Using Microsoft Copilot in Office: Step-by-Step Guide

By Marco Gundlach Last updated on November 13, 2026

The email to the client is due at 5 p.m., the presentation for Thursday is still waiting for slides, and the Excel spreadsheet is missing a formula that you can't think of right now. This is exactly where Microsoft Copilot comes in. The AI assistant is built directly into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams and takes over a large part of the routine work. In this guide, I'll show you what Copilot can do, what you need for it and how to take the first steps. A note in advance: Copilot is tied to Microsoft 365. The classic standalone Office packages cannot use the features.

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Key Takeaways

• Copilot is integrated into the Office apps and Teams and requires a Microsoft 365 subscription.
• There is a free basic version as well as paid Pro and Business licenses.
• Copilot helps with writing, analyzing, designing slides, sorting emails and summarizing meetings.
• Clear and specific prompts largely determine the quality of the results.
• You must check every result for accuracy before you pass it on.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Clarify your license and check the requirements

Before you get started, find out which license you have. Copilot requires Microsoft 365; a standalone package like Office 2021 is not enough. The basic version is free and integrated into Windows 11 and Bing, but offers a limited range of functions. For private users, there is the Pro version for about 20 euros per month, which offers more computing power and access to the latest GPT models. Companies book the Business license, which according to the video costs around 30 US dollars per month. So you don't have to jump in big right away, but can start small and upgrade to Pro or Business later.

Step 2: Find Copilot in the menu bar

Open an Office application such as Word or Excel. Copilot is built right into the menu bar there. Via this entry you start the chat and find functions for creating, editing, highlighting and sorting. Here you can also hand larger tasks over to the assistant, which then carries them out for you. At the beginning, take a few minutes to click through the menus at your leisure. This way you quickly get a feel for what is possible.

Step 3: Select and revise text in Word

In Word, you work with selections. Write a paragraph, select it and then choose the desired action in the Copilot menu. You can have the text lengthened, summarized or rewritten. Translations or an adjustment of the tone, for example more formal or more casual, are also possible. In principle, Copilot can change all textual content. However, you decide for yourself which suggestions you accept.

Step 4: Create tables and work in the chat

Besides working with text, you can have a table created from existing elements, such as a list of appointments or contacts. The chat is suited for tasks that you describe in full sentences. Formulate your goal as precisely as possible, for example: Create a draft offer for a coaching seminar with three price tiers. This has nothing to do with the old paperclip anymore. Copilot is far more powerful and can write, rephrase and translate texts.

Step 5: Analyze Excel data and create formulas

In Excel, Copilot understands the structure of your data. Select the table and use a prompt to describe what you want to know, for example which product achieved the highest revenue in the last quarter. The assistant analyzes the values, creates suitable charts and adapts existing graphics to your specifications. Formula creation is particularly useful: describe the desired result in everyday language, and Copilot delivers a suitable formula, even a complex one. Also have it explain how the formula works, so that you can understand it yourself later.

Step 6: Prioritize slides and create handouts

In PowerPoint, Copilot can prioritize slides, write drafts and summarize long texts. Imagine your presentation is very detailed, but is supposed to be sent out as a handout and shown in the meeting with only a few bullet points. Have the contents of the slides summarized, and the presentation slides become leaner while the handout keeps the details. In this way, two versions are created from one template in a short time.

Step 7: Sort your Outlook inbox with Copilot

In Outlook, Copilot helps you keep your inbox under control. You can have overviews created showing which emails are relevant, which contain important information, and which are just nice to read. You sort specifically with filters, the assistant summarizes long email threads, and it also writes draft replies. So don't flag every message individually, but let Copilot handle the preselection. The final decision about what goes into the archive folder remains with you.

Step 8: Have meetings in Teams summarized

Teams is perhaps the strongest feature. Copilot records meetings and creates summaries, to-do lists, and appointment suggestions from them. For this, recording or transcription must be activated. Make sure that all participants agree to it. Especially in long meetings of 60 to 90 minutes, it's rare that every point stays in mind. The summary and the open tasks help you keep track and assign tasks directly.

Step 9: Formulate clear prompts

The quality of the results depends heavily on your instructions. Specify who the text is intended for, which format you need, and which time period or project is relevant. Instead of a general request like Summarize my emails, it's better to write: Summarize the last 10 emails about project X. With 50 messages in your inbox, this precision immediately shows you which content really matters. With a bit of practice, you will notice how much clear guidelines affect the result.

Step 10: Check the results and the first mini-challenge

Check every result for accuracy before you send or present it. Copilot can make errors that sound plausible, so you should proofread numbers, facts, and formulas, just as with any other source. A small exercise is a good way to start: Open Word or Excel, click the Copilot icon, and enter a simple prompt, such as Create an agenda for a meeting tomorrow at 10 a.m. This way you build routine without immediately risking a large project.

Summary – Using Microsoft Copilot in Office: Step-by-step guide

Microsoft Copilot accompanies you through everyday Office work: It writes and revises texts in Word, analyzes data and creates formulas in Excel, designs slides and handouts in PowerPoint, sorts emails in Outlook, and summarizes meetings in Teams. A prerequisite is a Microsoft 365 subscription. The free version is suitable for trying it out, while Pro and Business extend the range of functions.

Compared to Google Gemini, which is integrated into Google Docs and Sheets, the video author considers Copilot's integration not yet quite as mature, but Microsoft is developing quickly. Compared to ChatGPT with plugins, Copilot is less flexible, but it is deeply embedded in the Office applications, so no additional tools are necessary. What remains crucial is that you formulate precisely and check every result.

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