Productivity…the buzz word that everyone is focused on at the moment. Rather than thinking about how employees can work faster, it is all about making them work smarter. So reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks, and giving them more time to focus on work that needs their expertise. This is where Microsoft Copilot can have a huge impact.
Microsoft Copilot brings Artificial Intelligence (AI) directly into the Microsoft 365 Office suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams. Rather than having a completely new system to learn, Copilot works alongside the tools many businesses use on a daily basis. From summarising lengthy Teams meetings, to analysing information in Excel, there are lots of ways it can help you save time throughout your business.
What is Microsoft Copilot?
Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered assistant, designed with businesses in mind. Users can give it instructions (prompts), and Copilot can then complete tasks using both this information, and context available within Microsoft 365. Copilot can work with business data including emails, documents and more, to provide more relevant responses.
The idea behind Copilot isn’t to replace employees, but to support them with everyday tasks that would otherwise take up valuable time.
How Can Copilot Improve Productivity?
Copilot can not only help support employees, but can be useful across departments too:
| Microsoft 365 application | How Copilot can help |
| Outlook | Draft emails, summarise conversations and identify key information |
| Teams | Summarise meetings, discussions and action points |
| Word | Draft, rewrite, edit and summarise documents |
| Excel | Explore and analyse business data |
| PowerPoint | Help create and develop presentations |
| Copilot Chat | Research information and answer work-related questions |
Copilot shouldn’t be thought of as an individual AI tool, it can be used in a multitude of ways to remove small inefficiencies throughout the working day.
Less Time Managing Emails
Emails are one of the biggest drains on productivity – businesses spend hours every day writing, sending and translation emails. Copilot linked with Outlook can help summarise lengthy emails, draft responses and more. Imagine coming back from annual leave and having help to clear that inbox?!
Rather than reading dozens of email threads to work out what has happened, employees can use Copilot to get up to speed quickly. While it may only seem like a couple of minutes saved, those minutes can quickly add up throughout the course of the week.
Make Meetings More Productive
We all have those meetings that you come out of, and can’t quite work out what the next stages are. Copilot can help make Teams meetings more productive by summarising discussions and highlighting important points. This also means that employees who are unable to attend can quickly catch up without having a long debrief with another member of the team – helping to save valuable time.
Create Documents More Efficiently
Staring at a blank page not knowing where to start can become very time consuming! Within Word, Copilot can help employees draft new content, edit existing documents and summarise text. This can be useful with anything really, from internal reports and proposals to policy updates.
One thing to note is that employees still have to be responsible for reviewing the finished article as Copilot, along with any AI, can make mistakes. It can be a very useful starting point though, helping to speed up the draft process.
More From Your Business Data
Most businesses store data, more data than they ever actually need. When it comes to analysing said data, that is where it all falls down. Copilot can help employees explore information within Excel, making it easier to understand as well as identifying useful insights.
This means data analysis is accessible to a wider number of employees, and doesn’t just stay in the hands of those who are good with spreadsheets. Again, as with Copilot helping within Microsoft Word, it is still important to sense-check any data it produces.
Reduces Time Spent Looking For Information
One of the biggest hidden productivity problems is how much time employees spend simply looking for things within their documents. Microsoft Copilot can use permitted work content and context to help employees find and understand information more efficiently. There is also the option to search across work data and connected services with Copilot.
Frees Up Employees For Higher-Value Work
In a 6-month study carried out by the Department for Work & Pensions, it was found that Copilot users reported saving an average of 19 minutes per day on routine administrative tasks. Nearly nine in ten users reported improved efficiency when completing regular tasks, with employees using the time saved for other areas of their work.
Of course the results won’t be the same for every organisation, but this shows just how much Copilot can make an impact on those repetitive tasks. Imagine what your team could do with the time they save?
Making Copilot Work For Your Business
Microsoft Copilot helps remove some of the basic, everyday tasks that slow employees down. From managing emails, to creating meeting notes and finding information quickly, you can see how technology can be a useful productivity tool when employees know how to use it properly.
As a Microsoft Partner, Reality Solutions can help your business get more from Microsoft 365, and explore how tools like Copilot can fit into your organisation. Whether you are considering Copilot for the first time, or want to improve the way your team uses Microsoft 365, get in touch today to see how we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What is Microsoft Copilot?
Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered assistant that helps users complete everyday tasks, find information, create content and work more efficiently across Microsoft tools.
2. Which Microsoft 365 apps work with Copilot?
Microsoft 365 Copilot works across applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, depending on your Microsoft 365 subscription and Copilot licence.
3. Is Microsoft Copilot suitable for small businesses?
Yes. Small businesses can use Copilot to reduce everyday administration and improve productivity, particularly if they already use Microsoft 365.
4. Can Microsoft Copilot improve productivity?
Microsoft Copilot can save time by helping with repetitive tasks such as summarising meetings, drafting emails, creating documents, analysing data and finding information.
5. Can Microsoft Copilot help with emails?
Yes. Copilot in Outlook can summarise email threads, help draft responses and make lengthy conversations quicker to understand.
*This article contains general information in order to assist all of our customers and is meant for guidance only – there are no guarantees that the information we provide will be suitable for your particular needs. If you require specific assistance, we recommend that you seek professional guidance on your individual circumstances. Reality Solutions are in no way responsible for any loss or damage arising from any information contained within our articles.
