Microsoft's roadmap lists three Copilot changes with a general availability target of October 2026: a "get data" skill for Copilot in Excel, interactive App Blocks in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, and Edit with Copilot in Excel on iPhone. None of them forces action by a deadline. All of them change what employees can do with company data, so they are worth a short decision now, before staff find them on their own.
Microsoft's roadmap data marks all three as worldwide (standard multi-tenant) and lists no licensing requirements. We could not confirm from the sources what Copilot licence a user needs, so check that in your admin center before you promise anything to staff.
What is changing
Excel: get and transform data with Copilot
Per Microsoft, a user describes the data they need and how it should be prepared, and a new get data skill connects to the source, transforms the data and loads the result into the workbook using Power Query. The result is a query that can be inspected, edited and refreshed. Microsoft adds that, depending on the data source, authentication may be required. The roadmap lists the web version of Excel, with an October 2026 date and a status of rolling out.
For a business owner, the practical point is that more people will be able to pull data into a workbook from other sources without knowing Power Query. That is useful. It also means data can land in spreadsheets that nobody in IT has reviewed.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat: App Blocks
App Blocks lets Copilot Chat users turn a request and their data into an interactive experience inside the conversation. Microsoft names calculators, dashboards, forms, planners, visualizations, simulations and comparison tools. It also describes grounded scenarios, where current information is retrieved and then shown as an interactive result. The roadmap lists Android, desktop, iOS, Mac and web, an October 2026 target, and a status of in development.
A quote calculator or a comparison sheet built in a chat window is convenient. It is also a small piece of software that someone created without review, which is a reason to decide who may rely on it for pricing or customer commitments.
Excel on iPhone: Edit with Copilot
Edit with Copilot lets people edit and transform workbooks on an iPhone using natural language. Microsoft says Copilot can continue working on a task after the user moves away from the app, and the user can come back when the work is ready. A chat mode stays available for questions and insights without changes to the workbook. The roadmap lists iOS, October 2026, and a status of in development.
The key phrase is "without changes". Edit mode changes the workbook; chat mode does not. Staff should know which one they are in.
A note on dates
These are roadmap entries, and Microsoft's roadmap dates are targets. Microsoft gives the month, not a day, and two of the three items are still marked in development. Do not tell staff a feature is available on a given day. Expect some features to arrive later than listed and to reach tenants in stages.
Who is affected
Any business that has Microsoft 365 Copilot or is considering it. The risk is not the features themselves. It is that your files already hold more than people realize: old spreadsheets with customer lists, payroll files saved in the wrong folder, contract folders shared too widely. Our advice is to review file sharing before any new AI feature reaches staff, because loose permissions are easier to spot and fix before more people can search and combine data.
If you handle controlled unclassified information (CUI) for the Department of Defense, treat any new AI feature as a change that needs a decision before use. The roadmap entries list standard multi-tenant availability only, so do not assume any of these are available in a government cloud.
Checklist
- Confirm who has Copilot. List the users with a Copilot licence, and confirm in the Microsoft admin center what each feature requires. The roadmap entries list no licensing, so do not guess.
- Review file sharing first. Check the SharePoint sites and OneDrive folders that hold payroll, HR, customer and contract files, and fix anything shared with "everyone". This is the single most useful step.
- Decide what data may go into a workbook. The get data skill may need authentication to a source. Write down which sources staff may connect to, and which are off limits.
- Set one rule for AI-built tools. A calculator or dashboard made in Copilot Chat is a draft. Anyone using one for a quote, an invoice or a customer commitment should check the numbers against the source.
- Tell iPhone users the difference between edit and chat. One short note: edit mode changes the file, chat mode does not.
- Watch your Microsoft 365 message center for rollout notices. Treat the roadmap as a heads-up, not a delivery date.
- Pick a small pilot group. Two or three people who work with spreadsheets every day can try the features and report back before everyone gets them.
What can wait
You do not need to write a long AI policy before these features arrive. A one-page rule covering what data may be connected, who checks AI-built tools, and where files must be saved is enough to start. You also do not need to buy Copilot licences for everyone because a feature is new. Start with the people whose work involves spreadsheets and data.
If your tenant does not have Copilot at all, these changes do not alter anything for you. The same file-sharing review is still worth doing.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a roadmap date is a promise. Microsoft's roadmap is a plan, and entries change.
- Letting the feature arrive first and the sharing review come later.
- Treating a Copilot-built dashboard as verified because it looks polished.
- Forgetting that mobile users are included. The iPhone feature means editing happens outside the office, on personal or company phones, so a mobile device policy should cover it.
When to get help
If you are unsure what a Copilot licence covers in your tenant, which sites are shared too widely, or how to set up a pilot, our engineers can review your Microsoft 365 setup and walk through AI integration options with you. To talk it through, contact Summit Networks through our contact page.