Use Copilot in Excel to summarize an LMS completion export

What This Does

Your LMS gives you a flat export of who finished what. Copilot in Excel can turn it into a PivotTable, a chart or a short summary that shows which programs lag and which groups sit apart from the rest. You get a first look in minutes instead of an afternoon of sorting.

Before You Start

• Copilot in Excel is not on every Microsoft 365 subscription. Microsoft's support page says that if you do not see Copilot in the app, it may not be included in your subscription or may be switched off by your organization's settings. Look for the Copilot icon in the lower-right corner of Excel. If it is missing, ask your IT admin. For licensing details, see Microsoft's own Copilot pages.
• Your export is saved as an Excel workbook with one header row and one record per row.
• You have replaced learner names and employee IDs with codes (see the data caution below).

Steps

1. Prepare the sheet

Delete columns you do not need for this question, such as email addresses and manager names. Keep the columns that carry meaning: a learner code, department, program, due date and completion date or status. Format the range as a table so Copilot can read the headers cleanly.

2. Open Copilot and pick a mode

Select the Copilot icon in the lower-right corner of Excel. Microsoft's page describes three modes: edit, plan and chat. Edit mode changes the workbook directly. Plan mode shows you an approach first. Chat mode answers questions without touching your data. For a first pass on a real export, start in chat or plan mode, or save a copy of the file before you use edit mode.

3. Ask for the summary

Type a request that names your columns. For example:

Microsoft lists insights such as charts, PivotTables, summaries, trends and outliers as things Copilot can produce from your questions.

4. Verify one number by hand

Pick one department. Filter the raw rows to that department and count the completed and total records yourself. Compare your counts with what Copilot reported. If they differ, check how Copilot treated blanks, duplicates and statuses such as "In progress" or "Waived". Fix the prompt or the data and ask again.

5. Keep what you need

Copy the PivotTable or chart into your working file. Write the finding in your own words for the report. Copilot's wording is a draft.

Real Example

Scenario: You need to know before Friday's leadership check-in which departments are behind on the annual security awareness course.

What you type: "Using the Status and Department columns, show the share of learners with Status equal to Completed, by department, as a PivotTable and a bar chart. List departments that are noticeably below the others."

What you get: A PivotTable and chart by department, plus a short note naming the lowest departments. You filter the raw rows for the lowest one, count it by hand and confirm the figure matches. Then you ask a follow-up: "Which programs have the most records past their due date?"

Tips

• Say which column means "done." Exports differ, and Copilot cannot guess whether "Enrolled" counts.
• Ask for the method along with the answer. A reply that names the columns it used is easier to check.
• Small groups can identify people. When a department has fewer than about five learners, report it only in combination with others.

A Note on Your Data

Completion records tie a named person to what they did or did not finish, and compliance records can be audited. Replace names and employee IDs with codes before you open the file with Copilot, and drop any column you do not need. Your company's AI policy and approved tool list decide whether Copilot may see this export at all. If you are unsure, ask IT or compliance first.

Tool interfaces change. If a button has moved, look for similar AI, Copilot or Gemini options in the same menu area.