Working with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat

Benefits of using Copilot at work

The statistics below are taken form a Work Trend report which analyised the impact of Copilot had on organisation:

• 70% of Copilot users said they were more productive, and 68% said it improved the quality of their work

• 85% of users said Copilot helps them get to a good first draft faster

• 77% of users said once they used Copilot, they didn’t want to give it up

Enterprise Data Protection

When you sign in to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat using your UoP work account, a green shield icon will appear at the top of the chat window. This icon confirms that Enterprise Data Protection (EDP) is active. With EDP enabled, your data is securely managed and protected.

Note: EDP is only active only when you are signed in with your UoP work account. Do not access Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat using a personal account as your interactions will not be protected by EDP. Personal accounts must not be used for any work-related activities.

The Microsoft EDP article contains more information.

Where does Copilot get its information from?

• Current information: Copilot uses Bing to search the web in real time and retrieve up-to-date public information.
• Response generation: Copilot is powered by Microsoft’s large language models (LLMs), including OpenAI’s GPT-4, which is integrated into Microsoft products like Copilot.
• Data sources: These models are trained on a mix of licensed data, publicly available content, and Microsoft proprietary content (such as documentation, support articles, and internal knowledge bases).

Sources Copilot does not use

• Copilot cannot access work related emails, files, Teams chats or University platforms​

Prompts 

• Prompts and responses are saved for a short period of time so you can review or reuse them.  Prompts are are not used to train the LLM model​

Using Generative AI Responsibly 

While generative AI such as Copilot offers powerful capabilities, it is not a substitute for human insight or judgement. It is important to understand its limitations and use responsible methods to avoid bias, misinformation, and privacy issues. Some ways to achieve this include:

• Be transparent: maintain professional integrity by disclosing when content is AI-generated. 

• Check facts: even with the best prompt, AI can make mistakes; verify AI-generated content and linked sources, ensuring it reflects reality and avoids ‘hallucination’. 

• Evaluate language and tone: ensure responses are free from language or assumption that could marginalise any group. 

• Keep data secure: only AI tools approved by the UoP (eg: Copilot) should be used for university business purposes.  

• Maintain IP oversight: responses from generative AI may originate from the same sources which could provide challenges around intellectual property (IP). Ensure human oversight and refinement of AI content to track and verify source provenance and meet copyright requirements 

Using Generative AI: Information for UoP Staff

Generative AI for Teaching. Assessment and Feedback: Guidance for Staff

AI Meeting Assistants Responsible Use Guidance

Trainer-led Courses

Copilot Chat training is available to book via Docebo. The session is part of the Modern Work Programme Learning Plan:  Windows 11.

Accessing Docebo

1. Open a web browser
2. Navigate to Docebo
3. Select the Blue Single Sign-on button
4. Select the relevant Learning Plan to view and enrol on sessions.

The following course is available:

• Using Copilot Chat in Windows 11:  A quick-start session covering the key features of Copilot Chat including accessing Copilot and creating prompts.

If you need assistance finding this courses email digitalskills@port.ac.uk.

Microsoft Training

Overview of Prompts

You can access Copilot from the following locations:

Windows 11

1. Click on Start Menu.
2. Search for 'Copilot'.
3. Select Microsoft 365 Copilot, and click on Open.
4. Microsoft 365 Copilot will launch.
5. To make it easier to access in the future, you can pin Copilot to your taskbar. To do this right-click on the Copilot icon and select 'Pin'.

Microsoft Edge

1. Open Microsoft Edge browser.
2. A Copilot logo will be shown in the top right corner.
3. Click to open. Copilot will be displayed in a panel on the right.

Office.com

1. Go to office.com in your web browser.
2. Sign in using your University credentials.
3. Once logged in, Copilot will launch automatically and be ready to use.

Microsoft Teams

1. Launch Microsoft Teams.

2. Click on ‘Apps’ in the left-hand navigation panel.

3. In the search bar at the top of the Apps panel, type “Copilot” and press Enter.

4. When the Copilot app tile appears, click ‘Open’.

5. Copilot will launch, and its icon will be added to your left-hand navigation panel.

Tip: You can drag the Copilot icon to reposition it closer to the top of the panel for easier access.

Copilot Chat Interface

Images taken form Utilizing Microsoft Copilot Chat

Getting Started with Copilot

The instructions below are just to get you started. Please take the time to review the Instructions on creating prompts as this will ensure you get the possible responses from Copilot.

