Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept, it’s here, and when embraced, can transform the way we work. Microsoft Copilot is one of the most powerful Microsoft tools available to organisations today, designed to seamlessly integrate into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and help employees work smarter. But what exactly can it do for your organisation, and how can you get started?
An overview of Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered assistant, integrating directly into Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams. It understands plain language commands, meaning you don’t need to know formulas, complex functions or special prompts, you simply ask Copilot for what you need. Whether that’s drafting a report, summarising an email thread, or pulling insights from a spreadsheet, Copilot can save you valuable time.
What are the benefits?
The value of Microsoft Copilot lies in its ability to:
- Automate repetitive tasks like drafting emails or updating documents.
- Redefine workflows by removing manual bottlenecks and speeding up processes.
- Streamline operations through AI-driven insights and recommendations.
- Save time and boost productivity, giving your team more capacity to focus on strategy, decision-making, and leadership.
Put simply, Copilot enables businesses to achieve more with fewer resources, all while improving the employee experience.
Practical uses of Microsoft Copilot
Copilot has real-world applications across every department:
- Content creation: Draft reports, build presentations, and create plans in Planner or Loop.
- Meetings: Record discussions in Teams, and automatically generate summaries, action points, and minutes; allowing everyone to be fully present in the meeting, with no more need for note-taking.
- Analysis and reporting: Identify trends, anomalies, or correlations in large datasets.
- Email management: In Outlook, Copilot acts as your personal assistant—sorting, prioritising, and even drafting responses so your inbox no longer feels overwhelming.
- Catch-up summaries: If you’ve been away from work, Copilot can highlight missed updates, emails, or key actions so you’re instantly back on track. Reduce the time spent ‘catching up’.
What are the licensing requirements?
To use Microsoft Copilot, you’ll need to purchase it as an add-on licence to an existing Microsoft 365 plan, such as Business Standard, Business Premium, E3, or E5.
Before rolling it out, it’s important to review data security considerations with your IT provider. Since Copilot works with your organisation’s data, ensuring proper permissions, compliance, and governance are in place is critical.
How to roll Copilot out successfully in your organisation
Introducing Copilot to your workforce requires a planned approach:
- Training: Educate employees on what Copilot can do and how to use it effectively.
- Pilot group: Test with a smaller group of users before rolling it out organisation wide.
- Phased implementation: Implement with your senior leadership team first and then on a by-department basis, to roll out in an organised way.
- Measure success: Track and review productivity improvements, employee feedback, and efficiency gains to understand the real impact.
- Company policy and expectation: Create an AI policy and share this with employees to set out your rules and expectations around the use of AI in the workplace.
Conclusion
Microsoft Copilot has the potential to transform how businesses operate. By automating repetitive tasks, streamlining processes, and unlocking new levels of productivity, it empowers teams to focus on higher-value work. If you’re considering adopting Microsoft Copilot, make sure you have the right licences, evaluate your security posture, and plan a phased rollout supported by training. Done right, Copilot can help your business work faster, smarter, and with greater impact. If you’d like advice about Copilot for your organisation, contact our team today.