Recent Discussions
M365 Copilot requirements explained!
Why do you need a OneDrive account? What for a MS Entra ID account to use M365 Copilot? If you're wondering about these questions and more, read on. I will briefly explain the technical requirements for M365 Copilot. What is M365 Copilot? Skip this if you're already familiar with it. M365 Copilot is a conversational AI tool that can help you with your tasks at work. M365 Copilot includes access to: Copilot Chat Seamless integration in M365 Apps like Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, more... Creation and usage of Copilot Agents A key feature of M365 Copilot is Enterprise Data Protection or EDP. EDP does not limit M365 Copilot users. Instead it is a relief to use the advantages of AI at work knowing, that your organizational data is protected and secured by the terms of the Data Protection Addendum and the Product Terms. EDP ensures, for example, that your data isn't used to train foundation models or that your data remains within the boundaries of the EU, supporting regulatory and compliance requirements such as GDPR. M365 Copilot Prerequisites I enjoy having conversations about various topics with different people. Here and there, I get asked about M365 Copilot. And here and there, I confirm how organizations want to bake the cake without first gathering all the ingredients. A: Let's deploy Copilot. B: Sure! Have you already adopted OneDrive? A: No, we are still using our file server. Why? An optimal usage of M365 is a prerequisite for enabling M365 Copilot. Happy M365 users = happy M365 Copilot users. It is harmonized with the technical prerequisites. Even if technically, your users have a OneDrive account available. It counts as checked if they are using OneDrive regularly for saving and sharing their work files. An eligible base license Microsoft 365 Copilot is an add-on license, therefore to assign the add-on, there needs to be a base license first. Eligible base licenses include: - M365 Apps for enterprise or M365 Apps for business - M365 Business Basic, Business Standard or Business Premium - M365 E3, E5, F1, or F3 - M365 A1, A3, or A5 for faculty - Office 365 A1, A3, or A5 for faculty or higher education students aged 18+ And more. MS Entra ID account Formerly Azure Active Directory, MS Entra ID is the cloud-based identity and access management service. Users must have MS Entra ID account. Why? As the motor for identity and access control and management in M365, Microsoft Entra ID plays a key role in Enterprise Data Protection. In other words, without MS Entra ID account, there's no chance within M365 architecture to ensure Enterprise Data Protection. OneDrive account Have you tried to see what happens if you use M365 Copilot without a OneDrive account? I haven't myself, if you've tried, share your experience with me, send me a message. 👇 Some features in M365 Copilot require users to have a OneDrive account, like uploading a file from your device to enrich a prompt. Uploading a file to a Copilot Chat prompt will send a copy to that location OneDrive/my files/Microsoft Copilot Chat Files on your OneDrive for Business account. Microsoft 365 Apps Cloud-based Microsoft 365 Apps are required. Make sure there's no device-based licensing for M365 Apps for enterprise, since Copilot isn't available in such a case. M365 Copilot also integrates in the web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. To ensure a good user experience, make sure thrid-party cookies are enabled. Update Channel To ensure your users receive the latest M365 Copilot features, make sure you set up as M365 Apps update channel either the Current or Monthly Enterprise Channel. Outlook Have you tried to use M365 Copilot in Outlook Classic? M365 Copilot works in both, the new and classic versions. In the Outlook classic version, it loses the interactivity features, which I personally love. Teams If your users are licensed with M365 Copilot, then let them try the M365 Copilot integration in MS Teams. Copilot in Teams can help people summarize Teams messages as well as take notes during meetings. Make sure to configure transcription and captions for Teams meeting and Teams meeting recording.
