Ignite Productivity with Microsoft 365 Copilot

We’ve all been there. 

You’re huddled in a meeting room, feverishly brainstorming and sharing ideas. The digital lead passionately discusses tactics to include in the product launch strategy. You try to add your thoughts, waiting patiently for a pause in discussion. Working through new strategies and spending time with your team makes being in the office valuable. 

And for advocates calling for the end of working from home – the thrashing out of ideas on-site is the cornerstone of their argument for employees to return. 

But has the launch of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and Bard challenged the status quo? With advanced capabilities that provide features like generating tactics for business planning, writing emails and developing follow-up checklists – is there a need for sharing ideas in a meeting room on-site anymore?

Or can your business just rely on AI?

ChatGPT, Bard and other AI-based applications are more valuable than automating processes in your business. IT developers are finding ways to level up app features using AI. Many people use them to write business correspondence, build websites, and write scripts for YouTube. 

AI is also rapidly transforming the daily workflow in offices. 

As you know, Microsoft is one of the largest tech companies that provide tools and applications to get work done. It has often been a leader in transformative technology, and it’s announced it will embrace AI by introducing its new tool, Copilot. 

Microsoft 365 Copilot is designed to help users get the most out of their Microsoft 365 apps. Copilot is positioned as an intelligent, personalised assistant. At its core, it will assist users in navigating and using M365 more efficiently.

This article will look at Microsoft 365 Copilot and share how it will improve M365 apps and your business workflows.

Microsoft 365 Copilot: An Overview

Microsoft 365 Copilot is an AI-powered assistant. It helps users with their daily tasks in M365 apps. You can think of it as having a personal assistant in your Office apps. Users can ask questions, get task assistance, and receive personalised recommendations. Copilot responds by leveraging the context of their usage patterns.

Microsoft 365 Copilot works across all M365 apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. 

If you’re doing any number of tasks, Microsoft 365 Copilot will assist you. Copilot can help you with tasks like working on a document, scheduling meetings, or collaborating with a team.

How does Microsoft 365 Copilot work?

Microsoft 365 Copilot uses AI and machine learning to understand users’ needs. It provides personalised help. It uses data from users’ interactions with M365 apps to learn their usage patterns and offers recommendations based on their preferences.

For example, you frequently use certain features in Excel. Microsoft 365 Copilot will learn this. It will offer suggestions when it detects that you’re working on a similar task.

Another example is when you’re working on a PowerPoint presentation and struggling with design. Microsoft 365 Copilot can offer design suggestions based on your company’s brand guidelines.

Microsoft 365 Copilot can also help users with everyday tasks like scheduling meetings and managing emails. Users can ask Copilot for help. They can ask it to schedule an appointment or find an email from a specific person, and Copilot will take care of the rest.

Why would you use Microsoft Copilot?

Copilot will likely become vital to your business as it can improve productivity and efficiency across your teams. The tool can save users time and reduce frustration by providing personalised support.

For example, imagine you’re working on a Word report and need help formatting a table instead of wasting time searching for a solution online or figuring it out on your own with trial and error. You can now ask Microsoft 365 Copilot for help. 

Copilot can offer suggestions or walk you through the process.

Microsoft 365 Copilot is also valuable because it will assist users in getting more out of their M365 apps. Many users will be able to discover features and capabilities of their M365 apps they did not know existed with Copilot to help your team members become more productive and effective.  

Copilot’s capabilities are extensive and powerful. 

For instance, if you need to update your team on a marketing strategy. With Copilot, you won’t need to find emails, chat threads, or meeting notes. Instead, you can ask Copilot to “tell my team how we updated the marketing strategy.” Copilot will then search all those places for you and create an update you can share with your team.

Or if you need a first draft of a meeting agenda or presentation? You will be able to ask Copilot. It can access existing M365 documents and content and create an initial draft for you.

Benefits of Using Microsoft 365 Copilot

Personalised help and guidance

Microsoft 365 Copilot provides personalised help based on learning users’ behaviour and preferences, enabling it to give users the support they need without searching for solutions independently.

Your employees save time

Copilot can help users save time on everyday tasks like scheduling meetings and formatting documents. It can take on many information-gathering jobs, like summarising notes from meetings and video conferences. The impact on your business by eliminating these manual tasks will be significant, as knowledge workers spend an average of 2.5 hours per day searching for information.

Reduced frustration and improved team morale

A clear benefit of Microsoft 365 Copilot will be its ability to provide solutions to users who are frustrated by a task. For example, Copilot can help users struggling with an Excel chart or table. Instead of figuring out how to generate a chart, they can command Copilot.

Improve your productivity

Microsoft 365 Copilot can handle tasks that business apps have traditionally been unable to. Such as asking PowerPoint to create a presentation for you. You can ask Copilot with the command, “Create a ten-slide presentation based on (this) document.” Copilot will even be able to locate appropriate Microsoft stock photos and insert them for you into the presentation. 

Microsoft 365 Copilot – Release Date

At the time of writing, Microsoft has yet to announce a release date. It is currently testing Copilot with an invitation-only preview to 600 users.

However, you can expect to see it released more broadly soon. 

Microsoft 365 Copilot can transform your Melbourne business

We offer expert support and guidance for Microsoft 365, including the upcoming launch of Copilot. Contact us today to learn how we can help improve your business’s productivity, reduce frustration and improve your workplace’s culture.