Frequently asked questions about Agent Mode in Excel (Frontier)

What is Agent Mode in Excel? 

Agent Mode in Excel is an AI-powered assistant available as a Preview via the Excel Labs add-in, under the Frontier program. With Agent Mode, you can use natural language to interact with your spreadsheets and accomplish a wide range of tasks. For example, you can make direct edits to your workbook, generate data, create visual artifacts, manage structure, and apply formatting—all by simply describing what you want to do. Built on the Copilot infrastructure, Agent Mode enhances your experience with multi-step reasoning and a deep understanding of your workbook's content. 

What can Agent Mode in Excel do? 

Agent Mode in Excel lets you accomplish complex, multi-step tasks in your workbook using natural language. It works seamlessly with Excel’s core features and supports a growing set of capabilities that continue to evolve over time: 

• Workbook manipulation​​​​​​​

  • Add, rename and delete sheets.

  • Insert and modify cell values, ranges.

  • Apply conditional formatting, borders, font styles, and data validation rules.

  • Create structured tables and manage workbook layout.

  • Interact with workbook metadata and structure, including named ranges and sheet visibility.

• Data creation & transformation

  • Generate synthetic or derived data based on user prompts.

  • Perform calculations and apply formulas across multiple sheets.

  • Summarize data using built-in Excel logic.

  • Create new tables and transform existing ones using inferred logic.

• Artifact generation

  • Create and edit charts, PivotTables, and shapes.

  • Automatically insert visualizations into the workbook with editable and refreshable links to source data.

  • Generate planning tools, dashboards, and templates from scratch.

• Formatting & presentation

  • Apply consistent styling across sheets.

  • Format cells, rows, and columns based on user-defined rules or inferred patterns.

  • Customize chart appearance and layout.

  • Apply conditional formatting and visual cues to highlight trends or anomalies.

• Contextual awareness

  • Understand workbook structure, current selection, and what's visible on your screen.

  • Analyze both structured and unstructured data across multiple sheets.

  • Work with Excel’s recalculation and refresh logic so content created by Agent Mode behaves like native Excel formulas and objects.

  • Use your current selection to provide tailor responses and reduce ambiguity.

Who is Agent Mode in Excel for? 

Agent Mode in Excel is built to support a wide range of users and scenarios. Whether you're a business analyst, finance professional, educator, or an everyday spreadsheet user, Agent Mode can boost your productivity. It lets you interact with your workbook using natural language, making complex tasks simpler and more accessible for individuals and teams alike.

How does Agent Mode differ from Copilot in Excel and Analyst agent?

• Agent Mode in Excel

  Use Agent Mode when you want Copilot to plan, run, and verify results directly in Excel. It's best for tasks that go beyond simple formulas, single PivotTables, or basic charts, especially when you need to complete multiple steps or work through iterative processes.

• Copilot in Excel

  Copilot offers conversational assistance for a broader set of tasks across Microsoft 365 apps. It's ideal for quick answers, drafting, and simple actions. Copilot is great for general productivity and tasks that don’t require deep automation or multi-step reasoning.

• Analyst agent in M365 Copilot

  If your organization has access, use Analyst agent for advanced, Python-powered data analysis across multiple files and formats. It's designed for data visualizations and analysis in a chat-first experience.

How do I know if I have an eligible Microsoft 365 license?

Agent Mode in Excel requires either an enterprise Microsoft 365 Copilot license or a Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Premium subscription. To check your license, go to your Microsoft 365 account settings.

How was Agent Mode in Excel evaluated? What metrics are used to measure performance? 

Agent Mode in Excel was evaluated through extensive manual and automatic testing methods, using Microsoft's internal data and public sources. The team also reviews custom datasets to check for offensive or malicious prompts and responses. User feedback is collected continuously to help improve the experience. 

Performance is measured by:

• Response success rates.

• User satisfaction scores.

• Accuracy ratings based on benchmark tasks.

• Feedback from thumbs-up/thumbs-down interactions.

What are the limitations of Agent Mode in Excel and how can I minimize their impact?

• AI-generated results

  Agent Mode in Excel uses AI to generate suggestions and results. While powerful, it can sometimes make mistakes, misinterpret information, or produce inaccurate outcomes. Avoid using Agent Mode for decisions in sensitive areas such as finance, legal, or medical topics.

• No external data connections

  Agent mode does not currently support web search, enterprise search, file grounding, or integration with external data sources.

• Direct workbook changes

  Agent Mode makes changes directly to your workbook as it runs. These changes are saved automatically. Anyone with access to the file—either in a coauth session or later—can see and use changes made by Agent Mode.

• Version control

  While you can roll back changes, it's best to use Agent Mode on a copy of any critical or sensitive workbook to protect your original data.

How can I use Agent Mode in Excel effectively and responsibly? 

Agent Mode in Excel has been reviewed by our Responsible AI (RAI) team. We follow RAI principles to help keep your experience safe and productive.

We use a responsible AI handling pipeline to reduce risks from harmful or inappropriate content. 

You can report offensive content directly in Agent Mode using built-in feedback tools. Microsoft reviews this feedback to improve the product. 

How do I provide feedback on Agent Mode in Excel? 

Share your feedback directly in Agent Mode by clicking the thumbs-up or thumbs-down icons in the chat pane. 

If you’re a system administrator, you can report issues or send feedback through Microsoft support channels or your account team. 

The product team reviews all feedback to help improve Agent Mode and set priorities for future updates. 

How do IT administrators manage access to Agent Mode in Excel?

IT administrators can turn Excel Labs on or off for their organization using the add-in management settings in the Microsoft 365 admin center. 

Administrators should review licensing requirements, compliance policies, and privacy controls to ensure responsible use.