The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed how businesses analyse and present data. Microsoft Copilot in Power BI is an advanced AI-powered tool that automates report creation, data interpretation, and anomaly detection, making data analysis more intuitive and accessible for all users—regardless of their technical expertise.
1. What is Microsoft Copilot in Power BI?
Microsoft Copilot is an advanced AI assistant that is part of the Microsoft ecosystem and is used in many applications, including Power BI. In the context of Power BI, Copilot acts as a tool supporting users in data analysis, report generation, and interpretation of results without the need to manually create queries or configure visualisations. It allows users to communicate with data in a natural way – by entering questions in English – and then automatically generates appropriate reports and insights. With it, you can build dashboards, analyse trends, and quickly respond to market changes without needing to know DAX or M coding.
Microsoft has chosen to integrate Copilot with Power BI in response to the needs of companies aiming to automate and simplify data analysis. The tool is designed to accelerate business processes, reduce human error, and support strategic, data-driven decisions.
2. How to Access Copilot in Power BI?
Copilot in Power BI is available to users with a Power BI Premium or Power BI Pro licence and access to Microsoft Fabric. To activate Copilot, your organisation’s administrator must enable it in the Microsoft Fabric settings. Copilot is being rolled out in preview across regions, so some users may not yet have access to it.
2.1 How to Enable Copilot in Power BI?
- Log in to the Power BI Service as an administrator.
- Navigate to Admin Settings.
- Locate the Copilot option under the Microsoft Fabric section.
- Enable Copilot for the organisation and assign access to users.
3. What are the Features of Copilot in Power BI?
Microsoft Copilot in Power BI offers a wide range of functionalities that enhance data analysis, reporting, and business decision-making. Its main advantage lies in the use of artificial intelligence to automate analytical processes, removing the need for manual report preparation or the analysis of complex queries.
Copilot integrates with the Power BI interface, allowing users to interact using natural language. Here are the key features that make Copilot a powerful analytical tool:
3.1 Report Generation Using Natural Language Queries
Copilot enables users to create reports without needing to manually define data sources, choose visualisations, or configure filters. Simply enter a question, such as “Show me sales by region for the last three months,” and Copilot will automatically generate the relevant report and adjust the data formatting. Users can also edit reports with simple text commands, such as “Add a line chart to the report” or “Change the X-axis to sales dates.”
3.2 Automated Narrative Generation and Insights Interpretation
Copilot not only creates visualisations but also provides descriptive summaries of key insights from the analysis. This feature helps users to quickly understand trends and anomalies in the data without having to conduct in-depth analysis. For example, if a report shows a sudden increase in sales in one region, Copilot might generate a comment such as, “Sales in the North region increased by 15% last quarter, mainly due to increased orders from B2B customers.”
3.3 Visualisation Recommendations
Copilot assists users in selecting the most suitable method for visualising data by analysing the report’s structure and the nature of the dataset. If a user is unsure how best to present their data, Copilot can suggest various types of charts and tables. For instance, when analysing sales trends, it may recommend a line chart or column chart, while for demographic data, a heat map or pie chart might be more appropriate.
3.4 Trend and Anomaly Detection
Copilot applies AI algorithms to identify unusual patterns and deviations in the data. This allows users to automatically pinpoint areas that require attention, such as sudden drops in revenue, rising operational costs, or irregular sales figures. Copilot not only highlights these anomalies but also suggests possible causes and actions to explain or address them.
3.5 Automatic Correlation Analysis Between Data Sets
Using AI, Copilot can analyse relationships between different variables within a dataset and identify correlations that may impact business outcomes. For example, Copilot might reveal that an increase in website visits corresponds with a rise in order volume over a specific period. This enables companies to adjust their marketing and sales strategies based on real evidence.
3.6 Predictive Analytics Support
Although Copilot is not a full substitute for advanced machine learning tools, it does offer some predictive analytics features. For instance, Copilot can use historical sales data to forecast future buying trends and identify potential risks linked to demand fluctuations. Finance teams can leverage this feature for budgeting and inventory planning.
3.7 Integration with Microsoft Fabric and Other Services
Copilot is fully integrated with the Microsoft Fabric ecosystem, enabling it to draw from multiple data sources such as Azure Data Lake, OneLake, and Microsoft Dataverse. This gives users a more comprehensive view of the organisation and allows them to create reports using data from various systems.
3.8 Team Collaboration and Interactive Analytics Sessions
Copilot supports teamwork by allowing real-time collaborative editing of reports and sharing of insights. Users can ask questions in an interactive session and dynamically adjust reports to suit the team’s needs. This enhances report creation efficiency and speeds up decision-making.
3.9 Personalised Results and User Preferences
Copilot learns from user behaviour, gradually improving the precision of its suggestions and analysis. Users can personalise report generation by defining preferences for formatting, the depth of analysis, and the presentation of data.
