What Is Microsoft Copilot Analyst & Researcher? The AI Tools Transforming Excel, Word & Power BI

This article was last reviewed and updated for accuracy in June 2025.

Whether you’re wrangling complex data in Excel or crafting a research-heavy report in Word, Microsoft’s Copilot suite is here to help. Copilot Analyst turns your spreadsheets into insight machines, while Copilot Researcher helps you find, summarise, and cite information faster than ever. In this guide, we’ll explore their features, differences, and how to make the most of them in your workflow.

What is Microsoft Copilot Analyst?

Copilot Analyst is an AI-powered assistant built into Microsoft Excel and Power BI. It helps users analyse data, generate insights, identify trends, and create visualisations using natural language prompts — no advanced formulas or coding required.

What does Copilot Researcher do?

Copilot Researcher assists with gathering and summarising information, drafting content, and compiling references. It integrates with Microsoft Word and other Microsoft 365 apps to help users write well-researched documents faster.

How are Copilot Analyst and Researcher different?

While both tools use AI, Copilot Analyst focuses on data analysis and insights within Excel and Power BI, whereas Copilot Researcher is geared towards content creation, summarisation, and structured research in Word and other documentation tools.

Can Copilot Analyst clean and transform data?

Yes, Copilot Analyst can help identify inconsistencies, detect duplicates, and suggest transformations to prepare your data for analysis — especially within Excel spreadsheets and Power BI datasets.

Can Copilot Researcher summarise academic papers?

Yes, Copilot Researcher can summarise long-form content, including academic articles and reports, and even suggest references and citations (depending on data access permissions and tools enabled).

Is Copilot Analyst available in Power BI?

Copilot Analyst features are gradually being integrated into Power BI, enabling users to query datasets using natural language, build visuals, and generate dashboards with AI assistance.

Does Copilot Researcher access live web data?

Copilot Researcher may pull publicly available data if permitted, but it primarily relies on sources Microsoft 365 has access to. It is not a full web search engine but can generate summaries based on embedded or linked content.

Is Copilot included in Microsoft 365?

Some versions of Microsoft 365 (particularly Microsoft 365 Copilot for Enterprise) include access to Copilot features, but availability varies by plan and region. UK users may need to check licensing or upgrade options.

How secure is Copilot for sensitive business data?

Microsoft Copilot services are built with enterprise-grade security, including data residency, encryption, and compliance with major standards like GDPR. Your data stays within your Microsoft environment and is not used to train the AI.

Can Copilot Researcher generate citations and references?

Yes. When summarising information or drafting reports, Copilot Researcher can include properly formatted references. It supports citation styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago depending on the tool you’re using.

How much does Microsoft Copilot cost in the UK?

As of 2025, Copilot for Microsoft 365 typically costs around £25–£30 per user/month per seat.

If you’d like assistance with using Copilot in your business, feel free to reach out to our team at hello@cobweb.com.