Build a complete dashboard from one prompt with Edit with Copilot

Step 1: Clean the source data firstExcel

Edit with Copilot (Microsoft renamed it from "Agent Mode" in March 2026) works from whatever data it's given — fix inconsistent headers, blank cells and mixed data types first, and convert the range to an Excel Table (Ctrl+T) before prompting.

A proper Table gives Edit with Copilot clear column boundaries and named fields to build PivotTables and charts from, instead of it having to guess where your data actually starts and ends.

Step 2: Describe the dashboard you want in one promptExcel

Be specific about the metrics and breakdowns you need — Edit with Copilot plans the structure, builds the PivotTables and charts, checks its own output, and iterates without you babysitting each step.

Prompt idea:

Build a sales dashboard on a new tab with: a chart of revenue by month, a PivotTable of revenue by region and product line, and a KPI summary of total revenue, average deal size, and top 3 customers. Format it to be presentation-ready.

Step 3: Review what it built before presenting itExcel

Check that every chart and pivot is actually pulling from the right source range — Edit with Copilot can misjudge which columns matter without explicit guidance.

Step 4: Ask for one iterationExcel

If a chart type or layout isn't quite right, ask Copilot to adjust it rather than rebuilding manually — that's the point of the iterative agent loop.

Check the work

• Click into each PivotTable and chart to confirm the source range is correct.
• Recompute one KPI by hand and compare it to what the dashboard shows.
• Check the dashboard still works if you refresh the underlying data — not just as a static snapshot.

Source: Chris Menard, "Excel Copilot Agent Mode: Build Dashboards and Apply Formatting Hands-Free" (2026)