Excel October 2026 Update: Clean Data Skill

Excel’s October 2026 update focuses on preparing data, automating repeatable work and turning workbook data into clearer reports. The most useful changes for small businesses are Copilot’s clean data, get data, skill builder and skill recorder capabilities, plus interactive canvas and easier table naming in Excel for Windows.[1]

What changed

Microsoft now offers clean data skill in Excel for Windows, Mac and web. It checks for problems that can damage formulas, lookups, PivotTables, reports and AI-generated insights. It can identify extra spaces, inconsistent text and number formats, inconsistent dates, duplicate values and incorrect data types. Copilot explains each issue, proposes corrections and lets you choose which changes to apply. Use @clean-data in the Copilot prompt or select the skill from the Skills menu. The feature is rolling out to general availability on all platforms.[1]

Skill builder also works across Excel for Windows, Mac and web. You can give Copilot your preferred workflow, instructions, previous prompts or completed examples. Copilot turns that material into a reusable skill for recurring tasks. The feature is rolling out to general availability.[1]

Skill recorder is designed for processes that are easier to demonstrate than explain. You perform a recurring task while Copilot follows your steps and converts them into a reusable skill. It is available to Insiders on Excel for Windows and Mac, and generally available on Excel for the web.[1]

Get data skill is available in Excel for the web. Describe the data you need, where it should come from and how it should be prepared. Copilot can connect and transform the source through Power Query, then load the result into the workbook. Power Query is Excel’s tool for importing, reshaping and refreshing data. The resulting query remains available for inspection, editing and refresh. Some data sources require authentication.[1]

Interactive canvas is available to Excel for Windows Insiders. It can turn workbook data into executive reviews, project updates, status reports and other interactive experiences. Because it stays connected to the workbook, the report updates as the data changes. Microsoft says the feature is coming soon to the web.[1]

Excel for Windows users can now name tables at creation. This small change improves workbook organization because formulas, Power Query steps and reports can refer to a meaningful table name instead of a default name.[1]

Microsoft also announced more model choices in Microsoft Copilot, including GPT-6.1 Sol from OpenAI and Claude Sonnet 5.5 from Anthropic. The October announcement presents these as options for how users delegate work to Copilot.[1]

For the complete announcement, read Microsoft’s October 2026 Excel update.

Why it matters for your business

Bad data is often the hidden reason a sales report, inventory sheet or cash-flow summary produces the wrong answer. A product code with an extra space may fail in a lookup. A date stored as text may disappear from a monthly PivotTable. A number imported as text may not add correctly. Clean data skill addresses these issues before they spread through formulas and reports.

This is especially useful when several people enter information. One person may type CDMX, another Ciudad de México and another Mexico City. Someone may enter a date as 12/10/2026, while another uses a different regional format. Copilot can surface these inconsistencies for review instead of leaving the operator to find them manually.

Get data skill can reduce the time spent copying information from supplier files, exports and other systems. The important benefit is not only the first import. Power Query creates a repeatable query that can be inspected and refreshed. That makes a weekly inventory or sales process more consistent.

Skill builder and skill recorder help capture the way an experienced operator already works. For example, a finance manager may clean a sales export, add a margin column, refresh a PivotTable and prepare a management report every Friday. Turning that process into a reusable skill can reduce variation between employees and make the workflow easier to hand over, especially when the written procedure also lives in a training platform such as Trainual.

Interactive canvas is most useful when the workbook already contains reliable data and the business needs a clearer management view. It can help turn operational tables into a status report for a store manager, sales director or owner. It does not remove the need to check the source data.

How to use it

1. Create a safe working copy. Save a copy of the workbook before applying AI-suggested changes. Keep the original file available for comparison.

2. Organize the source data. Put each dataset in a clear Excel table. Keep one row per transaction or item, use one header row and avoid merged cells inside the data area.

3. Name the table in Excel for Windows. When creating the table, assign a descriptive name such as tblVentas, tblInventario or tblClientes. Avoid spaces and names that look like cell references.

4. Run the clean data check. Open Copilot, enter @clean-data, select the relevant data and review the findings. Check extra spaces, duplicate values, inconsistent dates, text and number formats, and incorrect data types.

5. Apply corrections selectively. Do not accept every proposal automatically. Confirm that duplicate customers are truly duplicates and that different date formats represent the same business meaning.

6. Test formulas and lookups. Recalculate important formulas and inspect lookup results after cleaning. Test a few known records, including one at the beginning, one in the middle and one at the end of the table.

