Visuals

Turn data into presentable insights in seconds, ideal for meetings or quick exports.

Example:

=COPILOT("Create a bar chart of sales by region", A2:B100)


4. Forecast Scenarios and Support Decisions

Explore scenarios without building complex models. 

Example:

=COPILOT("Forecast next quarter’s sales based on this data", A2:B100)


How to Get Started

Copilot is available to Microsoft 365 enterprise users with Copilot access enabled. The subscription runs at approximately $40 USD per user per month in addition to an existing Microsoft 365 plan.

To try the =COPILOT() formula:

  1. Open Excel (web or desktop) with your Microsoft 365 account.
  2. In any empty cell, type =COPILOT( and describe your task in plain language.
  3. Press Enter to see Copilot complete the task automatically.

It's that simple.

The New Era of Data Productivity

Excel has long been the backbone of business intelligence. With Microsoft 365 Copilot, it becomes an intelligent partner that helps users move faster and think smarter.

From finance to marketing, from operations to HR, every department can now gain insights and streamline work with natural language commands. Copilot is not just an improvement for Excel, it represents a new standard for data productivity.

Want to see how the COPILOT formula can simplify your work?

Download the free Copilot in Excel Cheat Sheet to explore practical prompts, time-saving examples, and ideas you can use right away.

Download the Cheat Sheet