Check a table for anomaliesCheck a table for anomalies

The situation

The export from accounting is about to go to your external accountant. You cannot see by eye whether it contains duplicate rows or empty fields.

The cut

After

Goal: Check the attached table for anomalies. Do not change anything.

Context: It is an export from our system. I am checking it before I pass it on.

Source: Only the attached file, worksheet [Worksheet, e.g. name of the sheet]. Do not use any knowledge from the web.
Check these points:
1. Duplicate rows.
2. Empty fields in the columns [Column A] and [Column B].
3. Values that differ strongly from the rest of the column [Column C].
4. Dates that are not in the format DD.MM.YYYY.

Expectations: A table with the columns Row number, Column and Finding. Below it, one sentence saying how many rows you checked. If there is anything you cannot check, say so explicitly.

No add-on license, in Microsoft Copilot Chat with file upload. Without a copy button: select the text and copy it with Ctrl+C.

How to use it

1. Upload the file to Microsoft Copilot Chat.
2. Fill in the sheet and column names from your file, then send.
3. Verify two or three hits in the original file before you rely on the list.

How to spot a good answer

• A list of findings with row number, column and finding.
• One sentence saying how many rows were checked.
• An explicit note if something could not be checked.

The check

Check a file with a known duplicate. If it is missing from the list of findings, the list is not reliable.

Limits

• File uploads have limits. The Microsoft page we checked gives no specific numbers, so none are listed here.
• The findings are pointers, not an audit. Verify two or three hits in the original file before you rely on them.
• According to Microsoft, Microsoft Copilot Chat (Basic) does not include access to Copilot in Excel. That is why the basic form works with a file uploaded to the chat.

Sources

Microsoft Learn: Write effective prompts to achieve optimal results, Microsoft Learn: Overview of Microsoft Copilot Chat, Microsoft Learn: Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Copilot Chat. As of October 15, 2026.

Mark as practiced

Prefer to practice with guidance? Live course “Copilot Ninja in 4 Wochen” (in German) at the Power Platform Academy

Pass it on

Basic form from the PowerPlatformAcademy Dojo: Check a table for anomalies. Duplicates, empty fields and outliers come back with row numbers. Free to copy, with a source on Microsoft Learn.

https://copilot.ninja/en/techniken/tabelle-pruefen/

Combo