A Complete Guide on How to Use ChatGPT in Excel

Riley Walz

Dec 20, 2024

several chatgpt apps - How to Use ChatGPT in Excel

Whether you use Excel daily or once in a blue moon, you may have encountered a sticky situation when working with spreadsheets. Maybe you couldn’t figure out how to execute a specific formula. Or perhaps you needed to analyze a large dataset but didn’t know where to start. Whatever the case, these kinds of challenges can be time-consuming and frustrating.

Luckily, tools like ChatGPT can help. This tool is arguably the best AI for Excel. You're in the right place if you’re wondering how to use ChatGPT in Excel. In this guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of using ChatGPT in Excel to help you get unstuck fast.

Before we start, we want to introduce you to an excellent tool to help you get the most out of ChatGPT for Excel. The spreadsheet AI tool by Numerous is an easy-to-use interface that allows you to access ChatGPT’s powerful capabilities directly within Excel. This guide will show you how to start with the tool and use ChatGPT in Excel to supercharge your spreadsheet tasks.

Can I Use ChatGPT in Excel?

chatgpt for excel - How to Use ChatGPT in Excel

You can use ChatGPT in Excel. It can be a game-changer for both professionals and beginners alike. ChatGPT, an advanced AI language model, integrates smoothly with Excel, enabling users to automate data-related tasks, generate formulas, clean data, and derive insights—all through natural language commands.

Excel is a widely used tool for data analysis, reporting, and business operations, but its manual processes can sometimes be time-consuming and prone to human error. By integrating ChatGPT, users can simplify these tasks significantly. For example, instead of manually crafting complex formulas or spending hours cleaning messy datasets, you can prompt ChatGPT to do the work for you in seconds.

How Does ChatGPT Help Users Streamline Excel Tasks?

ChatGPT is one of the most versatile AI tools for Excel. First, it understands natural language prompts, allowing users to communicate with the AI in plain English instead of complicated technical jargon. This makes it easy to use for both beginners and advanced users.

Second, it can perform a variety of tasks in Excel. For example, you can ask ChatGPT to help summarize sales data, create forecasts, fix formatting issues, or write you a short VBA code. The possibilities are endless.

Key Benefits of Using ChatGPT in Excel

Enhanced Productivity

ChatGPT automates repetitive tasks, allowing users to focus on strategy and decision-making rather than mundane operations.

Ease of Use

You don’t need to be an Excel expert. With ChatGPT, simply describe what you need in plain language, and the AI will execute the task.

Versatility

Whether it’s summarizing sales data, creating forecasts, or fixing formatting issues, ChatGPT adapts to various tasks in Excel.

How Does ChatGPT Work in Excel?

Using tools like Numerous.ai, ChatGPT is integrated into Excel as an add-on or API. Users input prompts directly in their spreadsheet interface, such as:

“Summarize sales data by region.”
“Generate a formula to calculate profit margins.”

ChatGPT interprets the prompt, performs the task, and provides results directly in the spreadsheet.

Setting Up ChatGPT in Excel

AI in excel - How to Use ChatGPT in Excel

Step 1: Choose the Right Integration Method

You can integrate ChatGPT into Excel in different ways, with some methods requiring coding skills while others do not. The two most common methods include using APIs or a tool like Numerous.ai.

Using APIs

OpenAI’s API allows you to connect ChatGPT directly to Excel. This requires some technical setup but offers flexibility in usage.

What You’ll Need

An OpenAI account with API access
Developer skills or tools like Python to create the connection

How It Works

Install a Python library like openpyxl to handle Excel files. Write a script that sends Excel data to ChatGPT and retrieves responses.

Example: Send product descriptions in a column to ChatGPT for category suggestions.

Using a Tool Like Numerous.ai

Numerous.ai offers a user-friendly integration where ChatGPT can be used directly in Excel without coding.

What You’ll Need

Install the Numerous.ai add-on in Excel or Google Sheets
Set up your API key to link Numerous.ai with ChatGPT

How It Works

Once set up, you can run prompts directly in Excel cells using natural language.

