Microsoft is rolling out a suite of new capabilities for Copilot in Excel, targeting finance professionals such as FP&A teams, accountants, tax specialists, and treasury managers who rely on Excel for modeling, analysis, and reporting. These updates include specialized “skills” for automating repeatable financial workflows, expanded financial data connectors, and improved traceability features. The features are now generally available to Microsoft 365 Copilot customers on Excel for Web, Windows, and Mac, with custom skills accessible through the Insiders channel and broader rollout planned for the following month. Partner-built skills are expected in Q3 2026.
The new skills allow finance teams to define structured processes for tasks like DCF modeling, variance analysis, and monthly reporting, reducing repetitive setup and ensuring consistency and accuracy. Users can create custom skills via open-standard markdown files, which Copilot reads to automate tailored financial processes. New connectors integrate data from CB Insights, Daloopa, FactSet, Morningstar, PitchBook, and S&P Global, bringing relevant financial, market, and company data directly into Excel. These additions offer broader coverage and deeper integration than previous versions and rival offerings, especially for firms requiring comprehensive, up-to-date data within their financial models.
Microsoft’s collaboration with the Financial Modeling Institute ensures that Copilot in Excel meets rigorous industry standards, evaluating features against real-world finance cases. Early feedback from Microsoft's internal finance teams and partners has influenced product refinement, with experts noting the value of traceable, reviewable changes and access to trusted data sources. These improvements reflect Microsoft's strategy to address the unique demands of finance workflows and reinforce its position in the productivity and enterprise software space.