Microsoft is continuing its push to bring generative AI (genAI) into Excel, with new Microsoft 365 Copilot skills designed to automate common processes and a “plan” mode to provide more control over Copilot’s outputs when handling financial data.
Microsoft made Microsoft 365 Copilot generally available in Excel in late 2024 and since then has added several capabilities, including agentic tools, a Copilot function within Excel, and Python support for advanced data analysis.
On Thursday, Microsoft unveiled a skills feature that lets users define processes Copilot can perform in Excel — such as building a discounted cash flow, Microsoft suggested, preparing a variance analysis, or refreshing a monthly reporting model.
“Instead of starting from scratch each time, a skill guides Copilot through the steps, applying the right structure and formatting, and helping produce an output that is easier to review, reuse, and trust,” Brian Jones, vice president for Excel at Microsoft, said in a blog post.
Users can access a library of pre-built finance skills or create their own custom skills and save them as a SKILL.md in OneDrive, where the Copilot assistant can access them. Microsoft’s partners are also building their own skills, including finance software vendors such as LSEG, Ramp and Velixo — these are “coming soon,” Microsoft said. Custom skills are available today via the Insider channel and generally available next month.