Example: Type a query in a cell-like, “Summarize column A’s data,” and get instant results.

Step 2: Install the Necessary Tools or Plugins

For APIs

Install Python and the required libraries like pandas, openpyxl, and requests. Write a basic script to connect Excel data to the ChatGPT API. Test your connection with simple commands like, “What is the total sales in Q1?”

For Numerous.ai

Go to the Excel or Google Sheets add-on store and search “Numerous.ai.” Install and authenticate with your API key. Enable the add-on to start interacting with ChatGPT.

Step 3: Configure Prompts and Commands

Once ChatGPT is integrated, setting up structured prompts for efficient results is essential.

Best Practices for Prompts

Be specific: Instead of “Analyze data,” say “Calculate the average revenue in column B.”
Use context: Add details about the data you’re working with. Example: “Summarize feedback in column C and categorize them into themes.”

Step 4: Test the Integration

Run a few test commands before using ChatGPT for significant tasks to ensure everything works smoothly.

Example Test Commands

“Clean and format the data in column D to remove duplicates.”
“Generate a formula for calculating net profit in column E based on columns B and C.”
“Summarize key trends from the sales data in column F.”

Step 5: Automate Common Workflows

Leverage ChatGPT’s capabilities to set up automation for recurring tasks.

Examples of Automated Workflows

Weekly data summaries sent to a team.
Automated categorization of customer feedback or reviews.
Forecasting sales trends based on historical data.

Practical Tips for Successful Integration

Check Compatibility

Ensure your Excel version supports add-ons or APIs required for the integration.

Secure Your API Key

Keep your OpenAI or Numerous.ai API key private to prevent unauthorized usage.

Start Small

Begin with simple tasks like generating summaries or formulas before moving to complex automations.

Leverage Numerous.ai for Simplified Setup

If coding feels overwhelming, Numerous.ai offers a no-code solution for instant results in Excel.

Example in Action

Consider you’re analyzing sales data for an e-commerce business. You can set up ChatGPT in Excel and prompt it to:

Summarize sales trends from your data.
Categorize products based on performance.
Generate formulas for calculating average sales per month.

ChatGPT simplifies these tasks, providing accurate results in seconds and saving hours of manual effort.

Numerous: The One-Stop AI Tool for Data Cleaning in Excel and Google Sheets

Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, Ecommerce businesses, and more to do tasks many times over through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds.

The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous’s ChatGPT for spreadsheets tool.

Practical Use Cases of ChatGPT in Excel

How ChatGPT Can Summarize Data in Excel

ChatGPT can condense large datasets into key insights. For example, instead of manually reviewing thousands of rows, you can ask ChatGPT to identify trends or summarize findings.

Here’s How It Works

Input your data into Excel, such as customer feedback or sales data.
Use ChatGPT via Numerous.ai or an API to prompt:

“Summarize the top three recurring issues in column B.”
“Highlight the most common customer feedback themes.”

ChatGPT generates a concise summary, providing actionable insights.

A Practical Example

Scenario: Analyzing customer feedback from an e-commerce platform.
Result: ChatGPT identifies that most complaints revolve around delivery delays and suggests potential improvements.

How ChatGPT Can Generate Excel Formulas

For users unfamiliar with Excel formulas, ChatGPT can generate complex formulas based on simple natural language prompts.

Here’s How It Works

Define your calculation needs, such as total revenue or profit margin.
Enter a prompt: “Create a formula to calculate the profit margin using columns B (Revenue) and C (Costs).”
ChatGPT provides the formula, e.g., =(B2-C2)/B2.
Apply the formula to your dataset.

A Practical Example

Scenario: A small business wants to calculate profit margins but lacks Excel expertise.
Result: ChatGPT generates accurate formulas, saving time and reducing errors.

How ChatGPT Can Clean Your Data

Messy datasets with duplicates, inconsistent formats, or empty fields can be cleaned efficiently using ChatGPT.

