IT Services

Cyber Security IT Support & Strategy Back-up & Disaster Recovery Digital Workplace IT Procurement AI & Automation Microsoft 365 Solutions

IT Services Expert IT solutions for your business.

Telecoms

Connectivity Communication

Telecoms Seamless communication solutions for your business needs.

Managed Print

About Us

Working With Us Sustainability Frameworks FAQ IT Insights

About Us Find out what ACS IT Services can do for you.

Case Studies

Contact

Helpdesk

Getting the best out of Copilot in Microsoft Excel

Copilot in Excel is your productivity partner for working smarter with data. From automating formulas to cleaning up messy spreadsheets, Copilot helps turn everyday tasks into seamless, high-impact results.

Whether you’re streamlining reports, building charts, or exploring insights across datasets, this guide shows how to get started and unlock Copilot’s core features with confidence.

Getting started with Copilot in Excel

Using Copilot in Excel is simple and easy to use, just follow these steps to start integrating AI into your workflow:

• Open a workbook stored in OneDrive or SharePoint to ensure compatibility with Copilot’s features.

• Make sure your data is properly formatted for best results.

• Click the Copilot button in the ribbon to open the chat panel or select a specific cell to access targeted suggestions.

• Enter a prompt or choose a recommended action from Copilot’s suggestions to get started.

Examples of Copilot in action:

Not sure what to ask? Try some of these commands to explore what Copilot can do:

• “Create a pie chart displaying the distribution of expenses across different departments.”

• “Sort the dataset to show the top 10 best-selling products in descending order.”

• “Generate a trendline to visualise monthly revenue growth over the past year.”

Here are some helpful tips to help you get started:

Import and search for data

Finding the right data can be time-consuming, but Copilot simplifies the process by integrating information from web sources, organisational files, and stored business documents. Whether you need financial figures, industry trends, or internal reports, Copilot ensures quick access without disrupting your workflow.

How to get started:

• Search the web for structured data such as currency exchange rates, regional statistics, or business performance metrics and insert it into your workbook.

• Retrieve organisational files from SharePoint, OneDrive, emails, meeting notes, and other business documents directly within Excel.

• Organise imported data with formatting and structuring tools to make it easier to analyse and interpret.

Example prompts:

• “Search the web for a list of European countries and their exchange rates.”

• “Get device names from my quarterly purchases report saved in OneDrive.”

• “Find employees who report to (manager’s name).”

Create charts and generate reports instantly

Raw data alone isn’t always enough to communicate key insights effectively. Copilot transforms complex datasets into visually compelling charts and structured reports, making information clearer and easier to present.

Enhancing your reports:

• Ensure your data is clean and well-structured before generating charts or summaries for accurate results.

• Generate summaries that highlight trends, comparisons, or key financial insights for a polished report.

• Enhance presentation clarity with formatting recommendations, labels, and colour-coded visuals for better readability.

Example prompts:

• “Create a line graph to show monthly revenue trends.”

• “Generate a report highlighting key financial metrics.”

• “Provide a list of action points based on this data.”

Streamline data cleanup and organisation

Messy spreadsheets can slow down workflows, introduce errors, and make data difficult to interpret. Copilot simplifies data cleanup by identifying inconsistencies, removing duplicates, and organising information into a structured format.

Optimising your dataset:

• Scanning for missing values and formatting inconsistencies to improve overall data integrity.

• Automatically detecting and correcting errors so calculations and reports remain precise.

• Applying uniform styling to create a professional, structured layout for better readability.

• Standardising numerical formats, currency, and date fields to ensure consistency across datasets.

Enhance collaboration with Copilot

Collaboration is at the heart of every successful team, and Copilot in Excel streamlines how colleagues work together on shared projects. Copilot can highlight key changes, answer specific data-related questions, and generate quick summaries for discussions and decision-making.

To boost collaboration:

• Highlight key updates in shared spreadsheets for better visibility.

• Use Copilot to answer team questions about specific datasets.

• Generate summaries of important findings for collaborative decision-making.

Unlock Copilot’s full potential

With Copilot in Excel, everyday tasks become faster, clearer, and more effective. From smart suggestions to time-saving automation, this tool gives you the power to make better decisions without digging through rows of formulas. Start experimenting with the tips in this guide and see how Copilot transforms the way you manage, present, and understand your data. Ready to take your spreadsheet skills to the next level? Stay tuned for our companion blog focused on forecasting, Python integration, and deeper analysis.

Want to take your Excel productivity to the next level? Get in touch today and let’s explore how Copilot can elevate your workflow!