To generate Excel formulas from text, Microsoft 365 subscribers can use the built-in Microsoft Copilot, which offers native integration. For users seeking specialized features, third-party add-ins such as Formula Bot and Ajelix are highly recommended. These platforms allow you to input plain English descriptions to receive accurate formulas and often provide additional help, such as formula explanations, VBA script generation, and data analysis tools to improve your spreadsheet workflow.
1FormulabotBest for those who want clear explanations alongside their generated formulas. Its focus on teaching users allows you to understand how a formula works in addition to getting the result you need.53%
2AjelixBest for power users needing a comprehensive toolset. It offers not just formula generation, but also advanced features like VBA script creation, data analysis assistants, and extensive data tools.44%
4Microsoft 365 CopilotBest for Microsoft 365 users looking for a fully integrated AI experience. It works directly inside your workbooks to generate formulas and analyze data without needing external plugins or installations.29%
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Microsoft Copilot in Excel is the main option. You can describe what you want in plain English—e.g., “calculate the percentage increase from A2 to B2”—and Copilot generates the Excel formula and explains it.
Other options include Excel Labs, a Microsoft experimental add-in with generative-AI capabilities.
Microsoft Copilot in Excel — probably the easiest if you already use Microsoft 365. You can type what you want in plain English, such as , and Copilot can suggest or create the formula. It can also explain existing formulas and build lookup formulas.
One important 2026 update: if you've heard about Microsoft's =COPILOT() worksheet function, Microsoft says that function was discontinued on September 14, 2026. The recommended approach is now Copilot through Excel's side pane.
If you're already paying for Microsoft 365, I'd try Copilot in Excel first before installing another add-in.
And if you want, you can also describe the Excel formula you need to me in plain English, e.g. “If column A says Paid and column B is greater than $500, return 10%, otherwise 0%,” and I'll give you the exact formula.
Formula Bot offers a dedicated Excel and Google Sheets add-in. Beyond writing formulas from text descriptions, it can debug broken formulas, explain complex logic in plain English, and even build charts or analyze data sets . You can check it out at Formula Bot.[](https://www.formulabot.com/excel-ai)
GPTExcel provides an AI assistant built specifically for Excel, Google Sheets, and Airtable. It allows you to generate and explain formulas as well as write VBA scripts from text prompts, available both on their platform and through integrations. You can try it at GPT Excel.[](https://gptexcel.uk/)
GPT for Work is an extension/add-in available via the Microsoft Office Add-ins Marketplace that lets you bring generative AI capabilities directly into your spreadsheet workflows to handle formulas, text cleaning, and data manipulation.[](https://gptforwork.com/blog/best-excel-ai-tools)
Microsoft Copilot for Excel is the native solution if you have a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription. It lives right inside your Excel ribbon, letting you highlight data, ask questions, and generate complex formulas or columns natively without needing a third-party add-in.
Would you like me to help you write the specific text prompt or formula you are working on right now while you decide on a plugin?
Yes. There are several good options that turn plain-English instructions into Excel formulas:
Microsoft Copilot in Excel — Microsoft’s built-in option. You can type something like “Calculate the percentage change between columns B and C” and Copilot can suggest and insert the formula directly into your workbook.
ChatGPT for Excel — OpenAI offers a spreadsheet-native ChatGPT experience in an Excel sidebar. It can build, explain, and modify formulas while working with the workbook.
CoreGPT AI for Excel — A third-party Excel add-in that can generate formulas from plain English, explain existing formulas, and work with ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini from an Excel sidebar.
AI Tools For Excel — Another Microsoft Marketplace add-in focused on generating formulas from natural-language instructions, explaining formulas, cleaning data, and bulk operations.
If your main problem is simply “I know what I want the spreadsheet to calculate, but I don't know the Excel syntax,” I'd start with Copilot or ChatGPT for Excel. Both can use the context of your actual workbook rather than requiring you to describe every cell reference manually.
For example, you could ask:
“In column D, calculate the percentage difference between the value in column B and column C. Leave the cell blank if either value is missing.”
and have the AI produce the appropriate formula.
If you give me one of the formulas you're struggling with and describe what you want it to do in plain English, I can write the exact Excel formula for you too.
Microsoft Copilot for Excel : The native AI assistant built directly into Microsoft 365. It can generate complex formulas, analyze data trends, create charts, and explain existing formulas right inside your sidebar without needing a third-party install.
