Analysing Sales Data with Copilot

How to analyse sales data with Microsoft Copilot

Sales data is a critical component of any business, providing insights into performance, customer behaviour, and market trends. Analysing this data effectively can lead to better decision-making and strategic planning.

Microsoft Copilot, an AI-powered assistant, is designed for a plethora of uses within your organisation. But one way businesses are gaining a competitive edge is to utilise the tool within Microsoft Excel to analyse sales data efficiently.

How does Copilot in Excel save time?

In it’s current form, Copilot is unlikely to save time for ‘Excel Power Users’. However, as we know these people are few and far between, so being able to carry out X lookups, conditional formatting, and percentage change analytics for the average Excel user is a huge timesaver. In the real world, this won’t only save the user time, but it will save the business ‘Excel Guru’ time as they will no longer be the go-to person for all Excel related queries.

How Can Copilot Help Analyse Sales Data?

Copilot simplifies the analysis of sales data by automating complex tasks and providing intuitive insights. For instance, as you’ll see in the video, it can insert a column after the Q2 total showing the percentage change from Q1, Q2, helping to track performance over time. It can also perform X lookups, a task that can be challenging for those not well-versed in Excel, ensuring accurate data matching without the usual frustration.

Can Copilot Forecast Sales in Excel?

Yes, Copilot can forecast sales in Excel. It utilises historical data to predict future sales, expenses, or any other metric crucial to your business. This feature allows executives to plan ahead with greater confidence, backed by data-driven forecasts.

Is the full Copilot available for Excel?

Copilot is currently available for Excel in a preview mode. This means that while it’s not the final version, it’s functional and continuously being improved with new features. Users can already benefit from its data analysis and visualisation capabilities, such as generating formula column suggestions and creating insightful charts and PivotTables.

When Will the Full Version of Copilot Be Available for Excel?

The full version of Copilot for Excel is expected to be launched to the public in September 2024. Although it’s currently in preview, users can already experience a glimpse of its full potential and how it can transform the analysis of sales data.

Looking for more answers to your Copilot questions? Read our Copilot FAQ article.

Get Copilot-Ready

Copilot’s powerful feature set makes it a great addition to any workforce. But setting up Copilot securely can feel daunting.

AAG’s comprehensive support helps you get the most out of Copilot. An initial consultation and readiness assessment ensures that the new services can be accessed securely, while customised training helps your team understand Copilot features and its applications in their workflows. We’ll even run regular updates based on your usage to keep your Copilot services optimised.

Contact us today to get your Copilot readiness assessment.