Microsoft introduced Agent Mode in Excel, and it turns Copilot into real spreadsheet co-worker

Microsoft just introduced Agent Mode in Excel, and it turns Copilot into something much more powerful than a chat helper. It acts like a real spreadsheet co-worker that can plan, build, and improve full Excel models for you. Instead of answering one question at a time, Agent Mode can handle entire workflows. You give it one clear goal, and it figures out the steps, builds the sheets, adds formulas, creates charts, and keeps improving the result — all directly inside Excel. What Agent Mode really does Agent Mode doesn’t just suggest ideas. It actually works inside your workbook. It can: Plan multi-step tasks Create and edit sheets Add formulas, tables, PivotTables, and charts Check its own work and make improvements And everything it builds is real Excel content that you can fully edit. How it’s different from regular Copilot Normal Copilot gives you one response and stops. Agent Mode keeps going. It follows a loop: plan → build → check → improve That means you don’t need to copy, paste, or repeat yourself. It stays in your file and keeps working until the model or dashboard makes sense. What you can build with it With Agent Mode, you can go from a blank workbook to a complete solution, including: Financial models like DCFs and sensitivity tables Budget and performance dashboards Loan and amortization calculators Multi-sheet reports for management or annual reviews All using standard Excel features. How it works in real life You start with a simple request like: “Build a 3-statement DCF model with a sensitivity table.” Agent Mode then: Creates a plan Asks for missing inputs Builds the model step by step Updates it as you refine your instructions Where it’s available Agent Mode is currently available in Excel for the web through the Excel Labs add-in, as part of Microsoft’s Frontier early-access program. To use it, you need: A Microsoft 365 Copilot license or A Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription Right now, it works in English and on the web, with desktop support coming later.