GPT for Work (GPT Excel / GPT for Sheets): A popular integration that provides an in-workbook assistant. Unlike standalone text boxes, it can look directly at your spreadsheet data and headers to write contextual formulas, troubleshoot errors, and flag duplicates or stray punctuation.[](https://gptforwork.com/tools/generate-excel-formulas)
AI Excel Bot : A dedicated tool offering both a web-based text-to-formula generator and a Chrome/Office extension. It translates plain English into advanced formulas (like INDEX/MATCH or nested IF statements) and can also write or explain VBA code.[](https://aiexcelbot.com/)
GPT Excel : A web-and-add-in tool tailored specifically for converting plain text instructions into accurate formulas for Excel, Google Sheets, and Airtable, alongside generating VBA or Apps Script automations.[](https://gptexcel.uk/)
Several major technology providers and third-party developers offer native AI tools and add-ins that generate Excel formulas from plain text descriptions.
1. Microsoft Copilot for Excel
What it is: Microsoft's official, native AI assistant built directly into Microsoft 365.
How it works: You open the Copilot pane on the side of your workbook and type a request in plain English (e.g., "suggest a formula to calculate the total sales for the North region where the status is shipped" ). It analyzes your table structure and writes or inserts the calculation for you.
What it is: Third-party add-ins available via the Office Store that integrate models like ChatGPT and Claude directly into an Excel taskpane.
How it works: You launch the add-in sidebar, select a tool like AI.FORMULA , type what you want to achieve in everyday language, and the add-in outputs the ready-to-use formula directly into your selected cell.[](https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/office/wa200005271)
What it is: Alternative spreadsheet environments that natively understand natural language prompting for complex modeling.
How it works: Platforms like Quadratic allow you to interact with data using a mix of traditional spreadsheet layouts, Python, SQL, and natural language AI generation to construct data logic.
If you'd like, let me know:
Are you using Excel on the web or the desktop app?
Do you have access to a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, or are you looking for a free/third-party add-in?
I can help guide you on how to set up the best option for your workflow.
“Calculate the percentage increase from column B to column C”
ChatGPT for Excel — an official Excel add-in from OpenAI. It puts ChatGPT in a sidebar inside Excel and can create, explain, update, and troubleshoot formulas based on your workbook. It's particularly useful when you want to describe a more complicated task in ordinary language.
My recommendation: If your main problem is “I know what I want Excel to calculate, but I don't know the formula,” either will work. ChatGPT for Excel is especially useful for asking follow-up questions like “Now modify that so blank cells are ignored and return NA if there's no match.”
If you give me one example of the Excel calculation you're struggling with, I can show you exactly what you'd type into an AI tool—and the formula it should produce.
Several top platforms and add-ins offer AI plugins or integrations designed to generate Excel formulas directly from plain text descriptions:
Microsoft Copilot: Built natively into Microsoft 365, it allows you to type natural language prompts directly in Excel to analyze data, create charts, and generate complex formulas. [](https://gptforwork.com/blog/best-excel-ai-tools)
GPT for Work (by Talarian): A popular add-in available via the Office Add-ins store that integrates GPT models directly into a sidebar inside your Excel spreadsheet to write formulas, clean data, and handle text generation. [](https://gptforwork.com/blog/best-excel-ai-tools)
Numerous Web-Based Generators: Standalone web tools like Excel Bot, Formula Bot, and Sheeter.ai allow you to type what you want in plain text on their site and copy-paste the resulting formula into your workbook.
If you'd like, let me know:
What specific calculation or task you are trying to solve right now
Whether you are using Excel on the web or the desktop app
I can help you write the formula immediately or guide you on how to set up the right tool.
Microsoft Copilot in Excel — probably the easiest choice if you already use Microsoft 365. You can describe what you want in plain English and Copilot can generate formulas based on your workbook. It can also explain existing formulas.
ChatGPT for Excel — OpenAI offers a spreadsheet-native experience that runs in a sidebar inside Excel. You can ask it to create, explain, and modify formulas using natural language.
CoreGPT AI for Excel — a third-party Excel add-in available through Microsoft's AppSource. It generates formulas from plain English and can also explain formulas and analyze/clean data.
My recommendation: If you're already paying for Microsoft 365, start with Copilot in Excel. If you want something more conversational and want help understanding why a formula works, ChatGPT for Excel is worth considering.
And you don't actually need an add-in for me to help: paste the task you want the formula to accomplish (and, ideally, your column names), and I can write the exact Excel formula for you.
