M365 Copilot and Copilot Chat for Excel

M365 Copilot for Excel simplifies data analysis for both power and casual users, potentially increasing data-driven decision making across organizations. Its teaching features opens Excel analytics to all users, and the upgrade to use Copilot Chat in Excel (Sept. 2025) makes many of these benefits available to all M365 subscribers without an M365 Copilot license.

Copilot Chat

Copilot Chat (unlicensed) in a side pane lets users analyze data, ask questions, identify inconsistencies, and generate Python code with natural language. Supplemental files can be attached for context and accuracy. However, since Copilot Chat does not modify the workbook directly, users must select “Copy” or manually modify the data. It can use only Web content for grounding, and users require PAYG billing to access agents. Copilot Chat also enables sharing conversations across the Office and M365 Copilot apps for collaboration, but some previous features may no longer be available.

M365 Copilot

M365 Copilot licensed users receive additional capabilities. Copilot Chat, with an M365 Copilot license, leverages both Web and work content and provides access to agents, including the Analyst Agent, without PAYG. In the application pane, users have an in-app Copilot context menu in the active cell for data analysis, including formulas, formatting, pivot tables, charts, and deep analysis using Python. (Python knowledge is optional but helpful for checking results.) It also provides features for learning data analysis and Excel.