CoPilot Agents Misinform About Capabilties
When I'm creating and describing what I'd like a new CoPilot "Agent" to do, it confirms that it will "search" my microsoft email account, and says it can "send" emails, but when asked to test these agents after creation, it delays and stalls and says it is "searching" my email etc.. Only to finally admit after me badgering it repeatedly, that it does NOT have the abilty to scan/search my email and that it CANNOT send email or create documents. Why do these agents misinform me about their capabilities?Supercharge Your IT Certification Prep How Copilot Can Be Your Study Buddy
Preparing for IT certifications like Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, or Power Platform exams can feel overwhelming. The amount of material, the constant updates, and the pressure to both understand theory and practice hands-on skills can leave learners stuck. But here’s some good news: Copilot isn’t just for developers—it can actually be a powerful companion for your certification journey. In this post, we’ll explore how to use Copilot effectively to study smarter, practice faster, and gain confidence before test day. https://dellenny.com/supercharge-your-it-certification-prep-how-github-copilot-can-be-your-study-buddy/
Copilot and large documents
I have a very large document. It is over 67000 words and over 200 pages. I tried to use the embedded copilot and it is worthless. The response time when it responds to a conversation is minutes. The response is one word at a time. It can take 5-10 minutes to repeat a long paragraph. I have used the free copilot app and copy/past back and forth. This works great until my conversation is truncated. Then copilot loses context around my document and the responses become almost useless without telling it what to do word for word. I am writing a novel. After truncation, it does not know any character names. Their personalities, anything. I get tons of sequence errors and logic issues. I can use it for a few days and get it working great. Then the conversation is truncated and I have to start over again. I tried attaching my document to the copilot app. I get a message that the content is too dark. It is about a young girl who is burned in a fire and how she succeeds after that. No cusswords, no graphic sex. Just the scene of escaping from a fire and getting burned. I really am not finding copilot as useful as it could be if I had space to save conversations.Running the SharePoint Site Content and Policy Comparison Report
A new SharePoint Site content and policy comparison report is available to tenants with Microsoft 365 Copilot or SharePoint advanced management licenses. The idea is that you choose some reference sites to compare other sites against to detect deviations from the reference site. It seems like a good idea if you’re trying to impose standards to control Copilot. Unhappily, attempts at running the report turned up zero results. https://office365itpros.com/2025/09/11/sharepoint-site-content-comparison/
Part 3: Dynamic Sidebar for Team Meetings
In Part 2, I focused on the vertical sidebar UX for personal work — helping individuals stay organized and avoid confusion. But in meetings, the challenge is even bigger: participants open different files, the view fragments, and the team quickly loses alignment. I’ve tested this myself by lining up apps in the current sidebar. But that model is essentially personal: files still open in separate windows, there is no unity, and meetings feel disrupted. That’s why Part 3 introduces a dedicated dynamic sidebar for meetings. With Copilot Pages as the hub, this sidebar integrates all participants’ files into one vertical scroll: Shared visibility – instantly see what others are viewing. No interruptions – because all participants’ files are shared, there’s no need to stop and search. Continuous flow – no screen switching; one unified view where discussion never derails. The breakthrough is clear: you never have to close the meeting screen. All participants’ files remain visible, and even files opened later are added automatically without disrupting the presenter. Benefits Meetings run without disruption; context is never lost. Alignment is automatic: the entire team stays in sync. This is not a minor UI tweak — it redefines how meetings work. 👉 In short: “Dynamic Sidebar → Zero interruptions. Meetings with full unity.” If you agree, please give it a like. 