Microsoft has announced a new suite of artificial intelligence features for Excel, focusing on interactive data reports and automated tools for cleaning complex information. According to Microsoft, while the company recently discontinued the specific "COPILOT" function that allowed users to invoke AI directly within cells, the broader integration of the technology across Excel continues to expand.
Dynamic reports and canvases
A new interactive canvas feature allows users to transform spreadsheet data into visual reports using natural language commands. Users can ask Copilot to generate executive summaries or status updates based on existing information. The resulting report remains linked to the original data, updating automatically whenever the spreadsheet changes. Users can also request design modifications or highlight different perspectives without needing to rebuild the document. This feature is already available for Microsoft 365 Insiders.
Automating repetitive workflows
To reduce manual work, Microsoft revealed two new tools: Skill Builder and Skill Recorder. Skill Builder, scheduled for a global launch in October, lets users describe a workflow in conversation by providing examples and instructions, which the AI then converts into a reusable skill. For processes that are difficult to explain via text, Skill Recorder allows users to simply demonstrate the task. The tool records the performed actions and turns them into an automated process. Skill Recorder will reach Insiders by the end of October.
Data preparation and cleaning
Microsoft has also revamped how information is imported. A new Get Data function replaces the previous query creation method in Power Query. It allows users to describe the data they need, its source, and the desired structure. This feature will be available in mid-October on the web version of Excel.
Alongside the import updates, a new Clean Data tool is designed to automatically identify quality issues, such as duplicate records, inconsistent formatting, and incorrect data types. For example, the system can detect variations like "USA", "US", and "United States" within the same column and recommend standardizing them. The rollout for this tool begins in October.
This article was written by AI from reporting by videocardz.com.
