Short answer: AI helps you in Excel and Google Sheets by writing formulas for you, cleaning messy data, summarizing tables and explaining how a sheet works. You can either use the built-in AI in the program or paste your question into a separate AI service. The important thing is to be clear about what you want and to never share sensitive data.
What can AI actually do in a spreadsheet?
Many people think that you have to know advanced formulas to benefit from spreadsheets. With AI, that is no longer true. Here are the most common ways AI saves time:
- Write formulas for you.Describe in plain Swedish what you want to calculate, and the AI will provide the formula.
- Explain a formula you don't understand.Paste it and ask "what does this do?".
- Clean up messy data.Different spellings, extra spaces, wrong formatting – AI can suggest how to fix it.
- Summarize.Ask for the main conclusions from a table.
- Find fault."Why is this cell showing an error message?"
Two ways to use AI with spreadsheets
1. Built-in AI in the program
Both Microsoft (with Copilot) and Google (with Gemini in Sheets) have AI directly in the spreadsheet. You type what you want, and it works with your data where it is. Convenient, but usually requires the right license.
2. A separate AI service
You can also use a standalone AI like ChatGPT or Claude. You describe what you want, possibly with a copy of a few lines (without sensitive data), and get back a formula to paste. Works regardless of which version of the program you have.
Concrete examples you can try today
Ask for a formula
Write to the AI:"In Google Sheets, give me a formula that adds up all the values in column B where column A is 'Invoice Paid'."You get back a completed SUM.IF formula and an explanation.
Explain a complicated formula
Paste in a formula someone else built and type:"Explain in simple Swedish what this formula does, step by step."
Clean up a list
Do you have names written in different ways - "AB Company", "ab company", "Företaget AB"? Question:"How do I make all the company names in column A look the same?"
Build a template
Ask the AI:"Describe how I set up a simple spreadsheet to track monthly expenses, with categories and a total."You get a step-by-step setup.
The trick is to stop thinking "what formula is that called?" and instead describe in plain Swedish what you want done. The AI translates for you.
How to write a good question about spreadsheets
Three things make the answer much better:
- Tell me which program.Excel and Google Sheets sometimes use different names for functions - mention which one you are running.
- Describe your data."Date in column A, amount in column B" helps the AI to give the right formula instantly.
- Say what you want to calculate.Be specific: "the amount per month", not just "count".
Important about safety
Spreadsheets often contain sensitive information – customers' names, salaries, turnover. PasteNeverinto a public AI service without knowing how it handles your data. You usually don't need to share real data either: ask for the formula with made-up example values and then apply it to your real sheet. If you want to work with AI directly on sensitive data, you need a set with the right agreement and settings.
Get started in three steps
- Choose a task you do often – for example, a formula you usually Google.
- Describe it for an AI with programs, data and goals.
- Test the formula, ask for an adjustment if something isn't right.
When AI is used correctly in your spreadsheets, it saves hours every month - but you get the most benefit when it is connected to your other systems and routines.ZORChelps businesses use AI and automation confidently, from simple spreadsheets to smarter workflows. Do you want to find where you gain the most time? Get in touch and we'll look together.
