Lab Setup:

In this module, we’ll create prompts for Microsoft 365 Copilot that reference files. First, let’s upload all required files to OneDrive to ensure they’re accessible throughout the lab.

Uploading Files to OneDrive

Follow the steps below to upload all files needed to OneDrive:

  1. Log into the virtual machine provided by your tenant provider as the local Administrator account with the password Pa55w.rd.
  2. In the Windows taskbar, select Microsoft Edge.
  3. In the address bar, enter https://www.office.com.
  4. Under Welcome to Microsoft 365, select Sign in.
  5. At the Sign-in prompt, enter userx@yourtenant.onmicrosoft.com (username and tenant provided by your tenant provided) and select Next.
  6. At the Enter password screen, enter the password (provided by tenant provider) for the User account, then select Sign in.
  7. If prompted to Stay signed in, select Don’t show this again and then Yes.
  8. In Microsoft 365, select Apps.
  9. Within Apps, select OneDrive.
  10. In OneDrive, in the top-left corner, select + (add new) > File upload.
  11. In File Explorer, select This PC > Local Disk (C:) and open the ResourceFiles folder.
  12. Select all files within the ResourceFiles folder, then select Open to upload them to OneDrive.
  13. When the upload is complete, you should see Uploaded 29 items to My files in the bottom center of the screen.
  14. Leave Edge open and move on to the next task.

Referencing Files in Copilot

When using Copilot, you may find that some files aren’t immediately available in the suggestions. This occurs because certain Copilot experiences only reference files from the Most Recently Used (MRU) list, while others let you browse OneDrive directly. To ensure a file appears in the MRU list, simply open it in the relevant Microsoft 365 app, and it will be added automatically.

[!IMPORTANT] Microsoft 365 Copilot can only work with files saved to OneDrive. Files stored locally on your PC will need to be moved to OneDrive for Copilot to access them.

Introduction

Microsoft 365 Copilot can help Marketing professionals in numerous ways. For example, they can generate content for their campaigns, improve productivity, provide insights into their campaigns, collaborate more effectively, and more. Copilot can suggest relevant hashtags, images, and even write social media posts for you. Similarly, if you’re creating a blog post, Copilot can suggest topics, provide research material, and even help you write the post.

Copilot can also help Marketing professionals save time by automating repetitive tasks such as formatting, adding charts and graphs, and even proofreading documents. Additionally, Copilot can provide analytics on how your social media posts are performing, which posts are getting the most engagement, and what time of day is best to post. Copilot can also help you collaborate more effectively with your team by helping you assign tasks, set deadlines, and even provide reminders.

This module equips Marketing professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to use Microsoft 365 Copilot to streamline their workflow and enhance their productivity. Your adeptness in communicating seamlessly with Copilot and extracting precise responses is paramount for:

  • Generating content. Copilot can help Marketing professionals generate content for their campaigns. For example, if you’re creating a social media post, Copilot can suggest relevant hashtags, images, and even write the post for you. Similarly, if you’re creating a blog post, Copilot can suggest topics, provide research material, and even help you write the post.

  • Improving productivity. Copilot can help Marketing professionals save time by automating repetitive tasks. For example, if you’re creating a report, Copilot can help you with formatting, adding charts and graphs, and even proofreading the document.

  • Providing insights. Copilot can help Marketing professionals gain insights into their campaigns. For example, if you’re running a social media campaign, Copilot can provide analytics on how your posts are performing, which posts are getting the most engagement, and the time of day in which it’s best to post.

  • Collaboration. Copilot can help Marketing professionals collaborate more effectively. For example, if you’re working on a project with a team, Copilot can help you assign tasks, set deadlines, and even provide reminders.

Copilot prompting

One of the primary keys to effectively using Copilot is the quality of your Copilot prompts. A good Copilot prompt is built around the following four key elements that make your request clear, actionable, and tailored for the best results:

  • Goal. Clearly state what you want Copilot to do. For example: “Generate three to five bullet points summarizing the latest project updates.”

  • Context. Provide background information so Copilot understands why you need this request and who or what is involved. For example: “Prepare these bullet points for a meeting with Client X about their ‘Phase 3+’ brand campaign.”

  • Sources. Specify where Copilot should look for information (documents, emails, Teams chats, and so on). For example: “Focus on emails and Teams chats since June.”

  • Expectations. Define how you want the response delivered—tone, style, or level of detail. For example: “Use simple language so I can get up to speed quickly” or “Explain it as if I were a pirate.”

Keep these four elements front and center as you practice creating prompts—they’re the foundation for getting clear, accurate, and useful results from Copilot. Implementing these elements as you write prompts in these exercises can build real-world skills, so writing effective prompts becomes second nature.