MC960802 - Microsoft Excel for the web: Python in Excel will be generally available starting in early 2025

Python in Excel allows you to bring the capabilities of Python directly into the Microsoft Excel grid. In September 2024, Python in Excel with standard compute became generally available to all eligible users with access to Excel for Windows. With this upcoming rollout, Python in Excel will also be generally available in Microsoft Excel for the web for all eligible users.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 471001.

When this will happen:

General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-January 2025 and expect to complete by late March 2025.

How this will affect your organization:

Before this rollout, Python in Excel is only available to eligible users with access to Excel for Windows. After this rollout, eligible users with access to Excel for the web will be able to add Python formulas to their workbooks without any installation required. These Python formulas will be run by Excel in a secure container on the Microsoft Cloud with enterprise-level security and with standard compute. With this release, eligible Excel for the web users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license will also be able to use the Copilot in Excel with Python feature, enabling them to leverage the capabilities of AI and Python in Excel for deeper data analysis.

Note: A Python in Excel add-on license gives users premium Python compute for faster calculation times for more powerful data analysis. Some premium Python compute will be included in each user’s Microsoft 365 subscription each month, giving users limited access to faster calculation speeds. After they have used all of their included premium compute, they can continue to use the Python in Excel feature with standard Python compute or choose to purchase or request a Python in Excel add-on license from in-app prompts.

If you would like users in your organization to have full access to premium Python compute, you can purchase and assign them a Python in Excel add-on license in the Microsoft 365 admin center. The Python in Excel add-on license is also offered as a self-service purchased product, which means that eligible end users will be able to request a license or purchase a license through in-app prompts in Excel for the web. Learn more about self-service purchases.

If you have disabled self-service purchases in your tenant, the end user will instead be able to submit a license request to you. These grouped notifications will appear in the Microsoft 365 admin center and you can manage these requests in the Requests tab on the Licenses page. Learn more: Manage self-service license requests in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn.

The Python in Excel feature is enabled by default.

An example of Python formulas in an Excel workbook:

What you need to do to prepare:

• To learn more about Python in Excel, please review the Python in Excel documentation. For specific information around data security, visit: Data security and Python in Excel - Microsoft Support
• As an admin, you still maintain visibility and control over the Python in Excel add-on licenses in your tenant. You can view licenses purchased by users in the Microsoft 365 admin center at Billing > Your Products. You will be able to take control of licenses purchased by users and manage them as you would any other license in your tenant.
• Learn more about how admins can manage self-service purchase for the Python in Excel add-on, including how to opt out: Manage self-service license requests in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn.

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no admin action required before the rollout. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation.