Getting Started with Microsoft Copilot
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What you'll learn
Apply effective prompting techniques using Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Draft, summarize, and refine emails and documents using AI tools.
Prepare for meetings and capture action items using Copilot in Teams.
Analyze data and create presentations using natural language in Excel and PowerPoint.
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
May 2026
6 assignments
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
There are 5 modules in this course
Microsoft Copilot is changing how work gets done. This course shows you how to use AI tools effectively across your daily tasks so you can save time, improve output quality, and stay focused on what matters most.
This course is for business professionals and anyone who uses Microsoft 365 and wants to boost productivity with AI. No prior AI experience required. Most activities use free Copilot Chat; a few exercises demonstrate enterprise features. You will learn how to use Copilot across Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Starting with the basics, you will build skills in prompting, content creation, communication, meeting support, and data analysis. You will also learn how to evaluate and refine AI-generated outputs to ensure accuracy, tone, and relevance. As you progress, you will integrate Copilot into full workflows — drafting emails, summarizing conversations, preparing for meetings, analyzing data, and creating presentations. By the end, you will use Copilot as a collaborative teammate to plan, execute, and improve your work with confidence.
Professionals spend hours each week on routine tasks—Copilot can help you reclaim that time. In this module, you'll see Copilot in action, learn when to use Copilot Chat versus Microsoft 365 Copilot, and master the 101 prompt formula for writing effective prompts. You'll also practice refining your outputs through iteration—a standard part of working with AI. By the end, you'll have the foundational prompting skills to apply across any Copilot task.
What's included
2 videos2 readings1 assignment
2 videos•Total 10 minutes
- Copilot in action: A day in the life•2 minutes
- Crafting Effective Prompts to O365 Copilot•8 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
- When to Use Chat vs. M365 Copilot•10 minutes
- Activity: Your First Copilot Conversation•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Getting Started•30 minutes
Learn to use Copilot for your most common communication tasks—drafting emails, summarizing threads, creating documents, and adapting content for any audience. You'll practice adjusting tone and structure for different recipients, and learn to evaluate outputs before sending.
What's included
3 videos2 readings1 assignment
3 videos•Total 23 minutes
- Composing audience-specific emails with Copilot•7 minutes
- Extracting insights and summaries in emails with Copilot•6 minutes
- Unlock Efficiency in the O365 Applications: Copilot in Action Part 1•9 minutes
2 readings•Total 30 minutes
- Why AI-Assisted Communication Matters•10 minutes
- Activity: Draft and Add Content With Copilot in Word•20 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Communication & Content•30 minutes
Reduce meeting prep time and never lose an action item again. Missed decisions, forgotten follow-ups, and scattered notes are common meeting challenges. Copilot helps you prepare, capture, and act on what matters before, during, and after every meeting. By summarizing prior emails, documents, and discussions, Copilot improves meeting quality and reduces time spent catching up.
What's included
1 video2 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 4 minutes
- Copilot for Meetings: A Quick Tour•4 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
- Organizing meetings with Copilot•10 minutes
- Activity: Meeting Prep and Recap with Copilot•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 15 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Meetings & Collaboration•15 minutes
Learn to ask questions of your data in plain English and transform insights into presentation-ready visuals—no formulas required.
What's included
1 video2 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 5 minutes
- Unlock Efficiency in the O365 Applications: Copilot in Action Part 2•5 minutes
2 readings•Total 40 minutes
- Activity: Identify Insights with Copilot in Excel•20 minutes
- Activity: Create a Presentation With Copilot in PowerPoint•20 minutes
1 assignment•Total 15 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Data & Presentations•15 minutes
Bring it all together—find answers across your organization, validate what you find, and build sustainable daily habits with AI as your consistent work partner.
What's included
3 readings2 assignments
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
- Introduction to Copilot Chat in Microsoft 365•10 minutes
- Validating Responses and Daily AI Workflows•10 minutes
- Activity: Retrieve, Validate, and Plan Your Day•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 65 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Knowledge & Daily AI•15 minutes
- Graded Quiz: Getting Started with Copilot•50 minutes
Instructor
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Reviewed on Jun 6, 2026
Course is well designed with real life application.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. This course is designed for professionals who are new to Microsoft Copilot. It starts with foundational concepts and builds practical skills step by step. No prior AI experience is required.
You will use Microsoft Copilot across Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Most activities can be completed with free Copilot Chat at copilot.microsoft.com. A few hands-on exercises in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint demonstrate enterprise features — learners without an enterprise license can follow along conceptually or practice similar prompts in the free version.
No. You can complete videos, quizzes, and guided activities without a license. Most hands-on activities include sample scenarios for learners without enterprise access. Having a Microsoft 365 Copilot license lets you fully practice exercises in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, but it's not required to complete the course.
More questions
Financial aid available,