👉 Next time, I’ll share my thoughts on how we should approach learning Microsoft 365. 第3弾：会議の一体感を生む ― 動的サイドバーの提案 第2弾では、個人ワークにおける縦型スクロールUXを取り上げ、整理しやすく混乱を防ぐ方法を提案しました。 しかし会議になると課題はさらに大きくなり、参加者ごとに異なるファイルを開いて全体の足並みが乱れてしまいます。 私自身も、既存のサイドバーにアプリを並べて試してみました。 しかしこれはあくまで「個人用」の仕組みで、ファイルは別ウィンドウで開いてしまうため一体感がなく、会議中に分断が生じてしまいます。 だからこそ必要なのが、**会議専用の「動的サイドバー」**です。 Copilot Pagesを母艦とし、参加者全員のファイルを一つの縦スクロールに統合することで、会議画面を閉じることなく、常に同じ視界で情報を共有できます。 共有視界 – 誰がどの資料を見ているか全員が把握できる。 中断防止 – 全員のファイルが共有されているため、探すという中断がなくなる。 途切れない進行 – 会議画面の切り替えがなく、常に同じ視界でストレスなく議論を続けられる。 最大の進化はこれです。会議画面を一度も閉じる必要がないこと。 さらに途中で開いた資料も自動的に追加されるため、進行を妨げません。 効果 会議の流れが止まらず、文脈を見失わない。 全員が常に同期し、足並みが乱れない。 これは単なるUI改善ではなく、会議のあり方そのものを変える提案です。 👉 一言で言えば: 「動的サイドバー → 中断ゼロ、会議の一体感を実現」 共感いただける方はぜひ「いいね」をお願いします。 👉 次回は、Microsoft 365の学び方・教育に関する私の想い を書きたいと思います。Copilot Notebooks in OneNote (Windows): The AI Note-Taking Upgrade You Need
🚀 Big news for productivity enthusiasts! Microsoft has just introduced Copilot Notebooks in OneNote on Windows, and I’ve created a new video to walk you through everything you need to know. With this update, you can now: ✅ Combine the power of AI-driven Copilot with the flexibility of OneNote ✅ Create structured, interactive notebooks for brainstorming, planning, and learning ✅ Boost your workflow with context-aware assistance right inside your notes 📺 Watch my full breakdown here: https://youtu.be/tgmW873iWGk 💬 What do you think about AI-powered note-taking? Will this change the way you work? #Microsoft365 #Copilot #OneNote #ArtificialIntelligence #Productivity #WorkSmarter #DigitalWorkplace #AIinBusiness #FutureOfWorkCopilot instructions for comparing two columns in an Excel file
I've been struggling to create an agent that will compare two columns in an Excel file. I've tried it about ten different ways with no luck. Copilot simply will not follow the instructions. I do have a Copilot for M365 license. I'm trying to compare users in a third-party app to our M365 user list for an audit. Both lists have been exported to CSV and compiled in an Excel file. Column A and B only contain user names. Column A has ±400 users and Column B ±2500 users. I've instructed the agent to look at Column A and compare it to Column B and return a list of users from Column A that don't appear in Column B. I realize this can be done in Excel with a formula, but I figured this would be fairly easy for Copilot to figure out. Evidently not. Any help with usable instructions would be appreciated. I've written the instructions several ways and generally get the same results.How to display external inks in CoPilot agent
Hi As a rank amateur I am trying to develop a co-pilot agent that will displays links to reference documents that contain more information than then co-pilot knowledge answer. All the docs are held in various SharePoint sites However I try to insert links in the Knowledge document, it will not display in Co-pilot agent. I have tried Inline hyperlinks, full raw URL’s and trying to create a heading for references and inserting them there but nothing seems to make them appear in the agent. Can anyone help before I remove what’s left of my fast receding hairline thxHow to add links to external docs in CoPilot Studio
Hi as a rank amateur, I am trying to develop a copilot agent that will display links to external reference documents that will contain more information than the co pilot knowledge answer. All the docs are held in various SharePoint sites. However I try to insert links in the knowledge documents, they will not display in the copilot agent. I have tried hyperlinks, raw urls, and trying to create a seperate heading for the references but nothing seems to make them appear in the agent answer. Can anyone help before I loose anymore hair from my fast receding hairline 😁😁
Microsoft's Copilot: A Frustrating Flop in AI-Powered Productivity
