Most of us spend more time managing work than doing it. Emails. Meetings. Reports. Updates. The admin never stops.
That’s exactly what Microsoft built Copilot to fix.
It’s part of the Microsoft 365 apps you use, like Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook. It helps you draft content, analyse data, summarize meetings, and manage your inbox.
In this guide, we’ll explore what Copilot can do in each app. You’ll find practical examples and tips to help you achieve more with less effort.
Open Word and click the Copilot icon in the toolbar. From there, you can type a simple prompt, something like:
“Draft a one-page project summary for a client who needs a quick update.”
Copilot builds a first version for you to review. You can adjust the tone (“make it more formal” or “add a friendly opening”), shorten sections, or ask it to rewrite paragraphs for clarity.
If you already have a document in progress, Copilot can summarize key points or rework sections. Try prompts like:
“Summarize this report for a leadership update.”
“Rewrite this section to sound more confident.”
It’s a quick way to clean up language and make complex content easier to digest, especially for exec summaries or client briefs.
Once your draft feels right, Copilot helps tidy things up. It can format headings, suggest better phrasing, or make your tone consistent throughout. Think of it as an extra editor who never gets tired.
If you’re unsure where to begin, ask Copilot, “Suggest an outline for a proposal”. It will give you a structure to fill in, saving you time before you start writing.
Click the Copilot icon and start typing naturally. For example:
“Show me total sales by region for the last six months.”
“Highlight the top five products by revenue.”
Copilot pulls the relevant data, builds a quick chart, and explains what it found - all without you touching a formula. You can keep the conversation going by refining your query:
“Now compare that to the same period last year.”
Need to get beyond raw numbers? Ask Copilot to surface insights:
“What stands out in this data?” or “Where are sales declining the fastest?”
It will summarize key trends or even suggest new visuals to help you see what matters most.
Copilot also helps with scenario planning and forecasting. Try:
“Project next quarter’s revenue if growth continues at the current rate.”
You’ll get instant projections and options to visualize different outcomes. No macros or manual setup.
You can also use Copilot’s explanations as quick training moments for your team. It doesn’t just give you the answer, it often shows how it got there, helping everyone build data confidence.
When a Teams meeting ends, Copilot generates a recap with key discussion points, decisions, and action items. You can ask:
“Summarize the key outcomes from today’s project review.”
“List who’s responsible for each follow-up task.”
“Draft a follow-up email summarising today’s meeting and next steps.”
It’ll pull that straight from the transcript and chat, so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
Missed a part of the conversation? Try:
“What did we decide about the launch date?”
“Were there any blockers mentioned?”
Copilot will search the transcript and summarize what was said in plain language.
Need to find related docs or files mid-call? Ask Copilot:
“Show the latest version of the client proposal.”
It can surface linked files from Teams or SharePoint directly in the meeting.
Instead of scrolling through every message in a chain, ask Copilot:
“Summarize this conversation and tell me what needs a response.”
It’ll highlight the key points, decisions, and any unanswered questions, so you can reply faster and move on.
Copilot can also help you write replies that sound like you. Try prompts such as:
“Draft a response thanking the client and confirming next steps.”
“Reply with a short, professional note agreeing to their proposal.”
You can then review, tweak, and send - saving time without losing your personal tone.
Need to focus on the most important messages first? Copilot can group or flag emails based on urgency, topic, or sender patterns. It’s a simple way to clear the noise and stay on top of what matters most.
Ask, “Summarize today’s key emails from leadership,” and get a quick snapshot before your first meeting.
If you’re using Power BI Premium or have access to Microsoft Fabric, you’ll also find Copilot built right into your data and analytics workspace. (It’s not available on standard Power BI Pro licences yet, so check your access before diving in.)
Copilot in Power BI is like having a data analyst built into your dashboard. You can ask it questions in plain English, and it will create visuals, summaries, or explanations from your data.
Click the Copilot icon in Power BI and type a natural prompt, such as:
“Show total revenue by region over the last 12 months.”
“Compare year-over-year growth by product category.”
Copilot will generate charts, tables, or summaries based on the data in your model. You can refine results by following up with more context, like:
“Add profit margin as a metric.” or “Show this as a bar chart.”
When you already have a report built, Copilot can help you explain what’s going on in it. Try prompts like:
“Summarize the main trends in this dashboard.”
“Explain what’s driving the change in revenue.”
It’s a quick way to pull out takeaways for leadership reports or presentations without spending time writing up commentary.
For report creators, Copilot can help generate visuals from scratch. You might start with a prompt like:
“Create a new report showing quarterly sales performance by region.”
It’ll suggest visuals and fields to include, giving you a structured starting point you can customize.
Even when Copilot builds something for you, you still have full control to edit, refine, or swap visuals.
If you’re new to Copilot in Microsoft 365, the best way to learn is by experimenting. You don’t need to change how you work, just bring Copilot into one task you already do every day.
Start simple:
You’ll start to spot patterns - the kind of requests Copilot handles well, and where a bit of fine-tuning gets the best results. The more you use it, the better you’ll understand how to phrase prompts and when to trust its suggestions.
Over time, it becomes part of your workflow: a quiet assistant that helps you move faster, stay organized, and focus on higher-value work.
Explore what’s possible beyond the built-in tools. You can create custom Copilot Agents or automate workflows. Our Copilot Consultants can guide you on where AI agents fit in your setup and how to begin.