Introduction
If you are anything like me, Microsoft Outlook is something you can’t live without to do your work.
It’s one of the most used and hardest-working applications in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
For many people, it is their communications and calendar hub. Outlook gives them control of their inbox, keeps their diary in order, helps them keep on top of meetings, and allows information and conversation to flow via Chat and email.
The AI-assistance of Copilot is, without doubt, a time saver and improver of productivity. But it’s not perfect and has its limitations. The savvy Assistant and other professionals understand you still need to know your Outlook essentials.
The art of Empowering Productivity how you blend your Microsoft skills with the power of AI.
How Can You Use Copilot in Microsoft Outlook for Greater Productivity?
Copilot is an AI-powered assistant now integrated across the whole of Microsoft 365. In Outlook, Copilot is there to help you with your meetings and communications , calendar management and more.
Being confident about the essentials of Microsoft Outlook will make it easier for you to see where and how Copilot can assist.
Here are some of the things you can ask Copilot to help you with in Outlook.
Create an Outlook Theme
Use the Copilot Theme function to customise the look and feel of your Outlook experience. Find a combination of colours and style to suit your personal taste or branding.
Write Emails
Just as there are times when people may struggle with creating a document in Word, there will be times when they find writing an email tricky or a chore.
Copilot in Microsoft Outlook can speed things up and create a draft email for you.
For example, a prompt could be “Draft a message asking if the board member can make the awards night from 7.30pm on the 19th of next month” or “Draft a message setting out the new health and safety guidance for the office.”
You can also ask Copilot to pull information from files, email conversation threads or the internet into the drafting of the email. It’s another way to empower productivity and achieve smarter communications with Outlook.
Respond to Emails
In similar fashion, you can ask Copilot to draft a response to an email in your inbox – or to create automated replies, for when you’re on holiday or otherwise unavailable.
Sample response prompts could be something like: “Respond and ask if any additional equipment is needed for the meeting” or “Ask the restaurant if they have availability for lunchtime on the 17th for four people”.
Whether writing or responding, you can refine Copilot’s draft version yourself or ask Copilot to help fine tune it.
Edit and Refine Emails
You can prompt Copilot to assist you in editing and refining emails. If the message is too long, prompt something like “make it shorter”. Too short, prompt “make it longer”
You can also ask Copilot to alter the tone of an email. Go ‘Formal’ for business messages, choose ‘Concise’ if you want more brevity or try ‘Confident’ to convey authority or add more persuasion to your words.
Working with Copilot helps you improve the efficiency and quality of your communications via Outlook.
Email Coaching
Copilot is AI-assisted so it loves to learn. It also enjoys teaching users. If you want to get better at email writing, the Coaching function of Copilot can offer suggestions on aspects such as tone, clarity and reader interpretation of your email text.
Summarise Emails and Conversation Threads
If you’ve not used my neat tricks to stay on top of your inbox and it all feels a bit overwhelming (or you’re just super busy), you can ask Copilot to summarise emails. It can do this for single, long email messages or a specific email conversation thread.
The summary will appear at the top of your email and might even include some source references.
Schedule Meetings in Chat
You can also ask Copilot Chat in Outlook to draft a meeting with up to two other people. For example – ” Help me draft a calendar Invite with a subject line and draft agenda for a meeting about this new blog series “ Copilot will look at your calendar and find the earliest time to meet. It will ask you if you would like to go ahead and create the meeting. You can then ask it to add the other attendees by giving it the details.
Prepare for Meetings
Copilot is inside Microsoft 365 to assist in improving productivity and the effectiveness of team collaboration.
The ‘Prepare for Your Meeting’ feature in Copilot can help you be better prepared for your next meeting, or other upcoming meetings. Ask Copilot to collect and summarise important information relevant to the meeting. It can identify action points and give you the key points from relevant emails, chats and documents.
Organising Office Days (for Hybrid Working)
If you’re operating in or for a hybrid working organisation, Copilot helps you manage your schedule.
Copilot can use your meeting calendar and the work plans of team members to automatically suggest the days of the week when it might be best for you to go into the office.
Copilot: A Valuable Assistant which still Requires Microsoft Outlook Essentials Knowledge
As a Microsoft applications trainer, I’m an early adopter of new tech. And that means I’ve been having a good play with Copilot for quite a while now.
My verdict?
Copilot is brilliant for suggesting and summarising content, automating repetitive tasks, and supporting better communications and collaboration. However, it has its limitations (and some sustainability issues to be aware of because of the energy required to power it).
You do still need to know the essentials of using each Microsoft application, including Outlook, because otherwise you can get in a muddle or struggle to adjust things if something doesn’t work.
Also remember that Copilot is using AI. The AI is only as good as the instructions it has been given and information it collates and summarises still needs checking for accuracy, “Is it all there?” and the veracity of (internet) sources.
It’s the user, not the tool, who is responsible for whatever Copilot creates, designs or includes in content.
Copilot: A Powerful Productivity Tool Inside the Microsoft 365 Ecosystem
With Copilot in Microsoft 365, the power of AI is at your fingertips, when you need it. The better you understand each application in Microsoft 365, the more powerful Copilot can be for you.
As well as Outlook, you can use Copilot in Word , Copilot in Excel, Copilot in PowerPoint , Copilot in SharePoint , and Copilot in OneNote . And, naturally, you can access all of that inside Microsoft Teams as well.
My message to today’s professional Assistant (or other Microsoft 365 user) is twofold and clear.
1. Embrace AI because it’s here, not going away and will empower your productivity. It’s super quick at so many tasks and will save you time.
2. Ensure you are up to speed with the essentials of each application you use in Microsoft 365. That will not only aid your efficiency but also help you to get the best out of Copilot.
As a Microsoft applications trainer who uses AI every day, I’m a Copilot convert and – once you’ve worked with it – I’m sure you will be, too.
Until next time.
Cohort 2 is here!
After the amazing success of our very first Microsoft 365 Fundamentals with AI and Copilot course, I’m so excited to open the doors again.
The feedback from Cohort 1 was incredible—people loved how practical and hands-on the sessions were, and many said they felt more confident and productive straight away.
If you missed out last time, now’s your chance to join us, learn how to make Copilot work for you, and be part of a friendly, supportive group that’s all about getting results.
This course will teach you how to leverage AI tools like Copilot to enhance productivity and efficiency in your daily tasks.
Don’t miss out—sign up today and stay ahead of the curve!
Visit the Course Page Now!