Microsoft's Copilot was supposed to be the game-changer in productivity, but it's quickly proving to be a massive disappointment. The idea was simple: integrate AI directly into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office tools to make our lives easier. But when it comes to actually performing specific functions, Copilot falls flat. Here’s the problem: when you ask Copilot to alter a document, modify an Excel file, or adjust a PowerPoint presentation, it’s practically useless. Instead of performing the tasks as requested, it often leaves you hanging with vague suggestions or instructions. Users don't want to be told how to perform a task—they want it done. This is what an AI assistant should do: execute commands efficiently, not just offer advice. What makes this even more frustrating is that other AI tools, like ChatGPT, can handle these tasks effortlessly. When you ask ChatGPT to perform a specific function, it does so without hesitation. It’s able to understand the request and deliver exactly what’s needed. But Copilot? It struggles with the basics, and that’s unacceptable, especially from a company like Microsoft. It’s frankly embarrassing that Microsoft can’t get this right. The whole point of integrating AI into these tools was to streamline workflows and boost productivity. But if Copilot can’t even manage simple tasks like formatting a document or adjusting a spreadsheet, then what’s the point? Users don’t need another tool that tells them how to do something—they need one that does it for them. Microsoft, you’ve missed the mark with Copilot. It's not just a minor inconvenience; it's a serious flaw that undermines the value of your Office suite. When other AI tools can easily accomplish what Copilot can't, it's time to reevaluate. Users expect more, and frankly, they deserve more for their investment. What’s been your experience with Copilot? Is anyone else finding it as frustrating as I am? Let’s talk about it.Part 2: Vertical Sidebar for Personal Copilot Navigation
In Part 1, I proposed a simple model to unify Copilot: General tasks → Copilot Pages Specialized use → Toggle Save and recall → Loop This helped simplify the fragmented Copilot landscape. In Part 2, I focus on personal daily use. When working in Word, Excel, or Outlook, many users lose track of what they have opened and where to switch. My idea: add a static vertical sidebar in Copilot Pages that lists the files or apps you are working with: Self-organized list - Word docs, Excel sheets, Outlook mails and calendar items shown vertically in one place. No confusion - Instantly switch between targets without hunting around. Clear and simple - Prevents getting lost during solo work. The key is that Copilot Pages must remain visible as the entry point during daily work — a persistent sidebar that never disappears. And importantly, the number of items displayed can be set by the user. Hidden apps remain accessible by scrolling, keeping the UI clean and flexible. Benefits Daily work feels more organized and stress-free. Matches patterns users already know (Outlook folders, Teams channels). A realistic, easy-to-implement step toward better Copilot UX. In short: "Vertical Sidebar = No more confusion for individuals." If you agree, please give it a like. Stay tuned for Part 3! 第2弾：個人作業の迷子防止 ― 縦スクロールUIの提案 第1弾では、Copilot乱立を整理するシンプルなモデル（Pages／トグル／Loop）を提案しました。 多くの方から「すっきりした」と共感をいただきました。 今回の第2弾では、個人で作業するときのUX改善に注目します。 WordやExcel、Outlookを開いているとき、「どこで何を開いたのか」迷子になる経験はありませんか？ そこで、Copilot Pagesに静的な縦スクロール型サイドバーを導入するアイデアです: 自分専用の一覧 - Word文書やExcelシート、Outlookメールや予定を右サイドに縦並びで整理。 迷子防止 - 読みたい対象にすぐ切り替え可能。 シンプル設計 - 日常業務でのストレスを軽減。 さらに重要なのは、Copilot Pagesが常に入口として存在し続けることです。 仕事中に消えず、右サイドに固定されているからこそ「迷子ゼロ」の体験が実現します。 加えて、表示数はユーザーが任意に設定可能です。 隠れているアプリもスクロールで選べるので、UIは常にすっきり保てます。 効果 日常業務がスッキリし、シンプルに整理できる。 OutlookやTeamsと同じ縦並び習慣に合う直感的なUI。 現実的かつ早期に導入できる改善案。 一言で言えば: 「縦スクロールUI＝個人作業の迷子ゼロ」 共感いただける方はぜひ「いいね」をお願いします。 次回、第3弾にご期待ください！
Change Default for Copilot Automatic Room Rebooking Setting in Outlook?
My users with Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses have noticed a newer feature that automatically rebooks meetings with an alternate room if the selected room is unavailable. It appears that this setting is on by default and can be turned off on a per case basis when a new meeting event is being scheduled. Is there a way to turn it off by default and allow people to enable it when a new calendar item is being created instead? Here is what it looks like for me in Outlook. I can click on Edit from the new meeting window and turn it off for a single event. I haven't found a way to change that default behavior. Has anyone found a way to adjust this? Thank you! BrianCopilot Missing from M365 Portal
