Tips & Tricks for Copilot for Microsoft 365

A disorganised inbox can quickly become confusing. With Copilot in Outlook and the right rules and categories, managing emails becomes much easier. Here's how to do it

1. Open Outlook and click on the Copilot icon in the top right corner.
2. Select 'Organise my inbox' from the drop-down menu.
3. Enter details in the prompt field, e.g.: "Create a rule to categorise all emails from John Doe as blue."

Outlook will then automatically create the rule. By categorising emails according to sender or subject, you can maintain an overview and avoid overlooking important messages. Colour coding also ensures greater clarity.

Have you already compiled all the information for a presentation in a Word document or PDF file? Instead of laboriously transferring it to slides, you can use Copilot in PowerPoint to do this automatically. Here's how it works:

1. Open PowerPoint and click on the Copilot icon in the Home tab.
2. Select the option "Create presentation from file" and locate your Word or PDF document.
3. After selection, Copilot analyses the content, applies suitable layouts and even creates speaker comments.

Well-structured Word documents work particularly well. Use Word style sheets to clearly define the structure. If you want to include images in your presentation, you should insert them into the Word document beforehand. This will save you a lot of time and ensure your presentation looks professional.

Microsoft Loop is a powerful collaboration tool that makes it easy to share content and work together. With Copilot in Loop, you can create a work plan for your project directly. These two steps are required:

• Create a new Loop page and open Copilot by selecting the 'Set up your page with Copilot' button at the bottom of the page.
• Enter a clear prompt, for example: "I want to plan a major event on 20 November to kick off the holiday sales season. Create a work plan with actions, responsible parties, progress and next steps."

In just a few seconds, Copilot creates a clear table that provides you with an ideal starting point for event planning. You can then customise this table with specific details to ensure that you are well organised.

Important information can easily get lost in meetings, especially when you are focused on the conversation. Copilot in Teams supports you by automatically creating a transcript of your meeting. Here's how it works:

• During the Teams meeting, click on the Copilot icon and select 'Start transcription'.
• Copilot records all discussed content so that you have a detailed record later on.

This feature allows you to concentrate fully on the conversation without having to take notes. After the meeting, you can also have Copilot create a concise summary:

• Open the recording in Teams and click on the Copilot icon.
• Enter a prompt, for example: "Summarise the key points and tasks from today's meeting."

Copilot creates a short summary that you can enter into your CRM system or use for follow-up via email.

When your inbox is overflowing, a quick summary of the latest emails can be very helpful. This is exactly where Copilot in Outlook can assist you:

1. Click on the Copilot icon in the top right corner.
2. Enter the following in the command line: "Catch me up on emails from the past day. Organise and summarise by topic."

Copilot summarises all relevant messages for you and sorts them by topic. This allows you to quickly get an overview and decide which emails require your immediate attention.

One of Copilot's greatest strengths is not only its ability to complete tasks quickly, but also its ability to encourage you to view challenges from new perspectives. Copilot can help you question traditional assumptions and develop innovative approaches – whether you are facing a complex problem or need new ideas:

• Start an iterative conversation with Copilot. Ask questions, adjust your inputs, and refine your goals.
• For example, you can ask Copilot to develop different hypotheses or solutions for a complex marketing strategy.

Copilot not only helps you find answers, but also encourages you to think outside the box and question your own assumptions. This helps you develop an even more effective strategy.

If you want to find out who your current competitors are, Copilot can make this task easier for you. Even if you already have a rough idea, Copilot can help you discover new market entrants or niche providers. Here's how to do it:

• Open your internet browser and navigate to bing.com or use Microsoft Edge.
• Click on the Copilot icon and enter a query, such as: "Who are my competitors in the field of [your industry or product]?" (Example: "Who are my competitors in the field of IT services in Bavaria?")

Copilot searches the web and compiles a list of relevant competitors, including their websites and brief descriptions. You can use this list for more in-depth research or ask Copilot further questions, such as: "What are the strengths and weaknesses of [competitor name]?" or "How does [competitor name] market its products?"

Once you have compiled a list of your competitors, it can be useful to compare them based on various criteria. An overview of your competitors' strengths and weaknesses will give you valuable insights into how you can improve your own product or service:

1. Return to your conversation with Copilot and enter the command: "Create a table listing the strengths of [competitor name] in the area of [your industry or product]."

Copilot creates a table displaying the names of competitors as columns and criteria (e.g., quality, price, customer service, innovation) as rows. You can insert this table into a document, open it in Excel, or ask Copilot to export it as an image or PDF.