7. Use get data on Excel for the web. Describe the source and the required structure, such as: “Bring in this month’s supplier inventory, keep product code, description, quantity and cost, remove blank rows, and load the result into a table.” Authenticate only through the expected business connection.

8. Inspect the Power Query result. Check the applied steps, column names and data types. Refresh the query with a second file to confirm that it works beyond the first import.

9. Record a recurring process. If skill recorder is available in your Excel version, demonstrate the workflow from start to finish. Include the correct source file, cleanup steps, calculations and report output.

10. Build a reusable instruction. With skill builder, describe the business rules in plain language. Include naming conventions, required checks, exceptions and the definition of a completed report.

11. Create the management view last. Use interactive canvas only after validating the underlying workbook. Ask for a report that highlights sales, inventory risks, overdue collections or another specific decision area.

12. Document availability. Record which users work on Excel for Windows, Mac or web, and whether they use an Insiders build. A feature visible to one employee may not yet be available to another.

Implementation angle

A practical implementation can connect a supplier or sales export to a controlled Excel table, use Power Query for repeatable preparation and apply a clean data check before refreshing reports. An automation partner could then move the stable process into Zoho Creator, trigger file handling and notifications through Make or n8n, and use Claude to review formulas and exceptions before a report reaches management. Creator Scripts can map the workbook’s table structure, prompts and approval steps into a reliable operating process. Book an AI implementation engagement with Creator Scripts at creatorscripts.com.

Frequently asked questions

How do I clean messy data in Excel with Copilot?

Open Copilot and enter @clean-data, or choose the clean data skill from the Skills menu. Review each suggested correction and apply only the changes that fit your records. Save a copy of the workbook first.

Can Excel Copilot import data from a supplier file?

In Excel for the web, describe the data source and the columns you need using the get data skill. Copilot can use Power Query to prepare and load the data into your workbook. Check the query steps and refresh it with another file to test the process.

Can I automate a weekly Excel report with Copilot?

Skill builder can turn instructions, prompts or examples into a reusable skill. Skill recorder can capture a process by following your steps, though availability depends on your Excel version and platform. Check the results before sharing a report.

Monthly Call Reminder in Excel with Conditional Formatting

A monthly call reminder should not rely only on the program exit date. It also needs a call log, so the cell stays red until someone records that the call was completed. This approach works well for teams managing hundreds of participants in Excel.

The problem

A participant may leave a program on January 1, 2026. The team needs to call that person each month, beginning February 1. The challenge is making the reminder repeat monthly without losing track of whether the current call already happened.

This came up in the r/excel community, where the proposed solutions included checking the day of the month and comparing the latest call date with the current month. The most reliable approach is to store the exit date separately from the call history and use conditional formatting to highlight participants whose current monthly call is due. See the original r/excel discussion about monthly cell reminders.

A rule based only on DAY(TODAY()) can highlight a row on the same day number each month, but it does not remember whether the call was completed. It can also behave unexpectedly when months have different lengths. A call log solves both problems.

The solution

Use three columns:

Column	Purpose	Example
A	Participant	Ana López
B	Program exit date	January 1, 2026
C	Last call date	February 3, 2026

For a simple workbook, enter the date of the most recent completed call in column C. Then apply a conditional formatting rule to the participant cells, or to the entire row.

The core rule is:

=AND($B2<>"",$B2<=EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1),OR($C2="", $C2<EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1)+1))

This formula checks four conditions:

• $B2<>"" confirms that an exit date exists.
• $B2<=EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1) confirms that the participant exited no later than the end of the previous month.
• $C2="" identifies a participant who has never received a recorded call.
• $C2<EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1)+1 identifies a last call date before the first day of the current month.

TODAY() returns the current date. EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1) returns the last day of the previous month. Adding 1 produces the first day of the current month.

The result is practical: once the current month begins, a participant turns red if there is no call date for the current month. After the operator records the call date, the red highlight disappears. It returns at the start of the next month.

If the business wants the first call to happen one month after the exit date, rather than immediately after the exit month ends, use a stricter due-date rule. For example, with an exit date in B2 and the last call date in C2:

=AND($B2<>"",$B2<=EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1),OR($C2="", $C2<EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1)+1))

This treats all participants who exited before the current month as eligible. If the exit date itself must be at least one full month old, use:

=AND($B2<>"",$B2<=EOMONTH(TODAY(),-2),OR($C2="", $C2<EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1)+1))

Choose one rule and test it against several real dates before applying it to all 500 participants.

