How to Master M365 Copilot: The Top 7 Prompts You Need to Know

Copilot is an AI-powered coding assistant that uses artificial intelligence powered by OpenAI’s Codex, a deep learning system that has been trained on billions of lines of code from public sources. M365 Copilot can work with a variety of programming languages, frameworks, and domains. Copilot can also save time by writing articles, creating PowerPoints, analyzing data on Excel, drafting replies to emails and so much more. In this blog we will cover the Top 7 Prompts you need to know to master Copilot in your everyday workday. We will also highlight how to ensure these prompts are specific to generate goals with context to meet expectations from your day-to-day tasks.

1. Simplify and extract key information with Copilot in Word

This feature provides answers to questions which are either broad or specific about your document. You can get a summary or specific information about the document content, or ask it to generate ideas, tables, or lists that you can copy and insert into your document.

Prompt

Summarize the section on Competitive Analysis in this Word document with a brief overview of the main points to discuss with my team during the tomorrow’s Sales meeting. Please keep the summary to 5 key points and use simple language.

2. Summarize with Copilot in PowerPoint

M365 Copilot in PowerPoint is an AI-powered feature that can help you create, design, and format your slides. You can type in what you intend to convey with your presentation, and Copilot helps you get it done. From the Copilot pane, you can ask to have the presentation summarized or ask questions about the content on the slides.

Prompt

Summarize slides 5-10 in this PowerPoint presentation. Please format the main points as a bulleted list and use a professional tone.

3. Spot trends and visualize data with M365 Copilot in Excel

Microsoft Copilot in Excel helps you do more with your data in Excel tables by generating formula column suggestions, showing insights in charts and PivotTables, and highlighting interesting portions of data. In Excel, select Copilot on the ribbon to open the chat pane. You need to have an Excel table that includes data in a worksheet before using Copilot.

Prompt

Analyze this Excel table. We’re looking for the top selling products from May through August. Please highlight the top selling product for each store and month.

4. Recap key decisions and actions from Teams meetings with Copilot

Copilot in Microsoft Teams enhances collaboration and helps you get the most out of your Teams chats and meetings. Quickly recap, identify follow-up tasks, create agendas, and ask questions for more effective and focused meetings. Summarize key takeaways, see what was missed, and pinpoint key people of interest in chat threads you were added to. All without breaking the flow of discussion. Copilot appears in a panel on the right side of the meeting window. Once the meeting is over, select the meeting in your Teams Calendar. From there, select the Recap tab in your meeting details. You can also access the Copilot panel from the meeting recap to ask questions about the meeting.

Prompt

Recap this Teams meeting. Include the project timeline in a table, any proposed changes from Adele, and the action items assigned to each team member for each milestone.

5. Summarize Email threads with Copilot in Outlook

Copilot in Outlook makes inbox management easier with AI-powered assistance to help you write emails quickly and turn long email threads into short summaries. It combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with Outlook data to help you stay productive in the workplace. It can summarize email threads, pulling out key points from multiple messages. When Summary by Copilot is selected within the context of an email, Copilot automatically provides a summary based on the thread. Common use cases are summarizing a long email to see what decisions have been made and what actions have been suggested by others on the thread.

Prompt

Summarize this email conversation. I need a brief overview of the action items assigned to me from the project plan that was sent on Thursday. Create a table containing all of the action items and assigned owner.

6. Build new slides and agendas with M365 Copilot in PowerPoint

Microsoft Copilot in PowerPoint is an AI-powered feature that can help you create, design, and format your slides. You can type in what you intend to convey with your presentation, and Copilot helps you get it done. Copilot can help you move past that initial blank slide and get you moving in the right direction. To start using Microsoft Copilot in PowerPoint, you can open the Copilot pane via the Copilot icon in the ribbon’s Home tab.

Prompt

Create a new PowerPoint presentation where we will present the product’s features and benefits to potential clients. Please include an overview of the product, its key features and benefits, and a comparison to similar products in the market. Please keep the presentation to 10 slides and use simple language.

7. Rewrite messages and replies for tone using Microsoft Copilot in Outlook

When you have an important email to write and want to feel confident that it effectively conveys your intended message, utilize Copilot for Outlook to convey the correct tone. With Copilot in Outlook, you can get helpful suggestions on how to adjust the tone, clarity, and reader sentiment before you hit send. Select the Copilot icon from the toolbar and choose Coaching by Copilot from the drop-down menu. Copilot reviews your email and offers suggestions on improving the tone, clarity, and reader sentiment. If you like any or all the suggestions, incorporate the feedback into the draft and send your email with confidence.

Prompt

Review this email to our client and make suggestions to improve its clarity and professionalism. Please suggest changes to the email’s subject line, greeting, body text, and closing. Please ensure that the email is concise, free of errors, and uses a professional tone.

In conclusion, M365 Copilot is a significant advancement in how productivity software assists users in their daily tasks. By integrating advanced AI capabilities, Copilot transforms the way users interact with their office applications, providing intelligent assistance that goes beyond simple automation. Copilot empowers users to focus on what truly matters, leading to better decision-making, increased efficiency, and overall enhanced productivity in the workplace. A Microsoft report highlighted that users of Copilot experienced a 30% reduction in the time spent on administrative tasks. Organizations adopting Microsoft Copilot are likely to see substantial improvements in their operations and employee satisfaction, provided they navigate the associated challenges thoughtfully.

If you are considering learning more about how incorporating AI capabilities such as Copilot can transform your workplace, or if you are looking to learn more about a centralized, all-in-one accounting, equipment rental management and operational software solution, contact our team at hi@opendoorerp.com.