Artificial Intelligence is no longer limited to standalone chatbots or separate apps. Microsoft has now brought AI directly into Excel, one of the most widely used business tools in the world. The newly introduced Copilot function allows you to type formulas like =Copilot directly into cells and get intelligent, natural language responses—just like you would with SUM, IF, or VLOOKUP.
This is a game-changing update because instead of jumping between ChatGPT, Copilot sidebar, or manual formulas, you can now work within the grid itself, referencing your data and getting insights instantly.
In this article, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about Excel’s Copilot function, from the basics of prompts to advanced use cases like sentiment analysis, regex extraction, and data categorization. Along the way, I’ll add extra context, warnings, and practical scenarios so you can apply this knowledge effectively in your own work.
1. Introduction to Excel Copilot Function
Excel has always been about formulas, functions, and data crunching. But with Copilot integrated as a function, things change dramatically.
Instead of memorizing complex functions or writing VBA scripts, you can now ask Excel in plain English what you want. The =Copilot formula behaves like a bridge between AI and your spreadsheet cells.
Some highlights:
- Works like any other formula (SUM, IF, VLOOKUP).
- Can reference prompts (instructions) and contexts (cells, ranges).
- Outputs results dynamically and updates when data changes.
- Can generate lists, analyze sentiment, extract structured info, and more.
2. Getting Started: Basic Formula Structure
Before diving into examples, let’s break down the syntax.
When you use =Copilot, Excel expects arguments inside parentheses:
=Copilot("your prompt", context, additional prompts or references)
- Prompt → Your instruction in plain language, e.g.,
"Give me three cookie types". - Context → Cell range you want Copilot to analyze or describe.
- Additional prompts/references → Optional instructions like column headers, categories, or conditions.
Think of it as talking to Excel directly, but with the structure of a formula.
3. Generating Lists with Prompts
Let’s start simple. Suppose you type this into cell A2:
=Copilot("Give me three cookie types")
When you press Enter, Excel generates three cookie names and spills them into adjacent cells.
👉 This is a small but powerful shift: instead of copy-pasting lists from elsewhere, you can generate them on demand.
You can also reference cells instead of typing the full prompt. For instance, if A1 contains “Suggest 5 types of coffee drinks”, you could use:
=Copilot(A1)
This way, prompts can be dynamic and updated anytime.
4. Creating Descriptions from Data
Now, let’s take it further. Imagine column A contains cookie names. You want short descriptions for each.
In cell B2, enter:
=Copilot("Give me a description of each", A2:A4)
Copilot generates descriptive text for each cookie. These can even be polished enough for marketing or product listings.
💡 Pro Tip: Always cross-check AI descriptions before publishing externally, as sometimes wording may need refinement.
5. Analyzing Customer Feedback with AI
Customer reviews are gold but manually classifying them takes time. Copilot can help.
Suppose column A has feedback like:
- “Delicious cookies with perfect sweetness.”
- “Arrived stale, disappointing.”
In column B, you want sentiment (Positive/Neutral/Negative).
In column C, you want category (Taste/Quality/Service).
Here’s the formula:
=Copilot("Evaluate these reviews", A2:A10, B1:C1)
- Prompt: “Evaluate these reviews”
- Context: A2:A10 (the reviews)
- Reference: B1:C1 (the headers defining sentiment & category)
Copilot then classifies each review with both sentiment and category.
This saves hours of manual tagging.
6. Using Symbols Instead of Text for Sentiment
Plain text like “Positive” is okay, but symbols are more visual.
Update your formula with:
=Copilot("Sentiment as 😊 ~ 😐 ~ 😞", A2:A10)
Now, Excel shows emoji symbols instead of words, making scanning results much faster.
7. Summarizing Data with GROUPBY and Copilot
Once sentiment is classified, you may want a summary report.
Example: count how many positives, negatives, and neutrals.
You can combine Copilot output with Excel’s GROUPBY function:
=GROUPBY(B2:B11, B2:B11, COUNTA(B2:B11))
- First argument: the column to group by (sentiment).
- Second: values to count.
- Third: function to apply (COUNTA).