How to apply it

1. Arrange the sheet so each participant has one row. Put the participant name in column A, the program exit date in column B, and the latest completed call date in column C.

2. Make sure the dates are real Excel dates, not text that only looks like a date. Select the date columns and use a consistent format such as dd/mm/yyyy or mm/dd/yyyy, depending on your team's standard.

3. Select the range to highlight. To color only participant names, select A2:A501. To color the entire record, select A2:C501.

4. Open Home, choose Conditional Formatting, then select New Rule.

5. Choose Use a formula to determine which cells to format.

6. Enter this rule, assuming row 2 is the first participant:

   =AND($B2<>"",$B2<=EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1),OR($C2="", $C2<EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1)+1))

7. Choose a red fill and a readable font color. Select OK.

8. Check the Applies to range. It should cover the complete participant list, such as $A$2:$A$501 or $A$2:$C$501.

9. Test the rule with sample dates. Put an old exit date in B2 and leave C2 blank. The participant should turn red. Enter a call date from the current month in C2. The red color should disappear.

10. Add a new call date after every completed call. Do not overwrite the exit date. The exit date explains when the participant left the program. The last call date controls the reminder.

11. Review the list at the start of each month. Participants who remain red are the people still needing a call.

The dollar signs matter. $B2 locks the exit-date column while allowing the row number to change. $C2 does the same for the call-date column. This lets one formatting rule evaluate every row correctly. Microsoft explains that conditional-formatting references should remain relative where Excel needs to adjust them across the selected range.

For stronger audit control, keep a separate call log with one row per call:

Participant ID	Call date	Result	Notes
P-1042	February 3, 2026	Completed	Reached participant

Then calculate the latest call date for each participant from that log. If the workbook supports it, use:

=MAXIFS(CallLog[Call date],CallLog[Participant ID],[@[Participant ID]])

MAXIFS returns the latest call date that matches the participant ID. If MAXIFS is unavailable in the organization's Excel version, a helper column or PivotTable can provide the same result. Keeping a separate log is more robust than manually replacing one date because it preserves the history of every contact.

Implementation angle

A practical automation would turn the call log into the single source of truth, calculate each participant's next due date, and sync a daily reminder list to email, Microsoft Teams, or a task system. A Zoho Creator app could capture calls from a phone-friendly form, while Make or n8n could update Excel and notify staff when a record remains overdue. Claude could help inspect the workbook structure, generate the conditional formatting rule, and test it against edge cases such as blank dates and different month lengths.

Book an AI implementation engagement with Creator Scripts at creatorscripts.com.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make an Excel cell turn red when a monthly call is due?

Use conditional formatting with a formula that checks the participant’s exit date and last call date. The cell turns red when the participant is due and there is no call recorded for the current month.

How do I stop the Excel reminder after I record a call?

Enter the completed call date in the last call date column. The red highlight clears when the formula sees a call date from the current month.

Can Excel keep a history of every participant call?

Yes. Create a separate call log with one row per call, including a participant ID, call date, and result. You can use that log to find each participant’s latest call date while keeping earlier call records.

Filter Multiple Tables in Excel with VSTACK and FILTER

This problem appears when songs, inventory items, or other records are split across several Excel tables. The most reliable fix is usually to combine the records into one structured table, then filter the rating column once. A formula-based approach works when the tables must remain separate.

The problem

A MacBook user asked how to filter data from different tables at the same time and show only songs with a specific rating, such as 10. This came up in the r/excel community, where the suggested solutions included redesigning the spreadsheet, combining tables with VSTACK, and using Power Query.

Excel's built-in filter controls work best when related records share one table. When songs are divided into separate blocks, each table has its own filter, so filtering one table does not automatically filter the others. Excel adds filter controls to the headers of a table, but those controls apply to that table's rows, not to every table on the worksheet. Microsoft Support documents this standard table and range filtering behavior.[7]

Before choosing a formula, check three things:

• Are these actual Excel tables, created with Insert > Table?
• Do all tables use the same column structure?
• Are all tables in the same workbook?

These details determine whether a simple consolidation formula will work or whether the workbook needs restructuring.

The solution

The strongest long-term solution is to create one master table. Use one row per song and one column for each field, such as Song, Artist, Album, Genre, Rating, and Source Table. Treat the former table names or section headings as values in a column, rather than as separate areas of the sheet.

For example:

Song	Artist	Genre	Rating	Collection
Song A	Artist A	Pop	10	Favorites
Song B	Artist B	Rock	8	Road trip
Song C	Artist C	Jazz	10	Favorites

This structure lets you use one filter on the Rating column. Select the filter arrow, clear the existing selections, and select 10. Excel will show every song with that rating in the master table.

