Microsoft Copilot Review: Is It the Co-Pilot You’ve Been Waiting For?
Credit: Microsoft
Overview
Think of Microsoft Copilot as the ultimate “virtual teammate” built right into the Office apps you already know and, let's be honest, probably spend most of your day using. From drafting emails in Outlook to summarizing lengthy documents in Word, Copilot is designed to make those repetitive tasks a breeze, freeing you up to focus on the big stuff. Unlike Clippy (the OG Office Assistant, RIP), Copilot is powered by AI, making it a lot smarter, and less likely to pop up uninvited!
Key Features and Functionality
Here’s a quick dive into what Copilot can do for you:
Summarize Documents: Have a lengthy Word doc to review? Copilot’s got you. It can pull out the main points, saving you from reading every single paragraph.
Data Wrangling in Excel: From generating pivot tables to offering insights, Copilot can make sense of data without needing advanced Excel knowledge.
PowerPoint Magic: Need a presentation? It can create one from scratch using your notes or data. A few clicks, and voilà!
Drafting and Replying: No more fretting over email drafts in Outlook, Copilot writes, organizes, and even suggests replies.
Think of it as a highly capable but non-intrusive assistant who never complains about too many emails!
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Time Saver: Cuts down on mundane tasks.
Easy Integration: Works within familiar Microsoft 365 apps.
Reliable AI Support: The AI technology behind Copilot is powered by Microsoft’s own powerful algorithms.
Cons:
Only on Microsoft 365: If you’re a Google Workspace user, you’re out of luck.
Learning Curve: Some of the advanced features might take a little time to get used to.
Subscription Required: No freebie here; it’s a premium feature.
Pricing and Availability
Copilot is part of Microsoft’s paid ecosystem, so you’ll need a Microsoft 365 subscription. It’s available with different pricing tiers depending on whether you’re a business or personal user. Below are the current plans, as provided by Copilot itself:
Free Version: This version provides access to basic Copilot features, including real-time results and integration with select Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Copilot Pro: Priced at $20 per user per month, this plan offers priority access to the latest AI models, higher usage limits, early access to new features, and the ability to use Copilot across multiple devices and platforms.
Microsoft 365 Copilot: Priced at $30 per user per month, this plan includes all the features of Copilot Pro, plus additional capabilities tailored for Microsoft 365 users, such as enhanced productivity tools and deeper integration with Microsoft 365 apps.
Enterprise Plan: For organizations with 300+ seats, the cost is $30 per user per month. This plan is designed for larger businesses and includes all the features of the Microsoft 365 Copilot plan1.
Small to Medium Businesses (SMB) Plan: For businesses with 1-299 seats, the cost is also $30 per user per month. This plan is tailored for smaller businesses and includes the same features as the Microsoft 365 Copilot plan
How to Use Microsoft Copilot
Getting started with Microsoft Copilot is simple, even for beginners. Once it’s activated in your Microsoft 365 environment, you’ll see the Copilot icon within apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Here’s how to make the most of Copilot across these applications:
In Word: Summarize, Rewrite, and Generate Content
Summarizing: When dealing with a long document, click on the Copilot icon, and ask it to “Summarize this document.” You’ll get a brief overview that helps you pick out the essentials without combing through each line.
Rewriting and Editing: If you have a draft you’d like polished, Copilot can help with that too. Select the text, click on the Copilot icon, and choose “Rewrite.” It can rephrase text, make it more concise, or even change the tone to be more formal or casual.
Content Creation: You can prompt Copilot to create initial content based on a topic. Just type “Write an introduction on [topic]” and let it generate a starting point, which you can adjust as needed
In Excel: Data Analysis, Trends, and Visualization
Data Summarization: Select the dataset and ask Copilot to “Summarize this data.” It will produce key insights and trends, so you get the main points without diving into every cell.
Creating Formulas: If you’re not confident with Excel formulas, simply describe what you want, like “Calculate average sales per quarter,” and Copilot can create the formula for you.
Charts and Graphs: Need visuals? Ask Copilot to “Create a bar chart” or “Make a trendline.” Copilot’s charting abilities let you quickly see data patterns without spending time designing visuals manually.
In PowerPoint: Building and Enhancing Presentations
Slide Generation: To create a quick presentation, go to Copilot and type, “Make a presentation on [topic].” It will generate a basic slide deck with titles, key points, and sometimes images or icons.
Converting Text to Slides: If you have text notes or an outline, ask Copilot to “Turn notes into slides.” It will break down content into digestible slide points and apply a layout, saving time on structuring the presentation.
Visual Enhancements: You can also use Copilot to recommend icons, images, and even design themes to make your presentation visually appealing with minimal effort.
In Outlook: Drafting, Organizing, and Responding to Emails
Email Drafts: If you’re pressed for time, Copilot can draft emails based on a quick summary. Simply type “Draft an email to [Name] about [topic],” and it will generate a complete message, which you can tweak.
Summarizing Threads: For long email threads, use Copilot to “Summarize this conversation,” which provides a short overview of key points and decisions, ideal when you need to catch up quickly.
Reply Suggestions: Copilot can even offer reply suggestions based on the tone and content of the original email, saving you from overthinking responses.
General Tips and Tricks
Experiment with Prompts: Don’t be afraid to try different instructions. You can be specific, like “Summarize only the last two paragraphs,” or broader, like “Create a short blog post on this topic.”
Refine Results: After Copilot generates content or insights, you can ask it to make adjustments (e.g., “Make it more concise” or “Add a positive tone”) to get closer to your ideal result.
Practice with Small Tasks First: If Copilot feels overwhelming, start with simpler tasks, like summarizing a small text or generating a quick chart in Excel—to get used to its capabilities.
Comparison with Alternatives
The main competition for Microsoft Copilot comes from tools like Google’s Bard for Workspace and Notion AI. Bard offers AI help in Google Docs and Sheets, which is handy if you’re a Google devotee. Notion AI, meanwhile, excels at organizing notes and content for people who work heavily with projects and documentation.
Overall, Microsoft Copilot is probably best suited for users who are already well invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. It’s a little less collaborative than Notion AI but shines in handling structured office tasks.
Final Verdict
For Microsoft 365 users, Copilot can genuinely be a game-changer. The features are practical and easy to use, and it actually does save time. However, it's not the most budget-friendly if you’re only using Word and Excel for light tasks. If you’re in an office setting, though, or a frequent user of Microsoft 365, it’s definitely worth considering. Plus, you might just feel a bit like Iron Man with a digital sidekick!
Try it Now!
Ready to give Microsoft Copilot a spin? You can find more details on their official page and decide if it’s the “copilot” you need.