Module 3: Copilot in your Microsoft 365 work
Excel: ask, then check the cells
Allow 4 minutes. Work in a separate practice workbook. Never experiment on a live finance file.
Prepare a small table
Save a standard .xlsx workbook in OneDrive or SharePoint. Use clear column headings. AutoSave can be on or off in supported cloud workbooks; it is not an absolute requirement now.
Enter this invented Hamilton office activity data. The figures are counts, not money.
| Month | Enquiries | Completed jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | 20 | 12 |
| Month 2 | 25 | 15 |
| Month 3 | 30 | 18 |
Select Copilot in the lower-right corner of Excel. Current Windows, Mac and web experiences have edit, chat and plan modes. Choose Chat only for this question, so the response stays in the pane. Edit mode can change the workbook directly.
Ask a precise question
Using only this table, compare Month 1 and Month 3 enquiries.
Show the values and the difference.
Do not forecast future demand or edit the workbook.Try it: 2 minutes
Check the answer yourself: 30 minus 20 is 10 more enquiries. If you ask for percentage change, the increase is 50% of Month 1's 20. A higher count does not prove why demand changed.
Check each figure against the correct column. Compare the chart's range with the source table.
Chat route: paste the invented table into an approved Copilot Chat session. Ask the same question and check the arithmetic yourself. This route does not test an Excel integration.
Done when: you can point to the two source cells and verify the difference.