It also improves sorting, reporting, PivotTables, charts, and later automation. A table with consistent columns is easier to connect to an inventory system, quoting process, or reporting workflow than several visually separate blocks.

If separate tables are necessary, use VSTACK to place their rows one below another, then use FILTER to return only the matching records. The general pattern is:

=FILTER(VSTACK(Table1,Table2,Table3),VSTACK(Table1[Rating],Table2[Rating],Table3[Rating])=10,"No songs found")

VSTACK combines the tables vertically. FILTER returns only rows that meet a condition. The first VSTACK supplies the full records. The second VSTACK supplies the Rating values used for the test. The number 10 is the required rating. The final text appears when no match exists.

This formula assumes the tables have compatible columns and that the rating column has the same meaning in each table. If the tables use different column headings or different column orders, fix the structure first. Power Query can combine and shape multiple sources, but it may require mapping columns when the headings do not match.

Power Query is also a suitable option for recurring consolidation. Microsoft describes it as Excel's Get & Transform technology for importing, combining, shaping, filtering, and loading data. Microsoft also documents Power Query support for Excel on Mac, although available features depend on the Excel version.[5][8]

How to apply it

1. Inspect each table. Confirm that every table has the same fields, such as Song, Artist, Album, and Rating. Check that ratings are stored as numbers, not text.

2. Choose the structure. Use one master table if the tables are simply separate sections of the same list. Keep separate tables only when each one represents a genuinely different dataset.

3. Create a master table. Copy the records into one range. Keep one header row at the top. Do not insert blank rows or merged cells inside the data.

4. Add a source column. If the original table names matter, add a Collection or Source column. Enter values such as Favorites, Road trip, or New releases for each row.

5. Convert the range to an Excel table. Select the data and choose Insert > Table. Confirm that the table has headers. Give it a clear name, such as Songs.

6. Filter the rating. Open the filter arrow in the Rating column. Clear all values, select 10, and apply the filter. Excel will display all rated songs with a 10.

7. Use VSTACK when the tables must stay separate. Replace Table1, Table2, and Table3 in the example with the real table names. Verify that the tables contain matching columns in the same order.

8. Test the formula. Add a known rating of 10 to each source table. Confirm that the result includes every matching row and that the columns remain aligned.

9. Use Power Query for repeatable imports. In Excel for Mac, open the Data tab and use the available Get Data or Power Query commands. Combine the sources, standardize the column headings, filter Rating to 10, and load the result into a new worksheet. Refresh the query when the source data changes.

10. Check for errors. Look for ratings stored as text, blank rows, duplicate records, mismatched headings, and tables with different column orders. These issues commonly produce incomplete or misaligned results.

The master-table approach is preferable for most small businesses. A single clean table makes it easier to filter orders by status, products by stock level, customers by region, or invoices by payment state. The workbook becomes a usable dataset instead of a collection of formatted sections.

Implementation angle

For a larger rated-songs workbook, an automation partner could consolidate each source table into a controlled master dataset, validate the Rating field, and publish filtered views for staff. Make or n8n could move new records from forms or cloud files into the central table, while Power Query could refresh recurring imports on the Mac. Claude could help generate and check the VSTACK and FILTER formulas, then test them against sample rows before the workbook reaches users.

Book an AI implementation engagement with Creator Scripts to turn fragile Excel filtering and consolidation into a reliable business workflow.

Frequently asked questions

Can I filter multiple Excel tables at the same time?

Excel’s built-in filter applies to one table at a time. For one combined result, put the records in a single master table or combine compatible tables with a formula or Power Query.

How do I combine Excel tables and show only rows with a rating of 10?

If the tables have the same columns in the same order, use VSTACK to combine their rows and FILTER to return rows where Rating equals 10. For example: =FILTER(VSTACK(Table1,Table2),VSTACK(Table1[Rating],Table2[Rating])=10,"No songs found").

What is the best way to manage several related lists in Excel?

For lists that contain the same kind of records, use one master table with a column that identifies each list or source. This gives you one place to filter and makes sorting and reporting easier.

Elapsed Time Formatting in Excel Format Cells

A weekly total that appears to reset after 24 hours is usually a time formatting issue, not a problem with the SUM formula. Excel stores time as decimal days, so a value of 1 equals 24 hours. The standard hh:mm format shows clock time and wraps back to zero after 24 hours. Use elapsed-time formatting instead.

