Micro-Automation: Taming Excel with a Copilot-Generated Macro

Here’s a small but impactful win that perfectly illustrates the power of leveraging AI for practical, everyday tasks.

The What: The Problem

I ran into a formatting roadblock after downgrading my Protein Metrics software for a project. The older version’s Excel export was missing a blank row required before every plot for our data upload system. I was faced with a choice: either go through a tedious cycle of re-configuring settings, re-exporting, and re-analyzing the data, or manually insert hundreds of blank rows. Neither seemed like a good use of time.

The So What: The Solution & Impact

I used Microsoft Copilot to generate a VBA macro to perform this task automatically. The result:

• Saved 288 manual actions (96 plots x ~3 clicks/scrolls each).
• Avoided a time-consuming re-export and re-analysis cycle.
• Eliminated the risk of a formatting rejection due to the missing spacer rows.
• Created a reusable micro-automation that I and others can use for future files.

The Now What: The Takeaway

If you’re still performing repetitive, mechanical tasks in Excel, try prompting an AI assistant like Copilot for a macro. The first small win is crucial—it builds the muscle and confidence to make future, more complex automations feel approachable instead of overwhelming.