Free resource · Word + Excel kit
Copilot Excel Kit: Analyze, calculate, and ensure the reliability of your workbooks
Copilot writes formulas, builds pivot tables, and analyzes your data in Python. This kit gives teams working in Excel the method to obtain accurate results: prepare the workbook, write precise instructions, and check before distribution, with 18 use cases per industry.
The Copilot Excel kit, in brief
- What it is
- A kit for using Copilot in Excel with a method: prerequisites and troubleshooting, data preparation, method of setting and control, use cases by business, analyses in Python, reliability rules and team deployment.
- For who
- Excel users who have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, particularly in finance, management control, HR, sales, purchasing, marketing and operations, their managers and AI experts.
- Format
- 12-page Word document in 8 chapters and Excel workbook with 7 tools (workbook diagnostics, instruction generator, 18 cases per profession, control register, troubleshooting, time saved, 30-day plan).
- What it contains
- What Copilot does in Excel in 2026; prerequisites and procedure when the button does not appear; the Copilot-ready workbook checklist; the four-step method; 18 cases per business; Python and advanced analytics; reliability and governance; the 30-day team plan.
- What is it based on?
- Microsoft documentation consulted on October 31, 2026 and our tests of Copilot in Excel for the web on a table of 180 sales.
- Price
- Free, in exchange for a professional email address. No unsolicited emails.
- Update
- Edition October 2026, information verified on October 31, 2026.
- What it doesn't replace
- Neither your organization's internal control procedures nor your DPO's opinion on personal data.
- Go Further
- 50 Copilot M365 prompts, AI finance kit, Deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot kit, Microsoft 365 Copilot training for businesses.
Excel is the Microsoft 365 application where Copilot saves the most time for teams working with numbers, and also the one where an error is the most costly. Copilot doesn't replace understanding data; it replaces finding the right formula, building a pivot table, or formatting an analysis.
The quality of a response depends first on the structure of the workbook, then on the clarity of the instructions, and finally on the checks performed before distribution. This kit addresses these three points, along with the tools to implement them as a team.
1. What Copilot will do in Excel in 2026
With the "Allow editing" option, Copilot works directly within the workbook. Microsoft calls this feature "Edit with Copilot," formerly known as Agent mode. Each change still needs to be confirmed with "Done" or canceled.
| What Copilot can do | What he produces |
|---|---|
| Add a calculated column | A real Excel formula, visible and editable |
| Answering a question about data | An answer in the panel, without modification |
| Create a pivot table and a chart | A classic pivot table, on a new sheet |
| Highlight lines | A conditional formatting rule |
| Clean up and explain an inherited binder | Corrections to be validated, an explanation |
| Analyze in Python | Readable code executed in Excel |
In our test on a table of 180 sales, the four required results (calculated column, numerical question, cross-tabulation, highlighting) were correct, verified one by one. This is not a guarantee: it is an argument in favor of the verification method.
2. Prerequisites and missing button
- Bachelor Degrees Microsoft 365 Copilot license ("Copilot Premium"): €26,00 excluding VAT per user per month, list price with annual commitment. Since April 15, 2026, in organizations with more than 2,000 users, Excel no longer offers Copilot to unlicensed accounts.
- Storage A workbook on OneDrive or SharePoint with automatic saving is the most reliable configuration. Excel for Windows and Mac can also query local workbooks (since 2026).
- Version : Current channel or monthly Enterprise channel; no Copilot on the semi-annual Enterprise channel.
When the button does not appear, the kit provides a six-step procedure, included in the "Troubleshooting" tab of the binder, which identifies the first blocking point and the person who needs to act.
3. Prepare the binder
A clean table gives reliable results with simple prompts; a messy table produces silent errors even with a well-designed prompt. The points that matter most:
- A single row of headers, with explicit and unique column names.
- One line per record, with no empty lines, no merged cells or inserted subtotals.
- Only one data type per column, dates in date format, consistent units and percentages.
- The data was put into tabular form, and unnecessary sensitive data was removed.
The "Workbook Diagnostic" tab transforms the complete checklist into a score out of 12: below 10, clean up before requesting an analysis.
4. The four-step method
| Temps | What we do |
|---|---|
| 1. Describe | Specify what you want, including the exact column names, format, and result location. |
| 2. Read | Read the formula or summary displayed in the panel before validating. |
| 3. Check | Recalculate one or two lines manually, verify a total by another means |
| 4. Confirm | Click Done, or Cancel and specify the instructions |
The "Instruction Generator" tab assembles a precise instruction from five fields, and the "Results Control" log objectively assesses reliability in your context during the first few weeks.