The problem

This issue came up in the r/excel community discussion about fixing a 24-hour reset. It affects businesses that use an Excel working hours sheet to total employee shifts, weekly hours, overtime, or billable time.

The formula in the total cell is:

=SUM(J8,J13,J18,J23,J28)

This formula adds the five referenced cells. There is no obvious problem with it if those cells contain valid Excel time values.

The likely problem is the cell formatting. With hh:mm, Excel treats the result as a time of day. Once the total reaches 24 hours, the display starts again at zero. For example, 30 hours may appear as 06:00 because Excel displays only the time remaining after complete 24-hour periods.

The underlying value can still be correct. Excel represents time as a fraction of a day. A result of 1.25 means one day plus one-quarter of a day, which equals 30 hours. The display changes, but the stored calculation does not.

The solution

Change the total cell's custom format from hh:mm to [h]:mm.

The square brackets are the important part. They tell Excel to display elapsed hours instead of clock hours. A result of 30 hours will then appear as 30:00 rather than 06:00.

Microsoft's guidance uses [h]:mm for elapsed time that exceeds 24 hours. The h displays hours, the colon separates hours from minutes, and mm displays minutes. The brackets around h prevent the hours from wrapping after 24.

The formula can remain:

=SUM(J8,J13,J18,J23,J28)

SUM adds the values in the listed cells. The commas separate each cell reference. You could also use a range if the cells were next to each other, such as =SUM(J8:J28), but that would include every cell between J8 and J28. Keep the original formula if the gaps are intentional.

Use hh:mm when you want a time of day, such as 08:30 for a start time. Use [h]:mm when you want a duration, such as 37:45 for total weekly hours.

How to apply it

1. Select the cell that shows the weekly total.
2. Open Format Cells. In desktop Excel, right-click the cell and choose Format Cells, or press Ctrl+1 on Windows.
3. Select the Number tab.
4. Choose Custom.
5. In the Type box, enter [h]:mm without the spaces.
6. Select OK.
7. Confirm that the total now shows accumulated hours, such as 30:00 or 42:15.
8. Check the formula bar to verify that the cell still contains =SUM(J8,J13,J18,J23,J28).
9. Test the sheet with a known total. For example, add entries that equal 25 hours and confirm that the result displays 25:00, not 01:00.
10. Apply the same format to any other cells that show weekly, monthly, overtime, or billable-hour totals.

If the workbook is used in Excel for the web, the calculation can still add more than 24 hours, but custom number-format options may be limited depending on the version and editing experience. When the web version does not allow the format to be applied, open the workbook in desktop Excel, set the cell to [h]:mm, save it, and then reopen it online.

Do not change the source shift cells to [h]:mm automatically. A shift beginning at 08:00 should normally remain a clock time. Apply elapsed-time formatting to calculated durations and totals.

If shifts cross midnight, the calculation needs separate attention. For a start time in A2 and an end time in B2, a basic duration formula is:

=B2-A2

This subtracts the start time from the end time. For an overnight shift where the end time is recorded as an earlier clock time, use:

=MOD(B2-A2,1)

MOD returns the remainder after division. Here, it converts a negative-looking overnight difference into the correct fraction of a day. Format the result as [h]:mm.

For payroll or compliance reporting, consider storing the date alongside each shift. A time-only sheet can become ambiguous when an employee works across midnight or when managers review several weeks together.

Implementation angle

For a small business, this fix is a useful first step toward a more reliable hours process. An automation partner could replace scattered references such as J8, J13, J18, J23, and J28 with a structured table containing employee, date, start time, end time, break, and approved hours. Make or n8n could then send approved totals to payroll, invoicing, or a weekly management report, while Zoho Creator could provide controlled data entry instead of an easily damaged spreadsheet.

Creator Scripts can build and check the Excel formulas, validate overnight shifts, and connect the approved hours workflow to the systems your business already uses. Book an AI implementation engagement with Creator Scripts at creatorscripts.com.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my total hours in Excel reset after 24 hours?

This happens because of the time formatting in Excel. If your total is formatted as hh:mm, it resets after reaching 24 hours, displaying only the time remaining instead of the total hours worked.

How do I change the time format to show hours over 24?

To display hours beyond 24, change the cell format to [h]:mm. This format allows Excel to show accumulated hours correctly without resetting after 24 hours.

Can I use the same formula for an overnight shift in Excel?

Yes, you can use a formula to calculate overnight shifts. Use =MOD(B2-A2,1) to handle the end time that occurs past midnight, then format the cell as [h]:mm to display the correct duration.