AI and Microsoft Excel

Although artificial intelligence seems like it is suddenly permeating every aspect of our daily lives, AI has been part of Excel for over a decade now. In this presentation author and Excel expert David Ringstrom, CPA will walk you through various AI-powered features in Excel, including Flash Fill, Analyze Data, Power Query's Column From Example, extracting data from pictures and PDF documents, and more. Of course, no discussion of AI would be complete without an exploration of ChatGPT, so David will show you how to write and deconstruct formulas as well as automate repetitive tasks with only a minimal understanding of Excel's Visual Basic for Applications programming language. David is the author of “Exploring Microsoft Excel's Hidden Treasures: Turbocharge your Excel proficiency with expert tips, automation techniques, and overlooked features”. He demonstrates every technique at least twice: first, on a PowerPoint slide with numbered steps, and second, in the subscription-based Excel for Microsoft 365. David draws your attention to any differences in Excel 2021, 2019 or 2016 during the presentation and in his detailed handouts. The handouts include an Excel workbook with most of the examples he uses during his demonstrations. Excel for Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based product that receives periodic feature updates. Conversely, perpetually licensed versions have year numbers in their names and do not receive any feature updates.

Who Should Attend
Professionals seeking to leverage artificial intelligence with regard to spreadsheets.

Topics Covered

• Using the Recommended Charts feature to create suitable charts from data with a couple of mouse clicks
• Using ChatGPT to create formulas in Excel based upon a written description of the desired calculation
• Separating first/last names into two columns without using formulas or retyping
• Track your portofolio within Excel by using the Stocks Data Type in Microsoft 365
• Exploring the requirements and constraints of Microsoft Copilot in Excel
• Transforming data in Power Query by way of the Column From Example feature
• Automating repetitive tasks in Excel by having ChatGPT write Visual Basic for Applications programming code
• Learning how the Table feature empowers you to improve the integrity of Excel spreadsheets
• Deconstructing existing formulas by asking ChatGPT to explain the formula in detail
• Joining text together with spaces or other characters with the TEXTJOIN function in Excel 2019 and later
• Displaying subsets of data dynamically by way of the new FILTER worksheet function
• Integrating data on web pages into your workbooks and creating automatic links

Learning Objectives

• State the functionality that the Flash Fill feature offers
• Describe how to utilize the Analyze Data feature in Excel to gain insights and identify trends within a worksheet
• Recognize a dynamic array function from a list of worksheet functions

Level
Intermediate

Instructional Method
Group: Internet-based

NASBA Field of Study
Specialized Knowledge and Applications (2 hours)

Program Prerequisites
Prior experience with Microsoft Excel is recommended.

Advance Preparation
None