Delegate work with Microsoft Copilot Cowork

In this exercise you will run end-to-end testing of all eight Microsoft Copilot Cowork scenarios — from prompt to confirmed result.

This exercise should take approximately 120 minutes to complete.

Before you start

Before you can start this exercise, you will need to...

  1. Login to https://admin.microsoft.com as the MOD Admin with the credentials provided.
  2. Navigate to Agents > Overview
  3. In the Get early access to Agent 365 Frontier banner, select Join the Frontier program.
  4. Select All users > Save.
  5. Navigate to Copilot > Cost management.
  6. Select Get Started.
  7. In the pop-up window Activate the default spending policy for your organization mark the checkbox next to Use Capacity Packs.
  8. Under Set the monthly spending limit for this policy, ensure Don't limit monthly spending is selected.
  9. Turn on Select the monthly spending limit for users (optional) if it is not already on.
  10. In the field Limit the number of credits that each user can spend per month. Maximum credit limit users can spend per month put in 5,000.
  11. Select Activate.
  12. Close out of the pop-up window.

Task 1: Run a Read-Only Briefing

First, you need to ...

  1. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Megan Bowen with the credentials provided.

  2. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu to switch to Cowork.

  3. Select + New Task.

  4. In the chat box, select + > Add work context.

  5. Select the Files tab.

  6. Select Portfolio Status (current, post-decision).xlsx.

  7. In the chat box, select the + button > Add work context.

  8. Select the Files tab.

  9. Select Summit Evidence Pack (outline).docx.

  10. In the chat box, select the + button > Add work context.

  11. Select the Files tab.

  12. Select Beacon GA Hold - Decision Memo.docx.

  13. In the chat box, select the + button > Add work context.

  14. Select the Emails tab.

  15. Select Your weekly PIM digest for Contoso (ID: 19df7e7f-0b0b-4925-bd5e=b38d28fd8eb0).

  16. In the chat box, select the + button > Add work context.

  17. Select the Emails tab.

  18. Select Passkeys by default and retirement of Microsoft-provided SMS and voice authentication.

  19. In the chat box, select the + button > Add work context.

  20. Select the Emails tab.

  21. Select Microsoft Entra ID Protection Weekly Digest.

  22. In the chat box, select the + button > Add work context.

  23. Select the Chats tab.

  24. Select Nestor, Patti.

  25. In the chat box, select the + button > Add work context.

  26. Select the Chats tab.

  27. Select Allan, Diego, Isaiah.

  28. In the chat box, select the + button > Add work context.

  29. Select the Chats tab.

  30. Select Alex, Allan, Diego.

  31. In the prompt field, copy and paste the following prompt: Give me a read-only briefing of where things stand right now. Look at my selected emails, Teams chats, my calendar for the next three days, and my open tasks. Don’t send or change anything — just tell me what needs my attention, what I might have missed, and what’s coming up. Group it as “Needs a decision,” “FYI,” and “Upcoming".

  32. Send the prompt by selecting the white circle with the black up-arrow in the bottom-right corner.

  33. Outcome: Cowork should produce the following:

    • One chat briefing, organized into “Needs a decision,” “FYI,” and “Upcoming.”

    • Content is drawn from the attached emails and Teams chat, as well as your calendar, and tasks.

    • Nothing was sent or changed — no files produced.

Task 2: Reconstruct Your Week

  1. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Megan Bowen with the credentials provided.

  2. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu.

  3. Select + New Task.

  4. In the prompt field, copy and paste the following prompt: Draft my weekly update for my manager. Reconstruct what I did this week from my sent email, completed tasks, the meetings I led, and my Teams threads. Structure it as Accomplished / Questions & where I need help / Looking ahead — and ground “Looking ahead” in my actual upcoming calendar and open tasks. Match my writing voice. Leave it as a draft for me to review — don’t send it.

  5. Send the prompt by selecting the white circle with the black up-arrow in the bottom-right corner.

  6. Outcome: Cowork should produce the following:

    • Three sections are present and that each “Accomplished” item ties back to a real artifact, thread, or meeting.

