Kari’s Tip #125: Work Smarter with Microsoft Copilot

Happy Friday!!  

So, I’ve been using Copilot a lot lately, and I’ll be honest—it took me a little while to figure out how it could actually help me. One thing that was important to me from the start: I didn’t want my writing to sound like everyone else’s or like generic AI.

Full disclosure—I also use Grok and ChatGPT at different times for different tasks, depending on what I need.

A few of my clients recently asked for some Copilot tips, so I put together a quick guide and thought I’d share it with you too.

Inside, you’ll find practical ideas for how to use Copilot across several Microsoft 365 apps to save time, stay organized, and get more done.

Ideas of How to Use Copilot (or any other AI tool)

✅ Write and edit content faster
✅ Summarize chats, emails, and documents
✅ Analyze and visualize data
✅ Automate routine tasks
✅ Make decisions with context

• Be specific: Instead of “Summarize,” say “Summarize the last 5 messages.”
• Use context: Mention files, people, or dates to guide Copilot.
• Rephrase if needed: If a prompt doesn’t work, try a different wording.
• Copilot to do—summarize, draft, explain, schedule?

Use natural language. Be clear & specific. 

• “Summarize this document in 3 key points.”
• “Draft an email to the team about the new file structure.”
• “Rewrite this to sound more confident.”
• “What are the key takeaways from this meeting?”

⚠️ Shortcuts may vary depending on your organization’s setup and Copilot version.

💡Use Copilot to:

• Catch up on long chats or meetings
• Draft announcements or replies
• Identify decisions and next steps

🗣️Try saying:

• “Summarize this meeting and list action items.”
• “Draft a follow-up message for this thread.”
• “What decisions were made in this conversation?”
• “Catch me up on unread messages.”

💡Use Copilot to:

• Turn bullet points into full documents
• Rewrite for clarity or tone
• Create templates or proposals

🗣️Try saying:

• “Make this paragraph more concise.”
• “Create a one-page summary from this document.”
• “Draft a policy based on these notes.”

💡Use Copilot to:

• Spot trends in your data
• Build formulas or charts
• Explain complex calculations

🗣️Try saying:

• “What are the top-performing regions this quarter?”
• “Create a line chart showing monthly revenue.”
• “Explain this formula in plain language.”

• “Draft a policy based on these notes.”

💡Use Copilot to:

• Write or reply to emails professionally
• Summarize long email threads
• Schedule meetings or follow-ups

🗣️Try saying:

• “Reply to this email confirming the meeting.”
• “Summarize this email chain in 3 bullet points.”
• “Schedule a follow-up with the sender next week.

📚 Want to Learn More?

You can always find all my Tips and Tricks —including past ones on Teams, Outlook, OneNote, and more—are on my website.

👉www.learningwithkari.com/blog

All my best,

Kari
Microsoft 365 Trainer & Productivity Coach
learningwithkari.com
Helping you save time, get organized, and feel confident using Microsoft 365 tools.

✨ P.S. Have a question or idea for a future tip? Just hit reply — I’d love to hear from you!