Exercise 1, Task 4: Use Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat to prepare for vendor engagement

It’s been quite a day thus far. With Copilot’s help, you brainstormed in Whiteboard, researched in Word, and created an executive presentation in PowerPoint. It’s late afternoon, but you must still finalize the decision-making process and prepare for vendor engagement before you call it a day.

For this final task, you want to consolidate your previous work into actionable outputs:

  • A clear decision matrix that compares boiler repair, boiler replacement, and furnace conversion.

  • A draft Request for Proposal (RFP) to send to HVAC vendors.

  • An executive-ready summary that leadership can review before approving next steps.

You plan to use Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat to assist with this process. Chat can pull context from your previous artifacts (Whiteboard ideas, Word report, and PowerPoint presentation) and help you synthesize them into structured deliverables—all without leaving the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Using Copilot Chat

In Copilot Chat on the web, the response mode selector lets you control how much time and reasoning Copilot uses when answering your prompt. You can leave it set to Auto (the default option) so Copilot balances speed and depth for you, or choose a faster or more in‑depth response style depending on the task.

When Copilot Chat opens in Work mode, the response mode selector isn’t shown. In Work mode, Copilot is optimized for secure, work‑context queries, so it automatically manages response depth for you. When you switch to Web mode, the response mode selector appears, allowing you to choose between faster responses or deeper reasoning. Once the selector is enabled, it remains visible as you switch between Work and Web modes.

If you’ve used Copilot in Excel, you know that it also includes a response control selector. However, its options are different from the Chat selector. In Copilot Chat, the selector controls how deeply Copilot reasons about your request. In Excel, the selector controls which AI model performs the work. Although these selectors might look similar, they control different aspects of Copilot and aren’t the same setting.

Perform the following steps to complete this task:

  1. In your Microsoft Edge browser, go to the Microsoft 365 home page. Since this task involves reviewing a file uploaded to OneDrive and generating insights from that internal document, select the Work option. The Web option doesn’t apply here, since it searches external sources like public websites and blogs.

  2. You want to begin by having Copilot help prepare for vendor engagement. Specifically, you want Copilot Chat to summarize the decision criteria that should be used to select an HVAC vendor for this heating system project. You plan to have Copilot use this information to populate a decision matrix. Start by attaching the Heating System Comparison report that you created in Task 2 to this prompt.

  3. Then ask Copilot Chat to summarize the key decision factors from this report. The decision criteria should include cost, energy efficiency, downtime impact, and long-term maintenance considerations.

  4. Review the decision criteria and refine it if needed. Review the suggested prompts that Copilot displays and submit any that you feel can help improve the criteria.

  5. With the decision criteria now in place, ask Copilot to create a decision matrix that compares three options: boiler repair, boiler replacement, and convert to furnace. Include columns for cost, installation time, energy efficiency, expected lifespan, and risk level. Ask Copilot to use the decision criteria that it previously created to populate the columns in the decision matrix and ensure the comparison aligns with what leadership cares about, which is cost, energy efficiency, downtime, maintenance.

  6. Review the matrix for accuracy and completeness. While it’s a good start, you feel that it’s missing some key information. Ask Copilot to add columns for warranty terms and compliance requirements.

  7. Review the results. You’re satisfied that all the decision criteria are in place, so now you want to make the decision matrix more actionable. Ask Copilot to rate or score each option against the criteria. Instead of just listing “Risk Level” as a column, Copilot should assign a High, Medium, or Low risk rating for each option. Adding High/Medium/Low ratings makes the matrix actionable for comparing options.

  8. Review the decision matrix. Examine the suggested prompts that Copilot displays and submit any that you feel can help improve the decision matrix.

  9. Once you finish updating the decision matrix, you can use it as a decision-making tool and a foundation for the RFP and executive summary. Ask Copilot to format the decision matrix as a downloadable Word report that includes a title, introduction, the decision matrix table, and a usage guidance paragraph that explains how to use the matrix for vendor selection. The purpose of the usage guidance paragraph is to help leadership understand how to interpret the matrix.

  10. Download the decision matrix document once Copilot provides the download link.

  11. You’re now ready to have Copilot Chat generate the Request for Proposal (RFP). In the Copilot Chat prompt, attach the decision matrix document that you downloaded and ask Copilot to draft an RFP for HVAC vendors using the decision criteria and the matrix in the attached file. The decision matrix should help Copilot tailor the RFP to the evaluation criteria. The RFP should include project scope, timeline, and evaluation criteria.

  12. Review the suggested prompts that Copilot displays and submit any that you feel can help improve the RFP.

  13. Ask Copilot to format the RFP into a downloadable Word document. Download the RFP once Copilot provides the download link.

  14. You’re now at the end of the process. At this point, you want Copilot to create an executive summary that references the decision matrix as the basis for recommendations. Ask Copilot to:

    • Create a one-page executive summary that provides context (a failing boiler and why action is needed)

    • Explain the available options (repair, replace, or convert from boiler to furnace)

    • Pull highlights from the decision matrix (for example, cost range, energy efficiency, and risk level)

    • Suggest a preferred option

    • Recommend next steps based on the decision matrix (approve RFP, allocate budget, and so on)

    The summary should be decision-ready; in other words, it should give leadership everything they need to quickly understand the situation and make an informed choice without digging through the full report or matrix.

  15. Review the suggested prompts that Copilot displays and submit any that you feel can help improve the executive summary.

  16. Ask Copilot to format the executive summary into a downloadable Word document. Download the document once Copilot provides the download link.