Here’s How It Works

Upload your data to Excel.
Identify the issues (e.g., duplicate entries, inconsistent date formats).
Use ChatGPT to prompt: “Remove duplicates in column A.” “Standardize dates in column B to the MM/DD/YYYY format.”
ChatGPT provides clean, uniform data that is ready for analysis.

A Practical Example

Scenario: Cleaning a customer contact list with inconsistent email formats and duplicate entries.
Result: ChatGPT normalizes email formats and removes duplicates, creating a polished dataset.

How ChatGPT Can Categorize Data in Excel

ChatGPT can categorize data into predefined groups or tags, saving hours of manual effort.

Here’s How It Works

Prepare a dataset, such as customer feedback or product reviews.
Prompt ChatGPT: “Categorize comments in column A as Positive, Neutral, or Negative.” “Classify products in column B into categories: Electronics, Apparel, or Home Goods.”
ChatGPT processes the data and fills the classification column.

A Practical Example

Scenario: Categorizing product reviews for an e-commerce store.
Result: ChatGPT tags reviews, enabling the team to analyze sentiment trends efficiently.

How ChatGPT Can Analyze and Forecast Data in Excel

ChatGPT can analyze historical data and provide predictive insights for future trends.

Here’s How It Works

Compile historical sales or performance data in Excel.
Use ChatGPT to prompt: “Predict next quarter’s sales based on data in columns B and C.” “What are the growth trends in this dataset?”
ChatGPT generates a forecast or highlights potential growth areas.

A Practical Example

Scenario: Forecasting quarterly sales for a retail chain.
Result: ChatGPT predicts a 15% growth based on historical trends, helping the team plan inventory effectively.

How ChatGPT Can Automate Reports in Excel

ChatGPT can generate polished reports with insights from raw data, saving time on manual report creation.

Here’s How It Works

Input your raw data into Excel.
Prompt ChatGPT: “Create a summary report of sales performance for Q1 2024.” “Highlight key insights from the dataset in columns A through D.”
ChatGPT generates a comprehensive report, which can be exported or presented directly.

A Practical Example

Scenario: A marketing manager needs a weekly performance report.
Result: ChatGPT automates the process, delivering a ready-to-use summary in minutes.

Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, Ecommerce businesses, and more to do tasks many times over through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds.

The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous’s ChatGPT for spreadsheets tool.

Step-by-Step Guide on Using ChatGPT in Excel

woman setting up environment - How to Use ChatGPT in Excel

1. Define Clear Objectives

Before starting, identify what you want ChatGPT to achieve in Excel. Clear goals ensure that prompts are accurate and actionable.

Example

If you want to categorize customer feedback, structure your prompt: “Categorize comments in column A as Positive, Neutral, or Negative.” Vague prompts like “Analyze feedback” may lead to irrelevant or incomplete results.

Why It Matters

Clear objectives help ChatGPT focus on delivering relevant insights and prevent misunderstandings.

2. Use Structured Prompts

ChatGPT works best when provided with structured, detailed instructions.

Dos

Use specific, concise language: “Summarize the sales trends in columns B and C for Q1 2024.”
Include context: “Categorize feedback into themes of delivery, product quality, or customer service based on column A.”

Don’ts

Avoid overly broad queries: “Analyze data” is too vague. Refrain from providing incomplete context, as this can lead to inaccurate results.

3. Start Small, Then Scale

Begin with smaller datasets or more straightforward tasks before applying ChatGPT to larger, more complex projects.

Example

Test ChatGPT on a single column or a small sample of data to ensure accuracy. Once the results are satisfactory, scale the process to larger datasets.

Why It Matters

This approach minimizes errors and helps refine your prompts for better scalability.

4. Leverage Numerous.ai for smooth Integration.

Numerous.ai simplifies the integration of ChatGPT with Excel by eliminating technical barriers.

How to Use Numerous.ai

Install the Numerous.ai add-on for Excel or Google Sheets. Input natural language prompts directly into spreadsheet cells.

Example prompt

“Clean and format data in column D to remove duplicates and standardize text.”

Why It Matters

Numerous.ai’s intuitive interface makes ChatGPT accessible to users with no technical expertise, streamlining workflows.

