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Hands-on AI Playbook

Getting Started with M365 Copilot

Complete setup checklist for Microsoft 365 Copilot. Work through each section in order.

Time: ~20 minutes Requires: A Microsoft 365 subscription with Copilot enabled.

1. Verify Your Subscription

Section titled “1. Verify Your Subscription”
  1. Go to copilot.microsoft.com and sign in with your Microsoft account
  2. Ensure your Microsoft 365 subscription has Copilot enabled
  3. If Copilot isn’t available, check with your IT admin or see Microsoft 365 Copilot plans

Official docs: Microsoft Copilot Help

2. Install and Update Apps

Section titled “2. Install and Update Apps”

Update your Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version to enable Copilot features.

Sign in to each app with your Microsoft account.

3. Configure Copilot Features

Section titled “3. Configure Copilot Features”

Copilot integrates directly into your Microsoft 365 apps. Explore key features:

  • Copilot in Word: Draft, rewrite, and summarize documents
  • Copilot in Excel: Analyze data, create formulas, and generate charts
  • Copilot in Teams: Summarize meetings, create action items, and draft messages
  • Copilot in Outlook: Draft emails, summarize threads, and suggest replies

Copilot uses your Microsoft Graph data (emails, files, calendar, chats) to provide contextual responses — no separate personalization step is needed.

Official docs: Get started with Microsoft 365 Copilot

4. Add Skills (Copilot Cowork)

Section titled “4. Add Skills (Copilot Cowork)”

M365 Copilot natively supports Agent Skills through Copilot Cowork. After adding a skill, you can say “edit this article for HBR quality” and Copilot applies professional editorial standards automatically — no re-explaining your requirements each time.

Requires: Enrollment in the Frontier preview program (Cowork is currently a Frontier preview feature).

  1. In OneDrive, create the folder path Documents/Cowork/Skills/<skill-name>/
  2. Download a SKILL.md from the GitHub plugins page (navigate to plugins/<plugin-name>/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md → click Raw → save the file)
  3. Place the file inside the new folder — Cowork discovers it automatically the next time you start a conversation

Up to 20 custom skills, 1 MB per SKILL.md.

→ Full Cowork skills setup walkthrough · → How to Add Skills to Your Platform

You’re Done When

Section titled “You’re Done When”
  • Microsoft 365 subscription with Copilot enabled
  • Microsoft 365 desktop apps updated to latest version
  • Mobile app installed on at least one device
  • Copilot icon visible in at least one Microsoft 365 app (Word, Excel, Teams, etc.)
  • At least one skill installed via Copilot Cowork (optional, requires Frontier preview)