Efficiency on steroids

Many people aren’t sure which AI tools can be safely used at work. Concerns about data security, compliance with company policy, or simply a lack of knowledge about available options mean that the potential of AI often remains untapped in the professional sphere.

Interestingly, you might even find that your organization already has an advanced AI tool that has gone through all the necessary security procedures and has been officially approved for use – Microsoft 365 Copilot. The probability isn’t low at all, as large companies often receive this tool as part of the Microsoft package. However, many employees still don’t use it at all, or only utilize its basic functions. Often, it was only after a Copilot traning that I heard comments: “Gosh, how did we even manage without this?”.

Before we dive into its specific features, I’d like to bust one myth that my clients often repeat. So, those who usually don’t have access to Microsoft tools at work say they’ve seen Copilot on a publicly available website, tested it, and think it’s not useful. As it turns out, they usually mean Copilot in the general version, not Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Microsoft offers different versions of the Copilot tool – tailored to various user needs:

• Microsoft Copilot – available at https://copilot.microsoft.com/, a publicly available AI assistant designed for everyday use. It enables users to gather information, answers questions, provides suggestions, and can serve as an aid in daily tasks.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot – an advanced AI tool integrated with Microsoft 365 suite applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. Its main goal is to boost productivity in the workplace by helping with content creation, data analysis, preparing presentations, and managing communication and teamwork.

We’ll focus on the latter.

Use case 1: Good bye to reading emails

Yes, Copilot can read messages for you. Over the past six months, I’ve been starting my workday by asking to analyze the latest emails and prepare a list of all the tasks that need my attention. I ended the day with another request to check the emails that had come in, along with a brief summary of urgent matters and things that can wait until tomorrow. Copilot enables managers and team leaders to quickly get a personalized summary of priority messages without diving deep into them.

I mostly used the email summaries through the Microsoft Teams app as well. Just open a new chat and add Copilot as a participant.

Examples of prompts that transformed my workday

Prompt for starting the workday:

Prompt for finishing the workday:

Prompt after returning from vacation:

Use case 2: Forget about taking notes and focus on the conversation

Copilot can prepare meeting notes for you. It automatically captures info on project progress, milestones, and potential obstacles. You no longer have to choose between actively participating in the meeting and accurately documenting its proceedings.

Moreover, after the meeting, you can ask Copilot additional questions about specific parts of the discussion – for example, inquire about the details of agreements or check what exactly someone said. It’s like having a personal assistant who not only takes notes but also helps draw the most important conclusions and plan subsequent steps.

Useful prompts in different situations

When you’re late for a meeting:

During the meeting (prompts for a more effective discussion):

Prompt for the end of the meeting:

Use case 3: Find documents from years ago in a flash

Anyone who works in a large organization knows this pain – there’s definitely that one specific document somewhere on the company drive, but finding it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. How many times have you wasted long hours, opening dozens – or even hundreds – of files just to find the right one? I’ve experienced this myself many times. But I don’t have to anymore.

The best part is that Copilot not only finds documents, but can also instantly answer questions about their contents – without needing to open each file. That saves an incredible amount of time, especially when you’re looking for specific information, not just the document itself. The time you save on searching for documents can be spent on more important matters.

Example prompts for document search

General prompt:

Detailed prompt (example):

Prompt to narrow down results:

Use case 4: Quickly analyze differences in documents

What if you have two versions of a similar document and want to quickly compare them? I’ve struggled with comparing document versions many times myself, and I know how helpful Copilot was, easily catching differences even in long, complex documents.

Example prompts in different situations

Prompt for document comparison:

Prompt for a detailed analysis of changes:

Use case 5: Use your personal data analyst on demand

The program can also help you out when you receive a large Excel file just before a meeting and you don’t have time to analyze it. Regardless of whether you need to delve into the data or quickly track overall trends, Copilot will present key insights to you in minutes
and help visualize the data in the most accessible way.

Example prompts in different situations

Prompts for a quick data analysis

Prompts for a detailed analysis:

Prompts for visualization:

Use case 6: Find inspiration and creative solutions with AI

In addition to the typical assistant tasks of summarizing, extracting and checking, Copilot can also participate when creative or strategic work is necessary. I’ve often grappled with my mind going blank before important presentations. In such moments, I usually spent a lot of time searching the internet or pestering my team members for advice. Now you can just describe your issue in the prompt, and Copilot will help find the best solution.

The possibility to quickly consult with a virtual colleague who always has time for us and quite a decent information background is invaluable. Whether it’s preparing for tough conversations with clients, planning complex projects or seeking creative solutions – I can always count on a fresh perspective and insightful suggestions. Moreover, it often suggests ideas and perspectives that I wouldn’t have thought of myself.

Example prompts in different situations

When you need structure:

When you’re looking for creative solutions:

When you’re preparing for a conversation:

When you need to organize your thoughts:

The examples I presented in this article are just the tip of the iceberg of the possibilities offered by AI-supported assistants, in this case by Microsoft Copilot. However, the key to success is being open to experimentation and gradually discovering how such a tool can best support our individual needs and working style, including its efficiency. In an era where time is becoming the most valuable resource, Copilot could allow us to focus on what truly matters – creative thinking and strategic action.

Weaknesses

Despite Copilot’s wide range of functions and capabilities, there are some limitations worth considering.

1. Restrictions imposed by IT administrators and lack of integration with some applications

Companies can control the availability and range of Copilot features for their employees. IT administrators have the ability to enable, disable or restrict certain features depending on the needs of the organization.

Besides, Copilot is not integrated with all specialized applications and services.

2. Limitations in generating creative content

Although Copilot can assist in content creation, its capabilities in creative writing or graphic design are limited compared to tools specifically designed for these purposes.

3. Access to data and permissions

Copilot can only access the information that the user has been authorized to access. If some data is stored outside the Microsoft ecosystem or simply has not been shared with you, Copilot won’t be able to use it either.

4. Limitations in analyzing complex data

Although Copilot can analyze data in Excel and generate conclusions, it doesn’t mean it can handle well very complex data sets or specialized analyses.