20 AI Prompts for Excel (Copy-and-Paste for ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude)
If you want to get more out of Excel with less manual work, the right AI prompts for Excel are the fastest way to start. A good prompt can clean a messy sheet, explain a formula you inherited, or build a summary in seconds.
Below are 20 copy-and-paste prompts, grouped by task. Replace every [bracket] with your own details.
Want a head start? Get 500 ChatGPT Prompts for Excel free: Download the free prompt pack.
What Are AI Prompts for Excel?
AI prompts for Excel are plain-English instructions you give an AI assistant inside or alongside your workbook. The assistant reads your data and writes formulas, cleans columns, builds charts or explains results. Three tools support this today:
- Copilot in Excel: built into Excel with Microsoft 365 Copilot, Premium and Personal plans.
- Claude in Excel: an add-in for paid Claude plans (Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise).
- ChatGPT for Excel: an add-in available on ChatGPT plans, including Free.
How to Write a Perfect Excel Prompt
Weak prompts get weak answers. Include these six parts every time:
- Context: what the data is about
- Range: where the data lives (sheet and cells)
- Goal: what you need
- Rules: what must not change
- Output: where the results should appear
- Check: how you’ll verify the result
Compare these two:
- Weak: “Analyze this.”
- Strong: “Analyze Sheet1 A1:F500, find the top 3 decline drivers, and show the calculations.”
20 AI Prompts for Excel
Clean and Fix Your Data
1. Clean messy data
Clean [Sheet/Range]: trim extra spaces, standardize capitalization, and flag blank cells. Put the cleaned data in a new sheet and don’t delete any rows.
2. Fix formula errors
Find every #N/A, #REF!, #VALUE! and #DIV/0! in [Sheet]. Explain the cause of each and suggest a fix, but ask me before changing any cell.
3. Remove duplicates safely
Find duplicate records in [Range] based on [key columns]. Copy them to a new sheet for review instead of deleting them, and tell me the count.
4. Split and combine text
Split [column] into first name, last name and email domain. Then create a new column combining [fields] into [format]. Flag any rows that don’t fit the pattern.
5. Dropdowns and validation
Add dropdown lists to [column] using [options]. Block invalid entries in [range] and add a helpful input message.
Write and Understand Formulas
6. Write a formula
My data is in [Sheet], columns [A-D] holding [what each contains]. Write a formula that [goal]. Explain it in two sentences and show one sample input with the expected output.
7. Explain a formula
Explain this formula step by step in plain English: [formula]. Tell me what each part returns and where it could break.
8. Look up across sheets
Use XLOOKUP to pull [field] from [source sheet] into [target sheet], matching on [key column]. Show “Not found” for missing matches and flag duplicate keys.
9. Reconcile two lists
Compare [List A] and [List B] using [key]. Show matches, items missing from each list, and differences. Put the results in separate sheets.
Analyze and Report
10. PivotTable summary
Create a PivotTable from [Range] that sums [metric] by [category] and [month]. Sort by highest value and add a grand total.
11. Create a chart
Pick the best chart for showing [what you want to show] from [Range] and explain why you chose it. Add a title, axis labels and data labels.
12. Find trends and outliers
Analyze [Range] and identify the top 5 trends, unusual values and possible reasons. Separate facts from assumptions, and don’t guess beyond the data.
13. Highlight what matters
Apply conditional formatting to [Range]: green for values above [target], red for below, yellow for blanks. Explain each rule.
14. Summarize for leadership
Summarize [Sheet] for [audience] in 5 bullet points: the biggest changes, what drove them, and one recommended next step. Use only numbers from the workbook.
Model and Plan
15. Build a budget
Create a monthly budget for [person/team/business] with income, fixed and variable costs, and savings. Add formulas for totals and monthly and yearly summaries.
16. Forecast the future
Using the historical data in [Range], forecast [metric] for the next [number] months. Explain the method and assumptions, and show best, base and worst cases.
17. Run scenarios
Create a scenario analysis for [model]. Show how [output] changes when [input 1] and [input 2] increase or decrease by [percentages]. Put the inputs in clearly labeled cells.
18. Build a dashboard
Build a dashboard from [data] showing [KPI 1], [KPI 2] and [KPI 3], a trend chart and a top 10 table. Keep it clean and easy to update.
Audit and Automate
19. Audit a workbook
Review this workbook for hard-coded numbers in formulas, broken links, inconsistent formulas, hidden sheets and calculation errors. Rank the issues by risk and suggest fixes.
20. Automate a repeated task
I repeat these steps every [day/week]: [steps]. Suggest the best way to automate them using formulas, Power Query, macros or Office Scripts. Explain the risks before I run anything.
Free download: 500 ChatGPT Prompts for Excel. These 20 prompts cover the basics. The free pack adds hundreds more for formulas, data cleaning, dashboards and automation. Get it free on Gumroad.
ChatGPT Prompts for Excel
All 20 prompts above work as ChatGPT prompts for Excel. With the ChatGPT for Excel add-in, you can run them against your open workbook. If you work from the ChatGPT chat window instead, paste a sample of your data (a few rows with headers) into the prompt, so it can write formulas that match your columns.
Prompts 6, 7 and 8 (write, explain and look up formulas) are a good starting point if you’re new to AI in Excel.
Copilot Prompts for Excel
The same prompts also work as Copilot prompts for Excel. Copilot is built into Excel for Microsoft 365 Copilot, Premium and Personal plans, so it works directly on the sheet you have open. Prompts 10 to 14 (PivotTables, charts, trends, formatting and summaries) suit this setup well. Name the exact sheet and range in your prompt so Copilot knows where to look.
Best Practices for Using AI in Excel
- Use clear table headers so the AI can read your columns.
- Specify the exact sheet and range.
- Work on a copy of your file.
- Ask the AI to explain before editing.
- Check formulas on a few sample rows.
- Never let the AI invent numbers.
Keep Humans in Control
AI is fast, but you stay responsible for every number you share. Review AI output before using it for:
- Payroll
- Taxes
- Forecasts
- Financial reports
- Business decisions
- Client deliverables
Use AI to understand your data and catch errors earlier. Then make the final call yourself.
Practice Challenge
Download any sheet with messy data (or use our Excel Sample Data Generator). Run prompt 1 to clean it, prompt 3 to find duplicates, and prompt 10 to build a pivot summary. Then compare the AI’s result with a manual check on five rows.
FAQ
Can AI write Excel formulas for me?
Yes. Describe your columns and goal (prompt 6), and ask for a sample input and output so you can verify it.
Which is better for Excel: ChatGPT, Copilot or Claude?
All three accept the same prompts. Choose based on which plan and add-in you already have.
Is it safe to use AI with sensitive spreadsheets?
Work on a copy, and review every output before using it for payroll, taxes or financial reports.