FEBRUARY 2020 • TECH ADVISOR 13- Natural language
queries make Excel simpler
If simply making users aware of new features is one
challenge, so is helping them take advantage of
Microsoft’s artificial intelligence. Excel used to feature
‘Insights’, which was supposed to extract meaning
from your data. ‘Ideas’ (Home > Ideas) supposedly
performs a similar function. Neither works especially
well with the type of data I’ve used. (Ideas for Word,
which Microsoft announced at Build, is rolling out
now to commercial customers, with AI-powered
grammar checking and inclusive language.)
Now, Microsoft is taking a different tack. The
search bar at the top will work in a Bing-like,
conversational manner – you should be able to
ask natural-language queries and receive useful
information in return. It’s rolling out to Office
Insiders at the moment. We’ll see how this works
in practice; as they say, your mileage may vary.
If that’s not enough, you’ll also be able to make
natural language queries within Microsoft Search
against PowerBI data that’s also stored in your
organization, according to Microsoft’s Ribas. “The
idea here is leveraging all the search algorithms of
Microsoft for the web, and the Microsoft Graph –
which is unique to us – we’re able to make enterprise
search as easy as searching the web,” he said. - Office Scripts for Excel are just smart
You may be familiar with Format Painter for Excel:
Once you’ve nailed down a few cells just so, you
can ‘paint’ that format onto others, without really
FEBRUARY 2020 • TECH ADVISOR 13- Natural language
queries make Excel simpler
If simply making users aware of new features is one
challenge, so is helping them take advantage of
Microsoft’s artificial intelligence. Excel used to feature
‘Insights’,whichwassupposedtoextractmeaning
fromyour data. ‘Ideas’ (Home > Ideas) supposedly
performsa similarfunction.Neitherworksespecially
wellwiththetype of data I’ve used. (Ideas for Word,
whichMicrosoftannouncedatBuild,is rollingout
nowto commercial customers, with AI-powered
grammar checking and inclusive language.)
Now,Microsoftis takinga differenttack.The
searchbar at the top will work in a Bing-like,
conversational manner – you should be able to
asknatural-languagequeriesandreceiveuseful
informationin return.It’srollingouttoOffice
Insidersatthemoment.We’llseehowthisworks
inpractice;asthey say, your mileage may vary.
If that’s not enough, you’ll also be able to make
natural language queries within Microsoft Search
against PowerBI data that’s also stored in your
organization,accordingtoMicrosoft’sRibas.“The
ideahere is leveraging all the search algorithms of
Microsoftfortheweb,andtheMicrosoftGraph–
whichis unique to us – we’re able to make enterprise
search as easy as searching the web,” he said. - Office Scripts for Excel are just smart
You may be familiar with Format Painter for Excel:
Once you’ve nailed down a few cells just so, you
can ‘paint’ that format onto others, without really