As of January 16, 2024, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now generally available across all sales channels, including Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) new commerce. Customers with Microsoft 365 E3/E5, Office 365 E3/E5, and Microsoft 365 Business Standard/Business Premium prerequisite base SKUs can now purchase the Copilot for Microsoft 365 add-on SKU.  As of April 22, 2024, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is also available for Microsoft 365 F1 and F3, Office 365 E1, and Microsoft 365 Business Basic SKUs.

Starting May 1, 2024, Copilot for Microsoft 365 will be available for students aged 18 and above assigned Microsoft 365 or Office 365 A3 or A5 licenses. Eligibility will be extended to A1 on May 15, 2024.

First announced on March 16, 2023, this large language model employs your data to improve organizational efficiency. Copilot works in tandem with other Microsoft 365 apps such as Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and more!  

Copilot follows Microsoft’s strict security standards and is committed to responsible use of artificial intelligence. OpenAI’s public model is not utilized within Copilot. Instead, it utilizes an Azure specific OpenAI model.

What Does Copilot Offer?

For starters, Copilot uses your organization’s data to increase productivity.

But what does this really entail?

• In Word, Copilot can use existing content from your files and write a completely new document in your writing style.
• In Outlook, you can select content and prompt Copilot to write an email reply for you.
• In PowerPoint, Copilot can pull information from your documents and create an aesthetic PowerPoint presentation using the data.
• In Teams, Copilot can take transcripts from your meetings and create meeting summaries and necessary action lists.
• In Business Chat in Microsoft Teams, Copilot can compile resources from multiple sources to help you catch up on anything you may have missed.

These features can improve both communication and efficiency in your team!

How Can I Trust That My Data is Protected?

Copilot only utilizes organizational data that is within the Microsoft 365 compliance boundary. Microsoft does not use your data, or any other customers’ data, in order to train the model.

Processing within Copilot only occurs through Azure’s secure, private OpenAI model.

How to Utilize Copilot

The key to maximizing your Copilot usage lies within the prompts. With large language AI models, users can utilize the chat-bot like a normal conversation.  

Here are some tips to help you ask the right questions:

1. Be clear: Tell Copilot exactly what outcome you want. Include information about the format, tone, and length of response.
2. Give context: Give Copilot background regarding the topic of your conversation.
3. Be conversational: By using conversational language, you are teaching the AI model to match your preferences and style.

If you’re wondering exactly what to ask Copilot for, here are some ideas to get you started:

• “Help me brainstorm ideas for an upcoming project about X.”
• “Check the following text for grammar and punctuation mistakes.”
• “Summarize the following text into an informal, one-paragraph synopsis.”
• “Transform PDF X into a formal presentation including images.”

Obtaining Microsoft 365 Copilot Licenses

Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses are currently available on an annual term and will be billed annually. We will continue to update our customers if any other billing term becomes available. As your Microsoft CSP (Cloud Solutions Provider), Opkalla will help you secure and manage your licenses in our Portal at a discounted rate.  

The Takeaway

Microsoft 365 Copilot is an amazing resource in the artificial intelligence space that can improve connectivity and productivity within your organization. Maximize efficiency with Copilot by encouraging every member of your team to take advantage of all of its features.

Opkalla is happy to guide you and your team through your Copilot strategy as your Technology Advisor and Microsoft CSP. Contact us today!

*This blog was originally published on November 30th, 2023. It has been updated to reflect the changes within Microsoft 365 Copilot licensing.*