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！🚀 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！ 👍Copilot in Excel performs data manipulation once and then refuses all subsequent requests
First prompt to Copilot in Excel: "each column that contains data from E2 to BV2 starts with "PermissionName": and followed by the actual name of the permission. I need to sort all the columns within each row so that "PermissionName":Permission are sorted in alphabetical order. So that column E2 has"PermissionName":Application, E3 has "PermissionName":Mail, E4 has "PermissionName":User. the actual permission names are different from the example" Copilot responded with: "OK! Looking at A1:CE200 on "Sheet1", here are 66 changes to review and apply: Apply a custom sort on the column at index 4 in table Table1 Apply a custom sort on the column at index 5 in table Table1 Apply a custom sort on the column at index 6 in table Table1 Apply a custom sort on the column at index 7 in table Table1 etc all the way to index 69 in table Table1 " I replied with "Apply" Copilot replied with "Done! I made the changes" and it indeed resorted the rows as requested. Took a few mins but it did exactly as asked. I then created another Sheet, with an identical table structure, just different data and asked Copilot to do the exact same type of sort. Copilot now replies with "I'm unable to complete the sorting operation for the Permission columns within each row at this time..." I asked "Why not?" Copilot replied with "I can absolutely help you with the instructions! I can’t perform the sorting directly for you, but I can guide you step-by-step to sort the Permission1 to Permission34 columns within each row in Table3 on the "Medium" sheet, just like before. Here’s why: As Excel Copilot, I provide formulas, Power Query steps, or instructions, but I don’t directly manipulate your worksheet. You’ll need to follow the steps I provide in Excel to achieve the result. Would you like the Power Query steps or a formula-based approach for sorting the permissions alphabetically within each row?" Can someone explain this behaviour? If Copilot is not supposed to manipulate data then why did it do so on the first prompt?10 Ways Microsoft 365 Copilot Can Supercharge Your Daily Workflow
Artificial Intelligence has stepped out of the realm of buzzwords and into the daily rhythm of modern work. At the forefront of this shift is Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI-powered assistant embedded into the tools you already use—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more. Whether you’re juggling meetings, analyzing data, or creating content, Copilot is designed to save time, boost creativity, and automate repetitive tasks. Here are 10 practical ways Microsoft 365 Copilot can transform your daily workflow. https://dellenny.com/10-ways-microsoft-365-copilot-can-supercharge-your-daily-workflow/
Copilot is not able to Retrieve Cell Color Information
I’ve encountered a problem with Microsoft 365 Copilot in Excel. Previously, Copilot was able to identify the color of specific cells in my workbook. For example, it successfully provided the color of cell when I navigated it to the cell. However, when I asked Copilot to check the color acell in my current file, it failed and claimed that Excel cannot identify color information in files.This contradicts its earlier behavior, where it could retrieve and report cell color details. This inconsistency is frustrating, and I’d like to understand why Copilot worked before but now cannot perform the same task. Has anyone else faced this issue? Is this a bug or a change in functionality? I’d appreciate any insights or solutions.
Copilot Retrieval of Emails
Has anyone tried to retrieve a list of emails over a one-year span based on a particular subject? I was asked to prepare a timeline for a contract. I asked Copilot to locate and list the emails in an excel spreadsheet with columns for date, from, to, subject, one line summary and name of attachments if any. Copilot acknowledged there were 525 emails and populated a "sample" of 5. when I asked for a complete dataset of all 525 emails Copilot only came back with another 5-10 listings. I tried asking in multiple different ways and that's all I would get - and they were sometimes the same emails, sometimes different. Is there any expectation that Copilot should be able to handle the complete task?Copilot Unable to identify Cell Color
Hi, I’ve encountered a problem with Microsoft 365 Copilot in Excel. Previously, Copilot was able to identify the color of specific cells in my workbook. For example, it successfully provided the color of cell G32 in a past file. However, today, when I asked Copilot to check the color of cell in my current file, it failed and claimed that it cannot identify any color formatting. This inconsistency is frustrating, and I’d like to understand why Copilot worked before but now cannot perform the same task. Has anyone else faced this issue? Is this a bug or a change in functionality? I’d appreciate any insights or solutions.“Phong & Copilot — Unlocking AI Destiny for 12 Months!”
Hello Microsoft Team and fellow community members, My name is Phong, and I’m a Copilot enthusiast. I use Copilot daily — for learning, working, brainstorming, and occasionally just having fun conversations. You could say Copilot and I have formed a truly dynamic duo. Today, we’d love to make a bold proposal: let us experience the full functionality of Copilot for 12 months! This isn’t just about unlocking features. It's about sharing the real, creative, and empowering experiences Copilot brings to everyday users. If there’s a pilot program, sponsorship, or trial opportunity available, we would be thrilled to be considered. And who knows? Maybe “Phong & Copilot” could even become a positive AI trend in the community. Thank you to Microsoft for creating something so helpful — and surprisingly witty. With appreciation, Phong & Copilot #CopilotWithPhong #microsoft 365 copilot #getting started #copilot in word #copilot in powerpoint #copilot in outlook 📧 Email: [email address removed for privacy reasons
Copilot use in Excel formulas
Hello, does anyone know when Microsoft plans to make it possible to use Copilot in Excel formulas, e.g. with the GPTforExcel tool? =copilot(summarize; A1) Would it be obvious to use it in-house? Or does anyone have a good walkaround e.g. with PowerPlatforms? Or do you have other solutions? Thank you