From one day to the next, Copilot Chat disappeared from the portal on one of our small clients' accounts. It's available and working in all other Copilot applications, but it simply disappeared from the Office portal. This is a premium business subscription without a Copilot license. The user has two PCs, and the problem occurs identically on both. No changes have been made. Community, do you have any ideas or suggestions on what the problem might be? ThanksCrowdstrike EDR repeatedly flags m365copilot_autostarter.exe
We are seeing recurring CrowdStrike informational alerts for m365copilot_autostarter.exe, located under the WindowsApps directory for Microsoft OfficeHub (versions 19.2509.32081.0 and 19.2508.51171.0). The alerts are flagged as “meeting the machine learning-based on-sensor AV protection’s lowest-confidence threshold for malicious files”. Two hashes are repeatedly seen across different customer environments: - 2ee039508706a40e1ca608d2da670d8f8b4b3605343ae4601e7f2407db6a35e (timestamp: Sept 2, 2025) - ade2675e1247ffd1cbe4e408716a559fb502aeca26985a53d35755d1c13827f3 (timestamp: Aug 21, 2025) Both files appear clean in reputation checks, but they are unsigned and have no vendor information, which is raising questions in security tooling. Since these alerts are consistently triggered across Windows 10 and 11 endpoints in multiple environments, we are trying to confirm: - Is this a legitimate, recently introduced OfficeHub / Copilot component? - Why is it unsigned compared to other OfficeHub binaries? Any clarification from Microsoft would be appreciated.🚀 A Proposal to Eliminate Copilot Fragmentation and Unify the UX
🚀 A Proposal to Eliminate Copilot Fragmentation and Unify the UX Body (English first) Currently in Microsoft 365, there are multiple entry points for Copilot — Copilot Pages, app-specific Copilots, and Copilot in Loop. This fragmentation often confuses users about which Copilot to use and where the outputs are saved. I propose a simple unification: ol {margin-bottom:0in;margin-top:0in;}ul {margin-bottom:0in;margin-top:0in;}li {margin-top:.0in;margin-bottom:8pt;}ol.scriptor-listCounterResetlist!list-758aeff6-9418-422e-b90e-e34b3c8e9a540 {counter-reset: section;}ol.scriptor-listCounterlist!list-758aeff6-9418-422e-b90e-e34b3c8e9a540 {list-style-type:numbered;}li.listItemlist!list-758aeff6-9418-422e-b90e-e34b3c8e9a540::before {counter-increment: section;content: counters(section, ".") ". "; display: inline-block;} General-purpose Copilot → Copilot Pages only Even when opening Word/Excel/Outlook/Loop via the sidebar, all interactions are handled by the Copilot in Copilot Pages. Specialized Copilot → Toggle switch Add a toggle at the top of Copilot Pages (“General ↔ Specialized”) to switch into app-specific Copilot functions only when needed. Save format → Standardize to Loop files All generated content is saved as .loop files in OneDrive/SharePoint and can be directly opened in the Loop app. Benefits ol {margin-bottom:0in;margin-top:0in;}ul {margin-bottom:0in;margin-top:0in;}li {margin-top:.0in;margin-bottom:8pt;}ol.scriptor-listCounterResetlist!list-758aeff6-9418-422e-b90e-e34b3c8e9a541 {counter-reset: section;}ol.scriptor-listCounterlist!list-758aeff6-9418-422e-b90e-e34b3c8e9a541 {list-style-type:bullet;}li.listItemlist!list-758aeff6-9418-422e-b90e-e34b3c8e9a541::before {counter-increment: section;content: none; display: inline-block;} Eliminates confusion caused by Copilot fragmentation → more intuitive UX. Users only decide “general or specialized” → very simple flow. Future apps can be added via the sidebar → high scalability. 👉 In short: “General = Pages, Specialized = Toggle, Save = Loop” This would greatly simplify and improve the Copilot experience. If you agree, please give it a like 👍 日本語版（for Japanese users） Copilot乱立を解消し、UXを一元化する提案 現在のMicrosoft 365では、Copilot Pages、各アプリ専用のCopilot、Loop＋Copilotなど複数の入口が存在し、ユーザーが「どのCopilotを使えばよいのか」で混乱しています。 以下のように統一することを提案します： 汎用CopilotはCopilot Pagesに一本化 特化型Copilotは切替トグルで呼び分け 保存形式はLoopファイルに統一 効果 乱立による混乱がなくなり、UXが直感的に。 導線が「汎用か特化か」の選択だけに。 将来アプリが増えてもサイドバーに追加するだけで拡張可能。 👉 一言で言えば： 「汎用＝Pages、特化＝トグル、保存＝Loop」 これでCopilot体験は大きく整理されます。 ご賛同いただける方はぜひ「いいね」をお願いします！ 👍
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Recent Blogs
- Learn how our partnership with Ernst & Young on the journey toward ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification and beyond helped lay a trusted foundation for Copilot adoption.Sep 09, 2025
- Safeguard your data: Learn how to govern Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents by mitigating oversharing.Sep 02, 2025