5. Validate ChatGPT’s Outputs

Always verify the results generated by ChatGPT to ensure accuracy and relevance.

How To Validate

Cross-check outputs with original data or manually calculated results. Look for inconsistencies in complex calculations or categorizations.

Example

If ChatGPT categorizes sales data, manually review a sample to confirm accuracy.

6. Optimize Data Formatting

Ensure your data is clean and well-organized before using ChatGPT for analysis or automation.

Best Practices

Remove duplicates and irrelevant entries. Use consistent formatting for dates, numbers, and text.

Example

To prevent errors, use “MM/DD/YYYY” for dates across all rows.

Why It Matters

Clean, consistent data ensures that ChatGPT generates reliable and actionable outputs.

7. Use ChatGPT for Iterative Improvements

ChatGPT can refine its results based on iterative prompts.

How It Works

Initial Prompt: “Summarize customer feedback in column A.”
Follow-Up Prompt: “Group the feedback into Positive, Neutral, and Negative categories.”
Refined Prompt: “Highlight recurring themes within the Positive feedback.”

Why It Matters

Iterative interactions allow you to refine outputs and derive deeper insights.

8. Secure Your Data and API Keys

When integrating ChatGPT into Excel, prioritize security to protect sensitive information.

Tips

Use secure methods to store API keys, such as environment variables. Avoid sharing confidential data directly in prompts unless encryption is ensured.

Why It Matters

Protecting data and credentials prevents unauthorized access and ensures compliance with data privacy regulations.

9. Utilize ChatGPT’s Strengths for Creative and Analytical Tasks

ChatGPT excels at creative and analytical tasks, making it versatile for various Excel use cases.

Examples

Creative: Generate engaging product descriptions based on column B.
Analytical: Identify sales trends in columns D and E for 2023.

Why It Matters

Leveraging its dual strengths allows you to maximize ChatGPT’s capabilities across tasks.

10. Stay Updated with New Features

ChatGPT and tools like Numerous.ai regularly release updates and new features.

Tips

Follow product announcements to stay informed about new functionalities.

Experiment with updates to discover improved workflows.

Why It Matters

Staying updated ensures you use the most efficient and advanced tools.

Practical Example

Using ChatGPT for Financial Analysis Scenario: A retail manager wants to analyze monthly sales data.
Steps: Use ChatGPT to clean and organize the data in Excel.
Prompt: “Summarize sales trends in column B by month for 2023.” Validate the output and refine the analysis with follow-up prompts.

Make Decisions At Scale Through AI With Numerous AI’s Spreadsheet AI Tool

Numerous is an AI-powered tool that allows you to streamline repetitive SEO and eCommerce tasks. With Numerous, you can write SEO blog posts, generate hashtags, and categorize products with sentiment analysis and classification. You can do so by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet.

With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds. The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Use Numerous AI spreadsheet AI tools to make decisions and complete tasks at scale.

Can I Use ChatGPT in Excel?

You can use ChatGPT in Excel. It can be a game-changer for both professionals and beginners alike. ChatGPT, an advanced AI language model, integrates smoothly with Excel, enabling users to automate data-related tasks, generate formulas, clean data, and derive insights—all through natural language commands.

Excel is a widely used tool for data analysis, reporting, and business operations, but its manual processes can sometimes be time-consuming and prone to human error. By integrating ChatGPT, users can simplify these tasks significantly. For example, instead of manually crafting complex formulas or spending hours cleaning messy datasets, you can prompt ChatGPT to do the work for you in seconds.

How Does ChatGPT Help Users Streamline Excel Tasks?

ChatGPT is one of the most versatile AI tools for Excel. First, it understands natural language prompts, allowing users to communicate with the AI in plain English instead of complicated technical jargon. This makes it easy to use for both beginners and advanced users.

Second, it can perform a variety of tasks in Excel. For example, you can ask ChatGPT to help summarize sales data, create forecasts, fix formatting issues, or write you a short VBA code. The possibilities are endless.