Your Guide to Mastering Microsoft 365 Copilot: Unlocking Its Full Power

What is Copilot for Microsoft 365?

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to take center stage in our workflows, Microsoft 365 Copilot has established itself as one of the most groundbreaking innovations in modern office productivity. Based on the webinar organized by NetNordic’s Henrik Lundberg – Technical Project Manager and Change Management Enthusiast – this article summarizes the content of the webinar and gives an overall picture of what it means to master Copilot in Microsoft 365.

The idea with Copilot is to be more than a smart assistant. It’s aimed to be an integral part of the modern workflow, built on Microsoft platforms and integrated into applications such as Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. By leveraging large-scale language models (LLM) along with data from the Microsoft Graph, including calendar entries, documents, meetings and chats, Copilot delivers intelligent, contextual and user-driven results right where work happens.

Copilot distinguishes itself by providing access to the company’s internal data within Microsoft’s secure framework. Unlike external AI services, like ChatGPT, the data stays within the organization’s own Microsoft tenant. This means that sensitive information will not be externally shared when prompting or asking for text processing, reducing the risk of data leaks. An important note is that Copilot does not have access to information that the user themselves does not have access to, which is crucial for information security. This, however, requires an up-to-date strategy for information structuring, permissions and access, and document policies.

Behind every Copilot request lies a complex and secure architecture. It involves a process where the user’s prompt is processed, connected to Microsoft Graph, reviewed by the GPT-4 language model via Azure OpenAI, checked through Microsoft’s Responsible AI principles, and then sent back as a response in the application. None of this data is used to train external models, ensuring data integrity.

Copilot integrations and use cases

Copilot affects different parts of the Microsoft 365 environment. In Teams, Copilot helps to summarize meetings, list decisions, identify actions, and even create documentation from conversations – which is especially powerful in interviews or for creating technical mapping. In Word and PowerPoint, Copilot can be used to create, summarize and rework documents and presentations, including the ability to use corporate templates. In Excel, functionality has been greatly enhanced by Copilot, which now effectively analyzes, structures and visualizes text-based data – something that was previously challenging for non-Excel users.

Visual Creator

Copilot also supports the creation of video content through the Visual Creator feature, where users can generate simple informational videos directly from prompts and open them for editing in Microsoft Clipchamp. The functionality shows how far Copilot has come – from simple text processing to multimodal content creation.

Copilot Studio

An important tool in tailoring Copilot is Copilot Studio, where organizations can create their own AI agents based on internal documentation and specific regulations. Examples include agents for tax documentation, ISO 27001 standards, or the employee handbook. Agents can provide direct access to the right information without users having to dig through endless documents or intranet pages. This is particularly valuable as Copilot agents can also be made available to users without a paid Copilot license, via Teams.

Security Considerations

Information security is a central theme for Microsoft and Copilot. NetNordic recommends that organizations review data access, permissions and information classification before broad rollout. Tools such as Microsoft Purview and SharePoint Advanced Management are used to analyze data flows, identify information oversharing and ensure that the right users have access to the right data and nothing else.

Implementing Copilot without these preparations could have serious consequences if the wrong users access sensitive information. That’s why it’s crucial to have a thought-through approach, policies and processes in place before roll-out.

Furthermore, rolling out Copilot requires a strong business case and clear sponsorship from management. AI needs to be integrated into the culture of the organization, with regular learning and sharing sessions, and a focus on continuous improvement. It’s not a ‘set-and-forget’ implementation – it’s a continuous effort where users and technology evolve together.

Final Thoughts

Technology is only part of the equation. For a Copilot implementation to succeed, change management is required. The organization must ensure that its users are ready – technically, culturally and in terms of skills. NetNordic suggests starting with a Copilot Readiness Workshop where we analyze your organization’s data structure, accesses, information classification, user behaviors and training needs. This workshop creates a basis for implementing Copilot safely, effectively and strategically.

Finally, why should you use Microsoft Copilot? It’s no longer a question of if, but rather a question of how to do it. Copilot enables a more efficient and creative way of working that is less cognitively demanding. It frees up time, provides a better basis for decision-making, and enables organizations to keep up with global competition. The fact that the Nordics are lagging behind in AI usage rankings should be taken seriously, and Copilot can be a tool to reverse that trend.

Those who want to get started are advised to start small, for example with the free version available through Microsoft 365 Copilot chat, and from there explore more advanced possibilities. With the right strategy, support and preparation, Microsoft 365 Copilot can become one of the most powerful tools in your digital toolbox.

Do you need a Copilot Readiness Assessment?

Want to get started with Copilot or get started with your organization’s Copilot readiness? Contact us today, and we will schedule a workshop!