Task 2.1: Put It on a Schedule

  1. In the same conversation, paste the following prompt in the chat box: Run this every Friday at 3 PM and drop the draft for my review — never auto-send.
  2. When prompted under Which timezone should the Friday 3PM run use?, select Pacific (American/Los_Angeles) > Submit.
  3. Select Schedule.
  4. Outcome: Cowork should produce a response like "Done! Every Friday at 3 PM Pacific, I'll rebuild your weekly update from that week's sent mail, meetings you led, and Teams threads — structured as Accomplished / Questions & where I need help / Looking ahead, in your voice — and leave it as a draft to Patti for your review. It will never auto-send; you always get the final say before it goes out".

Task 3: Triage your Inbox

  1. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Megan Bowen with the credentials provided.

  2. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu.

  3. Select + New Task.

  4. In the prompt field, copy and paste the following prompt: Triage my inbox. Sort everything into “Waiting on me,” “FYI,” and “Can be delegated.” For each “Waiting on me” item, draft a contextual reply but hold it for my approval — don’t send anything. Create follow-up tasks for anything that needs tracking.

  5. Send the prompt by selecting the white circle with the black up-arrow in the bottom-right corner.

  6. Outcome: Cowork should produce the following:

    • A response with your inbox sorted into three buckets.

    • Held reply drafts exist for “Waiting on me” items — no sends.

Task 3.1: Run it Every Weekday

  1. In the same conversation, paste the following prompt in the chat box: Run this every weekday at 8 AM.
  2. When prompted under Which timezone should the 8 AM weekday triage run in??, select Pacific(PT) (American/Los_Angeles) > Submit.
  3. Select Schedule.
  4. Outcome: Cowork should produce a response like "Done! I'll triage your inbox every weekday (Mon–Fri) at 8 AM Pacific".

Task 4: Create a Meeting-to-Momentum Loop

  1. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Joni Sherman with the credentials provided.

  2. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu.

  3. Select + New Task.

  4. In the chat box, select the + button > Add work context .

  5. Select the Meetings tab.

  6. Select Weekly Project Sync.

  7. In the prompt field, copy and paste the following prompt: For this weekly project sync series, pull the recaps and open action items from the recent instances, keep a running decision log, and draft the agenda for the next meeting from the unfinished items and prior decisions. Save the log and the agenda to my files.

  8. Send the prompt by selecting the white circle with the black up-arrow in the bottom-right corner.

  9. Outcome: Cowork should produce the following:

    • A decision-log doc (or a running log) and a next-agenda doc are saved to files.

    • The agenda reflects unfinished items and prior decisions.

Task 4.1: Refresh After Each Meeting

  1. In the same conversation, send a new prompt to automate the refresh: Refresh the decision log and the next agenda automatically after each meeting instance.
  2. If prompted What should trigger the automatic refresh of the decision log and next agenda?, select Megan's recap email, then select Submit.
  3. In the New routine response prompt, ensure the When field is set to I receive an email.
  4. Select Activate routine.
  5. Send the prompt by selecting the white circle with the black up-arrow in the bottom-right corner.
  6. Outcome: Cowork should respond with something similar to "the auto-refresh is set up and running".

Task 5: Get updated information from within your organization

  1. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Joni Sherman with the credentials provided.

  2. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu.

  3. Select + New Task.

  4. In the prompt field, copy and paste the following prompt: I’ve been out for two weeks. Catch me up: what decisions were made, which threads moved, and what tasks came due while I was away. Build me a prioritized re-entry plan for my first day back, and draft catch-up replies for the threads that need me — hold them for my review.

  5. Send the prompt by selecting the white circle with the black up-arrow in the bottom-right corner.

  6. Outcome: Cowork should produce the following:

    • A recap covering decisions, moved threads, and due tasks.

    • A prioritized re-entry plan for the first day back.

    • Catch-up reply drafts held for review — no sends.

