Have you ever wished you had a copilot for work? Someone who could help you write documents, analyze data, create presentations, manage emails, and collaborate with your team? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be interested to activate Microsoft Copilot.
In this article, we will show you how to use Microsoft 365 Copilot in different apps, how to enable it in your organization and how to get the most out of it.
What is Microsoft 365 Copilot?
Microsoft Copilot is not just another AI assistant. It is a copilot that works alongside you in the apps you already use every day Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams and more to help you unleash creativity, unlock productivity, and uplevel skills. It can help you draft new documents in Word based on a brief prompt or an outline.
It can help you analyze data in Excel using natural language queries or commands. It can help you design stunning slides in PowerPoint based on your content or theme. It can help you compose emails in Outlook using suggested tones or styles. It can help you collaborate in Teams by summarizing key points and action items from your meetings or chats.
How to Use Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft Copilot is integrated into the apps you already use every day, so you don’t need to switch to a different app or platform to access its capabilities. You can simply type or speak your natural language prompts or commands in the app of your choice, and Copilot will generate the best possible response for you.
Microsoft Word
Word is one of the most popular and powerful word processors in the world, but it can also be one of the most time-consuming and tedious tasks to write documents from scratch, especially if you have to research, format, edit, and proofread them.
With Copilot in Word, you can write documents faster and easier than ever before. You can use Copilot to draft, edit, summarize, and create documents with just a few words or sentences as input. You can also use Copilot to change the tone, style, and content of your documents to suit your audience and purpose.
For example, you can use Copilot to:
- Draft a two-page project proposal based on the data from [a document] and [a spreadsheet].
- Make the third paragraph more concise.
- Change the tone of the document to be more casual.
- Create a one-page summary based on this rough outline.
Copilot will generate the text for you based on your prompt and the information from your data sources and insert it into your document. You can then review, edit, or accept the text as you wish.
Microsoft Excel
Excel is one of the most versatile and powerful spreadsheet applications in the world, but it can also be one of the most complex and intimidating tasks to analyze, visualize, and manipulate data, especially if you have to deal with formulas, charts, tables and pivot tables.
With Copilot in Excel, you can work with data easier and smarter than ever before. You can use Copilot to analyze, visualize, and manipulate data with natural language queries or commands. You can also use Copilot to create formulas, charts, tables, and pivot tables with simple words or phrases as input.
For example, you can use Copilot to:
- Show me the average sales by region for the last quarter.
- Create a pie chart showing the market share of each product category.
- Add a column with the profit margin for each product.
- Create a pivot table with sales by product and month.
Copilot will generate the output for you based on your query or command and the data in your spreadsheet and insert it into your worksheet. You can then review, edit, or accept the output as you wish.
Microsoft PowerPoint
PowerPoint is one of the most widely used and effective presentation applications in the world, but it can also be one of the most challenging and stressful tasks to design, present, and share slides, especially if you have to create content, graphics, animations and transitions.
With Copilot in PowerPoint, you can create presentations faster and better than ever before.You can use Copilot to design, present, and share slides with natural language prompts or commands. You can also use Copilot to generate content, graphics, animations, and transitions with simple words or sentences as input.
For example, you can use Copilot to:
- Create a slide with an overview of our company vision and mission.
- Add a bullet point list of our main products and services.
- Add a photo of our team from [a folder] or [a website].
- Add a transition effect between this slide and the next one.
Copilot will generate the slide for you based on your prompt and the information from your data sources and insert it into your presentation. You can then review, edit, or accept the slide as you wish.
Microsoft Outlook
Outlook is one of the most essential and convenient email applications in the world, but it can also be one of the most overwhelming and repetitive tasks to compose, reply and manage emails, especially if you have to deal with multiple recipients, attachments, subjects and messages.
With Copilot in Outlook, you can handle emails faster and easier than ever before. You can use Copilot to compose, reply, and manage emails with natural language prompts or commands. You can also use Copilot to schedule meetings, tasks, and reminders with simple words or phrases as input.
For example, you can use Copilot to:
- Write an email to [a contact] thanking them for their feedback and asking for a follow-up meeting next week.
- Reply to this email with a brief summary of our project status and next steps.
- Attach [a document] from [a folder] or [a website] to this email.
- Schedule a meeting with [a contact] for tomorrow at 10 am.
Copilot will generate the email for you based on your prompt and the information from your data sources and insert it into your message box. You can then review, edit, or send the email as you wish.
Microsoft Teams
Teams is one of the most collaborative and communicative applications in the world, but it can also be one of the most distracting and chaotic tasks to collaborate, communicate, and meet with your team, especially if you have to deal with multiple channels, chats, calls, and meetings.
With Copilot in Teams, you can work with your team faster and smarter than ever before.You can use Copilot to collaborate, communicate, and meet with your team with natural language prompts or commands. You can also use Copilot to ask questions, get answers, and take actions with simple words or sentences as input.
For example, you can use Copilot to:
- Create a new channel for our project team and add [a contact] and [a contact] as members.
- Send a message to [a channel] or [a contact] with an update on our project progress and challenges.
- Join this meeting and record the audio and video.
- Summarize the key points and action items from this meeting and send them to [a channel] or [a contact].
Copilot will generate the output for you based on your prompt and the information from your data sources and insert it into your chat box or meeting window. You can then review, edit, or accept the output as you wish.
How to Activate Microsoft Copilot in Your Organization
If you are interested in using Microsoft Copilot in your organization, you might be wondering how to activate Microsoft Copilot and what are the requirements and benefits of doing so.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is currently available as an invitation-only, paid preview that is rolling out to a limited number of customers worldwide. This is called the Microsoft 365 Copilot Early Access Program, and it is designed to provide customers with early access to Copilot features and capabilities, as well as feedback and support from Microsoft.
The benefits to activate Microsoft Copilot Early Access Program include:
- Getting access to Copilot features and capabilities before they are generally available.
- Providing feedback and suggestions to Microsoft to help shape the future of Copilot
- Receiving guidance and support from Microsoft to help you use Copilot effectively and responsibly
- Being part of a community of early adopters who share best practices and tips on using Copilot
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Microsoft Copilot is a new feature that combines the power of AI with your data in the Microsoft Graph and the Microsoft 365 apps to turn your words into one of the most powerful productivity tools on the planet. It works alongside you in the apps you already use every day Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more to help you unleash creativity, unlock productivity, and uplevel skills.
We hope this article has given you a clear overview of what is Microsoft Copilot and how to activate Microsoft Copilot. We encourage you to give it a try and see how it can transform your work experience.
How to Activate Microsoft Copilot in Your Microsoft 365 Apps?