It is the helpful tool that can be used to improve productivity, answer questions and even perform certain tasks, but if you are not fully comfortable with Microsoft Copilot you are more than likely not using it to its full potential.
The premium version, which is available to Microsoft 365 users, has a few perks that can be great for business use, such as Microsoft 365 integration which allows the AI to create, edit and improve whatever it is you are working on in Outlook, Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint and Word.
Copilot is based on a custom version of GPT-4, the same version that the famous AI company, OpenAI, uses for ChatGPT.
Since Microsoft has heavily invested in OpenAI, you will notice similarities in the way that the bot answers you when you ask a question or when you ask it to write something.
Before we get into how you can successfully use Copilot, keep in mind that all AI should be used as a tool and not as a replacement of labour. While AI is incredibly helpful for boosting productivity and reducing mistakes, it is far from perfect and will always need that human touch.
How to Use Microsoft Copilot in your Business
Interacting with Copilot is a breeze if you already have a little experience working with ChatGPT.
To get Copilot going, you need to prompt it, which means you need to talk to it by asking it questions or by asking it to do something.
Copilot has a lot more features than ChatGPT and it can access the web and through doing so give you suggestions or point you to helpful references.
If this is your first time using the programmes, start by using its “ask me anything” text box. Here, the bot will give you some suggestions to help you along.
When the programme responds to your request, it will end off by giving you a couple of useful follow up questions. Copilot will also give you a list of links to sources applicable to your prompt.
To get more specific with your prompts, here are a couple of things you can do:
- Customise your Copilot’s Answer Style
Ask it to be more creative, more precise or more balanced simply by clicking on a “choose a conversation style” option. Copilot will remember your preferences so anything you ask it in future will be in your preferred style.
- Ask it to draft a page of content
Whether it is for a project or an email, Copilot can help you create content (although a word of caution; Microsoft has been caught in accusations of copying content from other sites, and if you choose to use the content if gives you without double checking or editing it, you could be accused of plagiarism.)
To prompt a task like this, you can give Copilot access to your files, to use as a base for your content, and then ask it something like this “Using the information in [name of files], draft a description for [Project X]. Write it in a style that anyone can understand.”
- Use it to condense data
If you are working on a large project, with many people involved, or if you have been away for a while and you need to quickly catch up, you can ask Copilot to give you a quick write up of the information you need.
To prompt this sort of task here’s what you should say,“Please give me a full summary of the team’s communications over the last 30 days on [Project X]. What is the project timeline and what are the team’s current priorities?”
You can also ask Copilot to give you the necessary email communications.
- Get Creative
If you are the person in charge of presentations, project plans and spread sheets, you can use Copilot to “generate formula suggestions”, “draft a business plan”, or “create a presentation”. You will need to give Copilot access to the data related to whatever you want to create. The programme will then use the applicable app, such as Excel, PowerPoint or Word, to fulfil the task.
Remember, Copilot thrives on collaboration. The more you guide it with clear instructions and context, the better it will assist you in crafting professional content and streamlining your workflow.
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