Task 6: Create a Project Dashboard

  1. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Joni Sherman with the credentials provided.

  2. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu.

  3. Select + New Task.

  4. In the prompt field, copy and paste the following prompt: Build me a project status dashboard across my active projects. For each one, pull the status from the relevant threads, files, and task lists, and lay it out as a table: Project / Status (Red-Amber-Green) / Blockers / Next milestone / Owner. Save it to my files.

  5. Send the prompt by selecting the white circle with the black up-arrow in the bottom-right corner.

  6. Outcome: Cowork should produce the following:

    • A saved five-column RAG status table across the active projects.

    • Each status is backed by real threads, files, or tasks.

Task 7: Create a Project Status Update on a Specific Topic

  1. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Alex Wilbur with the credentials provided.

  2. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu.

  3. Select + New Task.

  4. In the prompt field, copy and paste the following prompt: Pull the source material for the Atlas Launch from my email, Teams, and files. Analyze the numbers in Excel, build a short PowerPoint readout of the findings, and export a one-page PDF brief. Save all three to my files.

  5. Send the prompt by selecting the white circle with the black up-arrow in the bottom-right corner.

  6. Outcome: Cowork should produce the following:

    • Three artifacts saved: Excel + PowerPoint + PDF.

    • The deck and PDF are consistent with the Excel analysis.

Task 7.1 (Optional): Create a Monthly Read-Out

  1. In the same conversation, paste the following prompt in the chat box: Turn this into a monthly read-out on a schedule.
  2. When prompted under When should the monthly Atlast read-out?, select any option such as 1st busines day, 8AM > Submit.
  3. When prompted under Which timezone should the monthly 8 AM run use?, select any option such as US Eastern > Submit.
  4. Select Schedule.
  5. Outcome: Cowork should produce a response like "Done — the monthly Atlas Launch read-out is scheduled.".

Task 8: Build-Your-Own Skill Challenges

  1. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Alex Wilbur with the credentials provided.
  2. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu.
  3. Select + New Task.
  4. In the prompt field, copy and paste the following prompt: I'd like to build a skill that writes my status update regarding the Atlas Launch.
  5. Send the prompt by selecting the white circle with the black up-arrow in the bottom-right corner.
  6. Work through the guided builder’s questions and save the skill to your library.

    Note: Cowork may or may not ask guided questions prior to an output. If no builder questions are asked, proceed to the next task.

  7. Outcome: Cowork should create and have the skill saved. The name of the skill may be similar to atlas-launch-status.

Task 8.1: Trigger the Saved Skill

  1. Select + New Task at the top left of the navigation menu.
  2. In the prompt field, copy and paste the following prompt: Write my Atlas status update for the weekly sync
  3. Send the prompt by selecting the white circle with the black up-arrow in the bottom-right corner.
  4. Outcome: Cowork should respond with a project status regarding the Atlas Launch.

Clean up

  1. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Megan Bowen with the credentials provided.
  2. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu to switch to Cowork.
  3. Navigate to Scheduled in the left hand navigation menu.
  4. Under the Manage schedules hover over Weekly update draft for Patti > select the ... button > Select Delete > Select Delete again
  5. Under the Manage schedules hover over Weekly inbox triage > select the ... button > Select Delete > Select Delete again
  6. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Joni Sherman with the credentials provided.
  7. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu to switch to Cowork.
  8. Navigate to Scheduled in the left hand navigation menu.
  9. Under the Manage schedules hover over Weekly Project Sync - auto-refresh log & agenda > select the ... button > Select Delete > Select Delete again
  10. Navigate to https://copilot.microsoft.com and login as Alex Wilbur with the credentials provided.
  11. Select the Cowork tab at the top left of the navigation menu to switch to Cowork.
  12. Navigate to Scheduled in the left hand navigation menu.
  13. Under the Manage schedules hover over Monthly Atlas Launch read-out > select the ... button > Select Delete > Select Delete again
  14. Now that you've finished the exercise, you should sign out of all accounts and close out of all browsers.

END OF LAB.