This gives you a neat summary table showing totals.
And because it’s linked, whenever feedback updates, the summary updates automatically.
8. Extracting Structured Data from Text
Copilot also helps extract names or phone numbers from messy text.
Suppose column A contains entries like:
“Please call Sarah at (123)-456-7890.”
You can extract just the name with:
=Copilot("Extract the name", A2:A10)
And the phone number with:
=Copilot("Extract the phone number", A2:A10)
This eliminates tedious copy-paste work.
9. Using Regex Patterns with Copilot
For large datasets, it’s better to use Regex (Regular Expressions) for efficiency. Copilot can even generate regex patterns for you.
Example formula:
=Copilot("Return a regex pattern to match phone number", C2, "from this example", A2)
Copilot outputs a regex like:
\(\d{3}\)\s\d{3}-\d{4}
Then you can use it inside Excel’s REGEXEXTRACT:
=REGEXEXTRACT(A2, "\(\d{3}\)\s\d{3}-\d{4}")
This pulls structured phone numbers at scale.
💡 This is especially powerful when dealing with thousands of rows, ensuring you stay within Copilot’s call limits.
10. Creating Dynamic Itineraries and Ratings
Copilot isn’t just for business—it can handle fun tasks too.
Imagine planning an itinerary. Column A has time slots. You want a full schedule for visiting students.
Formula:
=Copilot("Recommend an itinerary for a class visit", A2:A10, "for high school students")
You instantly get activities like:
- Welcome & introduction
- Guided tour
- Cookie baking demo
Change “high school” to “kindergarten” and you get snack breaks and decoration activities instead.
👉 You can even rate activities by fun level:
=Copilot("Rate these activities with ! to !!!!", C2:C10)
Or add emojis for visuals:
=Copilot("Give me an emoji for each activity", C2:C10)
This shows just how creative and versatile the Copilot function can be.
11. Important Limitations to Know
Before you get carried away, there are some important caveats:
- Not for heavy math → Use SUM, AVERAGE, etc. for large calculations. Copilot isn’t built for big numeric workloads.
- Licensing required → You must have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license (work/school accounts only). No personal accounts yet.
- Results change → Copilot recalculates every time the sheet refreshes. Save outputs if you want them locked.
- Call limits → You can’t endlessly call Copilot on thousands of rows. Use regex or Excel functions when scaling up.
12. FAQs About Excel Copilot Function
Q1. Can I use Copilot without Microsoft 365?
No, you need an active Microsoft 365 subscription with Copilot enabled.
Q2. Can I lock Copilot results?
Yes, copy the cell values and paste them as static values if you want them permanent.
Q3. Is Copilot safe for sensitive data?
Copilot follows Microsoft’s enterprise compliance standards, but always confirm with your IT policy before using it on confidential datasets.
Q4. Can Copilot replace all Excel formulas?
No. It’s best for text, analysis, and categorization. For raw math and data crunching, use native formulas.
Q5. Will Copilot work offline?
No, it requires an internet connection since it relies on Microsoft’s AI cloud services.
13. Final Thoughts
The new Copilot function in Excel represents a big leap forward in making spreadsheets smarter and more user-friendly. Instead of memorizing complex functions or sifting through endless feedback, you can now rely on AI to interpret, classify, and generate data instantly—right in the grid.
This isn’t just a productivity boost; it’s a paradigm shift in how we work with spreadsheets. Whether you’re summarizing reviews, extracting phone numbers, or even planning a class itinerary, Copilot makes the process faster and more intuitive.
As Microsoft continues to refine this feature, expect even more seamless integration of AI into everyday business workflows. For now, it’s safe to say: Excel just became a whole lot smarter.
👉 Official page: Microsoft Excel
Disclaimer
The Copilot function is still evolving. Always verify outputs before using them in official reports, marketing, or business-critical processes. AI-generated results may contain inaccuracies.
Tags
Excel Copilot, Microsoft Excel AI, Excel Functions, Data Analysis with AI, Excel Regex, Microsoft 365
Hashtags
#Excel #Microsoft365 #Copilot #ArtificialIntelligence #DataAnalysis #Productivity
