Copilot’s power is in how you use it
Microsoft 365 Copilot is one of the most powerful tools in the modern workplace, but it’s also one of the most underused. Many users are only scratching the surface, relying on it for basic drafting or summaries. Copilot can do much more, and when it’s used well, the productivity gains are real and measurable.
With the right prompts and practical know-how, Copilot shifts from being a novelty to a genuine performance advantage, saving time, improving focus, and driving more value from every workday.
That’s why we have designed an expert-backed ‘how to’ guide to help you go beyond the basics. Whether you're a day-to-day Microsoft 365 user or rolling out Copilot across your organisation, you’ll find practical advice, shortcuts, and tips to help you get more done faster and smarter.
7 pro tips to get more from Microsoft Copilot
Many users don’t realise just how much more productive Microsoft Copilot becomes with a few adjustments to how it’s used. Drawing on real-world deployments and hands-on training, these proven strategies help unlock the full value of Copilot in Microsoft 365.
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1. Lead prompts with a clear outcome
- The most effective prompts begin with a clear intent. Rather than issuing vague instructions, define the result you want Copilot to deliver. For example, instead of asking Copilot to “write a summary,” prompt it to “create a summary for an executive stakeholder with three key takeaways and a recommendation.” This approach guides the AI’s output and ensures relevance.
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2. Add context to supercharge accuracy
- Context strengthens Copilot’s responses. Referencing recent documents, meeting notes or previous conversations gives the AI a framework to work within. Prompting with specific details, such as referencing a recent Teams discussion or attaching relevant content, helps Copilot produce more targeted and actionable results.
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3. Standardise prompts for repeatable tasks
- Many organisations benefit from developing reusable prompt templates for recurring activities. For instance, preparing board updates, sales follow-ups or incident summaries can all follow structured patterns. Defining standard prompt language for these workflows creates consistency, saves time, and reduces variation across teams.
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4. Refine and improve every draft
- Copilot’s initial output should be treated as a starting point. It’s important to review, refine and re-prompt when necessary. Asking Copilot to adjust tone, shorten content, or focus on specific elements improves the quality of the final result. The ability to iterate quickly is one of Copilot’s strongest advantages when used deliberately.
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5. Use Copilot to frame the content structure
- Starting from a blank page is inefficient. Copilot can generate content structures such as outlines, talking points, tables, or headings to accelerate the drafting process. This is particularly useful for presentations, reports, or emails that require clear structure from the outset.
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6. Apply formatting instructions to improve delivery
- Copilot isn’t limited to generating content; it can also enhance presentation and clarity. Incorporating formatting requests (e.g. tables, lists, structured sections) into your prompt helps turn raw output into polished material with minimal manual editing.
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7. Embed Copilot across the meeting lifecycle
- When integrated into the meeting workflow, Copilot becomes a valuable productivity partner. It can assist with preparation by summarising background material, support participation with real-time notes and actions, and accelerate follow-up by drafting recaps or next-step emails. Using Copilot consistently before, during and after meetings helps ensure that decisions are captured, communicated and acted on.
Why these tips work and why most users miss them
In our experience rolling out Microsoft Copilot across diverse teams, the biggest gap isn’t technical, it’s behavioural. Most users don’t prompt with enough clarity or provide the context Copilot needs to deliver meaningful results. They often treat it like a search engine or try it once without a clear outcome in mind.
Copilot isn’t magic. It’s a productivity assistant. And like any assistant, it works best when given structure, purpose and feedback.
The tips we’ve outlined above come directly from real-world enterprise usage, from teams that have moved beyond experimentation and are now embedding Copilot into how they work.
Used correctly, these practices improve speed, accuracy and consistency across emails, reports, meetings, analysis and more. They also reduce friction, because teams know what to ask, how to ask it, and how to refine what they get back.
Ultimately, it’s not just about using Copilot. It’s about knowing how to use it well.
Frequently Asked Questions
AI can save time, if you guide it right
The real value of Microsoft 365 Copilot is in the day-to-day gains. Small improvements in how it’s used can translate into significant time savings across your entire team.
When you prompt with purpose, provide context, and refine the results, Copilot becomes far more than a writing tool. It becomes a consistent productivity partner across meetings, documents, inboxes and spreadsheets.
The most successful teams work faster, collaborate better and unlock real value from their Microsoft 365 investment. AI won’t replace the work. But it will help you get through it faster with less manual effort and more impact.
Download our Copilot e-book for a practical guide to enterprise adoption, team training, and achieving real business ROI with Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Or contact us about enablement sessions to get your people up to speed and using Copilot with confidence.
