5 Practical Copilot Tips for Daily Work Challenges

2023 was a groundbreaking year in generative AI, with users embracing new techniques such as prompting, iteration and “useful error” 🚀. These innovations allowed them to reduce digital debt-that accumulation of data, emails, meetings and notifications that keep us from our real work. The result? Increased productivity, creativity, and saved time, both individually and within organizations 📈.

Along the way, much was learned about how Microsoft’s Copilot will change work. In a survey by Microsoft’s Early Access Program, 70 percent of Copilot users said it made them more productive, and 68 percent said it improved the quality of their work. Early users reported that Copilot helped them finish their work faster: 85 percent said they got a good first draft faster, and 64 percent said it helped them spend less time on email processing.

Here are 5 Copilot tips from the past year.

1. Let Copilot solve the post-meeting mess📝.

Too often no one outlines next steps at the end of a meeting, causing projects to stall. To advance your work, ask Copilot in Microsoft Teams for a list of action items, including who is responsible for each. You can even ask Copilot to send an email to your colleagues with the list to make sure everyone is aware.

2. Get the executive summary every time 📊.

It can feel impossible to keep up with all the documents, presentations and emails you have to read every day. To get the TL;DR, ask Copilot to “explain this document/email/presentation in three sentences.” In seconds, it will look through the document, find the most important information and give you a brief overview.

3. Get meetings in a fraction of the time 📅.

Double booked? That feeling is familiar. If you miss a meeting, ask Copilot in Teams what important points were discussed. Copilot will outline the important points so you can skip that shot at 2x speed. And if you are running late, just ask Copilot, “What did I miss in the meeting so far?” to get a summary of what happened.

4. Quickly make your presentation presentation-ready 💼.

You created a PowerPoint presentation based on a series of documents, emails and spreadsheets. Previously, you would have to go through the presentation slide by slide to make sure everything looked sleek and consistent. Now simply ask Copilot to “make all fonts Segoe UI” or “all headings size 18-point.” Sometimes it’s the smallest things that save you valuable time.

5. Summarizing long email threads 📧.

When you return from time off, that mountain in your inbox can feel like Everest. Instead of reading every email that came in while you were away, use Copilot to quickly summarize a long email thread by selecting “Summary by Copilot.” It will scan the thread to identify key points and final decisions to get you up to date faster. So go ahead, take that PTO day-you’ve earned it.

Bridge the Language Barrier 🌍

Many advanced technology tools were developed with an English-speaking user base in mind, which presents a challenge for non-English speaking users. A simple, yet effective solution is to formulate your questions or commands in English to Copilot, but ask it to deliver the answers or results in Dutch.

This approach leverages the power of Copilot while allowing the user to work in their preferred language. It is a temporary solution that makes the wait for broader language support more pleasant and opens the door to further exploration of Copilot’s capabilities.

Generative AI has brought us closer to a future where technology not only supports but also optimizes our daily work. By incorporating these tips and tricks, we can unlock the full potential of tools like Copilot, regardless of language barriers 🚀.

Examples of Prompts with Ideas:

• “Provide me with a list of action items from our last meeting and assign responsibilities, please reply in Dutch.” That’s how you keep each project moving and make sure everyone contributes.
• “Summarize this email thread into three main points, please reply in Dutch.” Ideal for quickly processing information without missing important details.
• “Update this presentation to a uniform style with Segoe UI font and 18-point headers, please reply in Dutch.” An easy way to bring consistency and professionalism to your presentations.

Conclusion

Copilot from Microsoft is more than a tool; it is an ally in the modern workplace, designed to address everyday work challenges. By using AI for tasks such as organizing action items after meetings and summarizing complex information, Copilot not only boosts productivity but also improves the quality of work. These five simple applications demonstrate how Copilot enables employees to focus on what really matters, paving the way for innovation and creativity. With Copilot, we are well on our way to optimizing our work processes, making every work challenge an opportunity to excel.