3.10 Advanced Query Handling and Data Filtering
Copilot allows users to pose more complex questions, including those with advanced filtering criteria. For example, a user could ask, “Show me sales only to customers in the UK technology sector who placed an order in the past six months and whose order value exceeded £10,000.” Copilot will instantly generate a report showing only the relevant data. These features make Copilot in Power BI an indispensable tool for companies seeking to maximise the value of their data and make informed decisions based on solid analysis. Its versatility makes it useful for both data scientists and business managers who need fast access to critical insights.
Microsoft Copilot in Power BI offers a wide range of functionalities that make working with data easier:
- Reporting – Users can type queries in natural language, and Copilot generates visualisations and recommendations.
- Automatic narrative generation – Copilot analyses data and presents key findings in a narrative format.
- Identifying trends and anomalies – AI scans data and detects unusual patterns.
- Visualisation suggestions – Suggests the best ways to present data.
- Interactive dataset queries – Users can ask questions without having to write DAX code.
4. What are the Limitations of Copilot in the Basic Version?
The preview version of Copilot in Power BI has several limitations:
- Supports English only.
- Can generate reports for specific data types only.
- Requires activation by an administrator.
- Available in selected regions only.
- Does not support all complex data models.
5. Example Prompts for Copilot in Power BI
Users can ask Copilot questions such as:
- “Create a sales report for the last three months by region.”
- “Show me a revenue trend chart for this year.”
- “What were the biggest changes in financial results last quarter?”
- “Find anomalies in last month’s sales data.”
6. How Much Does Copilot in Power BI Cost?
Copilot in Power BI is included in Power BI Premium and Power BI Pro licences. Currently, it is available in a preview
version, and pricing details may change as new features are introduced.
Microsoft may introduce additional licensing options in the future for more advanced users.
7. Examples of AI and Copilot Applications in Business
7.1 Power BI and Copilot in Marketing
Copilot in Power BI enables marketing companies to analyse the performance of advertising campaigns in real time. This allows them to identify which channels are performing best, which customer segments are converting most effectively, and where marketing budgets are being used least efficiently. For example, an e-commerce company can use Copilot to track advertising performance across platforms, automatically generating comparative reports that help optimise budgets.
7.2 Power BI and Copilot in Finance
Finance departments can use Copilot to create budget forecasts and analyse cash flows. The tool can automatically detect anomalies in financial data, such as unexpected increases in expenses or irregular cash inflows. In the banking sector, Copilot can support the analysis of credit indicators and generate reports on the financial stability of customers, which speeds up the credit decision-making process.
7.3 Power BI and Copilot in Sales
Sales teams can use Copilot to monitor sales performance and optimise sales strategies. The system allows for quick reporting on top- and bottom-selling products, customer purchasing trends, and sales seasonality. This enables sales managers to make more informed decisions about pricing and inventory planning.

8. Power BI Solutions from TTMS
At Transition Technologies MS (TTMS), we specialise in delivering comprehensive analytics solutions based on Power BI. Our services include designing, implementing, and optimising reports and dashboards tailored to your organisation’s needs. By working with our experts, y ou can fully leverage AI-powered tools like Microsoft Copilot to enhance business efficiency and make data-driven decisions faster. Find out more at https://ttms.com/uk/power-bi/
Can Copilot in Power BI be used for real-time data analysis?
Yes, Copilot can process and analyze near real-time data, provided the dataset is connected to a live data source. However, response times may depend on the complexity of queries and the refresh rate of the data source.
Is Copilot in Power BI available on mobile devices?
Copilot functionalities are primarily designed for the desktop and web versions of Power BI. While you can view and interact with reports on mobile devices, full Copilot capabilities may not yet be fully supported.
Can Copilot generate DAX formulas automatically?
Yes, Copilot can assist in generating DAX formulas based on natural language queries. It helps users create complex calculations without deep knowledge of DAX, improving efficiency in report development.
How does Copilot ensure data security when processing reports?
Copilot adheres to Microsoft’s enterprise security standards, ensuring that all processed data remains within the organization’s security framework. It does not store or share sensitive data outside of the Power BI environment.
Can Copilot be customized to specific business needs?
While Copilot operates on general AI principles, it adapts to user interactions over time, improving recommendations. Future updates may include more customization options to align with specific business processes and reporting standards.
What is Microsoft Fabric?
Microsoft Fabric is a comprehensive cloud-based analytics platform designed to integrate, process, and analyze data within a unified environment. It combines various Microsoft data services, such as Azure Data Factory, Power BI, Synapse Analytics, and Data Lake, providing businesses with a flexible and scalable data management solution.
Key Features of Microsoft Fabric:
- Lakehouse Architecture – Enables storing and analyzing large datasets in a Data Lake without the need for data movement.
- Power BI Integration – Simplifies the creation of interactive reports and analytics based on data stored in Fabric.
- Built-in AI Capabilities – Supports predictive analytics, automated data processing, and anomaly detection.
- OneLake – A central data repository that eliminates duplication and provides unified data access.
- Support for ETL and ELT – Facilitates efficient data processing and transformation for advanced analytics.
- Security and Compliance – Advanced data protection mechanisms compliant with corporate standards and legal regulations.
With Microsoft Fabric, businesses can collect, process, analyze, and visualize data within a single ecosystem, enabling data-driven decision-making and accelerating digital transformation.