Copilot in Excel will not work with your table: file, format and AutoSave

Symptoms

• Copilot says it cannot work with this data
• The button is inactive in the open file
• Formulas from Copilot return an error

Causes and fixes

1. The file is on a local drive, while Copilot works only with files in OneDrive or SharePoint with AutoSave on

What to do: Save the file to OneDrive and turn on AutoSave in the top left corner

2. The data is not formatted as a table with headers

What to do: Select the range and press Ctrl+T, with headers in the first row and no merged cells

3. The table exceeds Copilot's row limit

What to do: Work with an extract for a period or with a pivot table

4. Your locale uses a different argument separator in formulas

What to do: Ask Copilot for a formula for your locale or replace commas with semicolons

5. There is no Copilot license on this account

What to do: Check the account under File, Account, and the license with your admin

Common problems and fixes

• Microsoft 365 Copilot not working: why the button is missing in Word and what to do
• Copilot limits: why free Copilot refuses and what a license gives you

About Microsoft 365 Copilot

Assistant inside Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams and PowerPoint with access to company data. Paid plans from $20/mo. Free plan available.

Microsoft 365 Copilot · Alternatives to Microsoft 365 Copilot