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
Create a safe working copy. Save a copy of the workbook before applying AI-suggested changes. Keep the original file available for comparison.
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.
Name the table in Excel for Windows. When creating the table, assign a descriptive name such as
tblVentas,tblInventarioortblClientes. Avoid spaces and names that look like cell references.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.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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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