How to Use Copilot Across Excel and PowerPoint

Tia Kilby

M365 and Copilot trainer

Use Copilot to make sense of data and turn verified insights into decision-ready presentations. Learn how to challenge its interpretation, trace important figures and communicate the “so what” clearly.

Data Science and AI

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How to Use Copilot Across Excel and PowerPoint

6 mins 39 secs

Key learning objectives:

Use Copilot to identify trends, patterns and outliers in structured data
Learn how to use copilot effectively with excel and powerpoint
Challenge and verify Copilot's interpretation before relying on important figures or conclusions
Turn verified analysis into clear, decision-ready communication

Overview:

Copilot can dramatically reduce the time spent finding patterns in spreadsheets and turning analysis into communication. But data is an area where interpretation must never be confused with fact. Copilot may identify trends or relationships that are useful, while also making assumptions about what the data means.

The safest approach is to interrogate the interpretation, trace important figures back to the underlying data, and distinguish verified insight from inference. Once the analysis is trusted, Copilot can help turn it into a clear message built around the headline, drivers, risks and next steps—so decision-makers understand not just what the numbers say, but why they matter.

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Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Summary

How can Copilot help make a spreadsheet easier to understand?
It can summarise trends, identify notable changes and highlight potential outliers or patterns. This can reduce the time spent manually searching through large amounts of structured information.

If Copilot identifies a pattern, should you automatically accept its explanation?
No. Copilot is interpreting the information rather than simply reproducing it. It may infer relationships or meanings that need to be tested against the underlying data and your own understanding of the context.

What questions can reveal assumptions or uncertainty?
Ask what Copilot is assuming, what it is uncertain about, what it would verify and which conclusions it has the most or least confidence in. These questions help expose where an apparently clear answer depends on interpretation.

What should happen before a number is used in an important context?
Trace the figure back to the underlying cells or trusted source. Important outputs should not be accepted simply because Copilot generated them; the original data remains the source of truth.

What makes data communication decision-ready?
The aim is not to present a wall of numbers. A useful presentation should make the headline clear, explain the key drivers, identify relevant risks and show the next steps, with the “so what?” made obvious to the audience.

When is data analysis ready to communicate?
Only after the important figures and conclusions have been verified. Copilot can help structure and communicate the insight, but the person presenting or using the information remains responsible for its accuracy and implications.

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Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Tia Kilby

Tia Kilby is a Microsoft 365 and Copilot expert with extensive experience helping organisations and professionals understand how AI can transform everyday ways of working. She specialises in practical applications of Microsoft Copilot, showing users how to work more efficiently, automate routine tasks, and get greater value from the tools they already use. With a strong focus on real-world use cases, Tia brings complex AI concepts to life through clear, practical guidance and demonstrations. Her expertise spans Copilot across Microsoft 365, including applications such as Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Teams, with a particular emphasis on helping users build the skills and confidence to use AI effectively in their day-to-day work.

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