Generate formulas with Copilot in Excel

Not sure how to write a formula for a new column or row? Microsoft 365 Copilot can help!

With the formula generation capabilities in Copilot, you can effortlessly create new columns or rows in your table that perform calculations based on existing data. For instance, you might want to generate a column that calculates the total cost per product or a row that sums up the total sales for each quarter. This functionality eliminates the need to manually enter calculations for each row or column, streamlining your workflow and ensuring accuracy.

Try it

Open Excel in Microsoft 365.
Open a workbook stored on OneDrive or SharePoint.

Note: Your data needs to be in a supported format. See Format data for Copilot in Excel for additional information.
From the Home tab, select the Copilot button on the ribbon.
Select Suggest a formula column or Show suggestions for formula columns from the Copilot chat panel on the right-hand side. You can also describe what columns or rows you'd like to add by typing it in your own words.
Copilot provides formula suggestions with an explanation on how each formula works. View the explanation by selecting Show explanation.
Select Insert column to add the formula column to your table.

Note: As with any AI-generated content, it's important to review, edit, and verify anything Copilot creates for you. 

Discover more possibilities

Use these prompts as a starting point. Copy and modify them to suit your needs.

Calculate total cost per product in a new column.
Add a column that calculates the total profit for each marketing campaign in 2022.
Add a column that calculates the number of days after the product launch event.
Add a row that calculates the average revenue, ROI, and sales.
Add a row that sums up the total sales for each category.

Generate single-cell formulas with Copilot

Note: This feature is being gradually rolled out to all customers and may not be available to you yet. Please check back for updates as it will be available to everyone soon.

Copilot can also generate formulas for individual cells, making it easier than ever to perform precise calculations based on your data. Whether you need to calculate the percentage increase between two cells or extract specific text, Copilot streamlines the process by eliminating the need to manually enter calculations for each cell.

Try it

Open Excel in Microsoft 365.
Open a workbook stored on OneDrive or SharePoint.

Note: Your data needs to be in a supported format. See Format data for Copilot in Excel for additional information.
From the Home tab, select the Copilot button on the ribbon.
Select Suggest a formula or Show suggestions for formulas from the Copilot chat panel on the right-hand side. You can also describe what formula you'd like to add by typing it in your own words.
Copilot provides formula suggestions with an explanation on how each formula works. View the explanation by selecting Show explanation.
Select Insert formula to add the formula to your cell.