5. 18 use cases per profession
The kit offers 18 scenarios with instructions to adapt and checkpoints. Three examples:
| job | Usage | Checkpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | Budget vs. actual variance, highlighting variances of more than 10% | Check the sign of the gap across two lines |
| Sales | ABC ranking of customers by cumulative revenue | Read the cumulative formula before validating. |
| HR | Age pyramid by site | Working on a pseudonymized extraction |
6. Reliability and Governance
- All data disseminated is controlled, regardless of the level of trust in the tool.
- A figure that informs a financial decision is verified by a second person, as before Copilot.
- Critical files (payroll, consolidation, regulatory reporting) are subject to a specific rule.
- An analysis in Python is reviewed by someone who knows how to read code before it informs an important decision.
7. What the kit contains
The Word document has 12 pages in 8 chapters: what Copilot does in Excel in 2026; prerequisites and troubleshooting; preparing your data; the four-step method; 18 use cases by business; Python and advanced analytics; reliability, security and governance; installing usage in a team; the sources.
The Excel workbook "Copilot Excel Kit Tools" contains seven tools: workbook diagnostics with scoring; instruction generator; 18 filterable cases per profession; results control register with first-time correct results rate; troubleshooting procedure that identifies the blocking point; time saved measurement; 30-day team plan.
Download the Copilot Excel kit (Word and Excel, free)
12 pages in 8 chapters and a workbook with 7 tools. Written by NextStart.AI based on official Microsoft documentation and our tests of Copilot in Excel.
- The Copilot Ready Binder Checklist
- The four-step method and the instruction generator
- 18 use cases per profession with their control point
- The procedure when the Copilot button does not appear
8. Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to use Copilot in Excel?
Yes, the Copilot feature in Excel requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, often referred to as "Copilot Premium." Since April 15, 2026, in organizations with more than 2,000 users, Excel no longer offers it to unlicensed accounts. Copilot Chat can, however, analyze Excel files that are uploaded to it.
Can Copilot make a mistake in a calculation?
Yes, especially if the instructions are ambiguous or the data is poorly structured. Copilot displays the formula used: read it and check a line manually before relying on the result. The kit offers a four-step verification method.
How to prepare a binder for Copilot?
A single row of clear headers, one row per record, no merged cells, no interleaved subtotals, dates in date format, and consistent units. Ideally, the data should be presented in a table.
Does Copilot work with a file saved on my computer?
Since 2026, Excel for Windows and Mac has allowed querying local workbooks. The most reliable scenario remains a workbook on OneDrive or SharePoint with automatic saving, which also provides access to version history.
Can Copilot perform advanced analyses in Excel?
Yes. Copilot can write and execute Python code within the workbook for forecasting, segmentation, or statistical analysis, and the Analyst agent performs multi-stage analyses. These results must be reviewed by someone with code reading skills before any significant decision is made.
Why don't I have the Copilot button?
Look for the Copilot icon in the bottom right corner of the window. If not, check in File, then Account, that you are logged in with the work account that holds the license, click Update License, and restart. The six-month Enterprise Channel does not include Copilot: the IT department can upgrade the workstation to the monthly channel. In the meantime, the web version remains a backup solution.
Is the kit free?
Yes. The Word document and Excel workbook are free, in exchange for a professional email address which will only be used to send you the download link. No unsolicited emails.
9. Going further
For prompts in other applications, the 50 Copilot M365 prompts ; for accounting professions, the AI finance kitThe other Copilot kits cover Word and PowerPoint et Teams and OutlookTo deploy the licenses, the Deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot kitDuring training, the Microsoft 365 Copilot training for businesses Have Copilot practiced on your own workbooks.
Read also : Copilot in Excel: the step-by-step guide et Copilot Chat or Microsoft 365 Copilot: what are the differences in 2026?
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10. Sources
The information cited on this page and in the kit is based on the following sources, verified on October 31, 2026.
- Microsoft Support, Copilot in Excel with Python.
- Microsoft Tech Community, Agent Mode in Excel now works with your local files.
- Microsoft Learn, Microsoft Copilot requirements.
- Microsoft, Microsoft 365 Copilot for businesses, pricing.