1. Type in a simple question in the Prompt box, some examples could include:
   • Best things about the University of Portsmouth
   • Where are the University of Portsmouth campuses?
   • Content to include in a web article on time management
   • Schedule for a site seeing tour in and around Portsmouth
2. Click the Send button
3. The responses will be shown along with a copy button and  prompts to refine the answer
4. Always check the responses you get from Copilot before using

Writing effective prompts

The more relevant information you include in a prompt, the better the response is likely to be. Providing clear context helps Copilot understand your intent and generate more accurate, helpful answers. However, it's important to avoid making prompts too long or overly complex. When a prompt includes too many ideas at once or lacks structure, Copilot may misinterpret or overlook key parts of your request.
 
Best Practice:

• Aim for a clear, focused, and detailed prompt that includes the essential information.
• If your request is complex, consider breaking it into smaller parts or using follow-up prompts.
• Remember, you can always refine or expand your prompt within the same conversation to guide Copilot toward the response you need.

• Copilot defaults to American English spelling so prompts may need to include a request for UK English if required.

An iterative approach helps you get the most out of your interaction—start with clarity, then build as needed.

• Be Clear and focused
• Include relevant details
• Avoid overloading the prompt
• Refine through conversation

An example of a prompt:

I am a marketing assistant at a University, create a 1500 word blog post about the advantages of attending university. Do not include any bullet points. The blog post should be aimed at both parents and students. Include a table with reasons why University of Portsmouth should be considered. This should conclude with the call to action to visit at least 3 universities. Use UK language.

Using Voice Dictation with Copilot

Copilot now supports a powerful new way to interact hands-free with voice input. This feature is a game changer for fast, natural language prompting; perfect for multitasking or enhancing accessibility.

1. Tap the Microphone Icon in the chat box to activate voice dictation (you may need to allow Copilot access to your microphone and if so, a notification will appear on screen for you to accept or decline).
2. Speak clearly and naturally, just like you’re talking to a person and watch your words appear instantly in the prompt box.
3. Refine or continue the conversation by speaking again or typing follow-ups.

Creating and Saving Prompts

Saving your Prompt

1. Click on the prompt you would like to save.
2. A pop-up menu will display select 'Save Prompt' (ribbon).
3. In the 'Save this prompt' dialogue box enter a meaningful name for the prompt.
4. Select 'Save'.

Using a Saved Prompt

1. Click on the 'View Prompts' link. This will appear either near the bottom of the Copilot screen or next to the Suggestions for Refinement. Look for a square icon with a star.
2. The Copilot Prompt Gallery will display.
3. Select the 'Your prompts' tab.
4. Your saved prompts will display click the one you wish to use.

Reviewing previous prompts

1. On the left-hand side of the screen, you'll see a pane displaying your recent prompts.
2. Click on any prompt to view the response you previously received.
3. To continue refining the output, simply type your message into the 'Message Copilot'  box and press Enter on your keyboard.

Using Copilot to Summarise Meeting Documents

Copilot is excellent at summarising long documents such as email threads or meeting transcripts.

Meeting organisers are encouraged to generate the AI summary before sharing the full transcript. This ensures recipients receive a concise overview without needing to process the transcript themselves, reducing unnecessary AI processing and supporting more sustainable digital practices.

Below are some prompts you may want to include when instructing Copilot to summarise a meeting transcript

• Summarise this meeting transcript into key points.
• Give me a bullet-point summary of the main topics discussed.
• What were the main decisions and actions from this meeting?
• Create a short executive summary of this meeting.
• List all action items and who is responsible for each.
• What follow-up tasks were mentioned in this meeting?
• Extract all deadlines and assigned responsibilities.
• Summarise what [Name/Role] contributed during the meeting.
• Group the discussion points by topic or department.
• What were the key concerns raised by the academic staff
• Turn this transcript into formal meeting minutes.
• Generate a summary suitable for emailing to attendees.
• Create a post summarising this meeting.

Prompt Gallery

The Prompt Gallery contains a catalogue of prompts created by Microsoft.  To view the Prompt Gallery:

1. Open Copilot.

2. Start a new chat and press Enter to initiate the conversation.

3. After Copilot provides suggestions for refinement, the ‘View prompts’ icon will appear.

4. Click on the icon and navigate to the ‘Microsoft prompts’ tab.

5. Select ‘See all prompts’ located at the bottom right of the panel.

6. Use the ‘Task’ and ‘Job type’ filters to narrow down and locate relevant prompts.

7. Click on a prompt to apply it directly in your chat.