Excel canvas will automatically turn your spreadsheets into reports with AI
On October 2, Microsoft told Microsoft 365 administrators that Excel canvas is on its way, a new capability of Copilot, its AI assistant, in Excel. It turns workbook data into a report with visualizations, metrics and insights.
The report refreshes automatically when the workbook data changes, and users can refine and customize it by asking Copilot in natural language, as in a chat.
The rollout begins in mid-October and Microsoft expects to complete it by the end of the month. It will reach Excel for Windows and Excel for the web, for users with access to Copilot in Excel, and administrators do not need to prepare anything.
We believe it can save a lot of time for many small businesses: it is common to build the same report by hand, every week or every month, from a spreadsheet. That said, it is worth checking the charts and figures Copilot picks before sharing the report.
