Copilot agents are scaling faster than most organizations expected
Copilot agents are easy to pilot. Across organizations, teams are building agents to automate tasks, surface insights, and streamline everyday work. Early results are positive—and encouraging. One agent leads to another. Interest spreads. Adoption grows. Then a different question starts to surface: What happens when Copilot agents move beyond experiments and start to scale across the organization? That’s where things are getting more complicated. When success creates a new problem In early stages, conversations about Copilot agents focus on how to build, with questions centering on tools, prompts, and connectors. As usage expands, the challenge shifts away from delivery and toward coordination. Organizations see signals like: Multiple teams building agents independently Overlapping use cases with different risk profiles Unclear ownership as agents move into shared workflows Hesitation around approving the next agent These aren’t failures. They’re signs that agent usage is becoming meaningful enough to require intent, especially at an enterprise level. Why scale changes the conversation As Copilot agents move from isolated experiments to shared enterprise capability, the conversation shifts. The challenge is no longer just how to deliver agents, but how—and which—agents the organization should operate at scale. That shift introduces tradeoffs that rarely appear during pilot phases: How much autonomy should teams retain? Where does consistency start to matter? How should we support experimentation without creating fragmentation? How can leadership stay aligned as impact grows? Without a shared way to reason through these decisions, choices begin to outpace clarity. This is where many IT and business leaders pause. Not to stop innovation, but to ask a more fundamental question: What does “scaling well” actually look like for us? A CIO‑level framework for deliberate scale Organizations that recognize themselves at this inflection point will want to read Microsoft’s Accelerator article, A CIO framework for scaling Copilot agents—a CIO‑level perspective designed for when agent adoption begins to scale. The framework explores: What changes as agents move from pilots to enterprise capability How leadership decisions evolve with scale How to balance flexibility with coherence How to guide growth before friction sets in It’s framed for CIOs and senior IT leaders who are thinking beyond approving the next agent build, who are focusing now on aligning teams, expectations, and operating models at scale. 👉 Read the full framework on Microsoft 365 Accelerator Discussion What signals tell you it’s time to move from experimenting with agents to planning for scale? Where does agent growth create the most tension in your organization today? What’s the one decision you wish had been clearer earlier in your agent journey? Microsoft 365 Accelerator is where planning conversations go deeper. If your organization is moving from “can we build this?” to “how do we scale this responsibly?”, Accelerator is where you want to go next.Governing Copilot agents: Your next step starts here
For those of you navigating this shift, Rob Howard, Microsoft’s VP of Product Management for Microsoft 365 Copilot Extensibility, offers a practical governance framework in his article, What IT admins need to know about governing AI agents. The article introduces three key governance pillars: Security controls using Microsoft Purview. Management controls through admin centers and deployment planning. Agent reporting to monitor usage and stay ahead of compliance. You’ll also get a first look at governance zones—a planning model to help segment Copilot deployment based on your organization’s risk tolerance and data sensitivity. Think sandbox, controlled, and trusted zones, with guidance on how to phase rollout. What else you’ll find: A checklist to assess your readiness. Real-world examples of phased deployment. Links to tools you already use, like Purview, Power Platform admin center, and Microsoft 365 admin center. A preview of the upcoming white paper and webinar. Next Steps Ready to securely and strategically lead your organization into the future of AI? Read Rob’s blog today for reliable advice on governing Copilot agents. It’s part of a broader initiative by FastTrack for Microsoft 365 to support IT admins with actionable, admin-relevant content on governing Copilot AI agents—so stay tuned for future articles, webinars, and more on the topic!Driving adoption and measuring impact with the Microsoft 365 Copilot Dashboard
Since 2023, nearly 70% of Fortune 500 companies have integrated Microsoft 365 Copilot’s advanced AI into their daily workflows, unlocking new efficiencies and streamlining collaboration—and they’re seeing measurable business impact. For example, Vodafone discovered employees who use Copilot save an average of 3 hours per week, reclaiming 10% of their workweek. Lumen Technologies estimates that using Copilot will help their sales teams save $50 million per year. These are game-changing outcomes. But how do these companies know their numbers are accurate? And how did they achieve them? The key to maximizing the value of AI-driven productivity tools is more than simply licensing your end users and waiting for them to make the most of it. In fact, the key lies in measuring its impact. To drive meaningful adoption and maximize ROI with Microsoft 365 Copilot, organizational leaders need clear visibility into how their workforces are using it. This means understanding: Who’s adopting AI with Copilot. How effectively is Copilot supporting workflows. What measurable productivity gains are users achieving. In this article, business leaders and IT can learn more about the Microsoft 365 Copilot dashboard, including its key features and core metrics. We'll also go over IT's tasks for configuring the dashboard and granting access to business leaders so they can analyze Copilot usage patterns themselves, refine their Copilot engagement strategies, and help drive productivity gains in their teams and throughout the organization. What is the Copilot Dashboard? The Microsoft Copilot Dashboard is a tool in Viva Insights that helps IT, business leaders, change managers, and other non-technical stakeholders track usage of Microsoft 365 Copilot with practical insights they can use to: Prepare users to work effectively with AI Drive Copilot adoption across teams Measure impact on workplace behavior Key features and core metrics of the Copilot Dashboard With a Viva Insights license, your unlock advanced dashboard features, including: Comprehensive Metrics A 28-day aggregated view of Copilot usage, adoption, readiness, and impact, to help you understand engagement and Copilot business value. Readiness tracking Based on Microsoft 365 app usage patterns, these metrics can help you identify which teams are ready to adopt AI into their daily workflows and which may need additional support, training or upskilling. Adoption insights With adoption insights, dashboard users can track active Copilot usage patterns within each Microsoft 365 app to measure how effectively teams are integrating Copilot into workflows. They can also pinpoint areas where Copilot users may need training or support to maximize productivity. By default, the dashboard’s Adoption trendline shows the prior six-month trend for all users in the organization. You can adjust filters at the top of the page for specific groups. Impact analysis This insight allows you to analyze how often employees in your organization use Copilot during a specified time period. Leaders can also measure productivity gains through metrics like meeting efficiency, email usage, and document collaboration. Advanced tools, such as before-and-after behavioral data and employee surveys, can reveal early and even deeper insights into Copilot’s organizational impact. Learning opportunities Use qualitative feedback data from Copilot impact pulse surveys to identify Copilot satisfaction levels, challenges, and areas for improvement. For example, you can compare high-adoption teams with low-adoption ones to uncover training or awareness gaps. Managing the Copilot Dashboard: Key admin responsibilities Global admins play a critical role in configuring and managing the Copilot Dashboard. Their roles include: Setting up and configuring the Copilot Dashboard. Granting access and supporting business stakeholders. Integrating data. 1. Setting up and configuring the Microsoft 365 Copilot Dashboard Global IT admins are responsible for setting up and configuring the Copilot Dashboard to align with organizational goals and requirements. This includes managing settings and turning features on and off as needed. 2. Granting access and supporting business stakeholders Admins, you'll also need to assign permissions to specific leaders, stakeholders, or groups through the Microsoft 365 admin center or PowerShell. Make sure stakeholders in different roles have the correct permissions. You'll also play a critical role in supporting and troubleshooting issues that users might encounter, such as technical problems and related assistance. Who should have access to the Copilot Dashboard? Business leaders You can view engagement and adoption metrics directly and make informed decisions about how best to guide users on adopting Copilot. Department heads You'll want to monitor how your teams are using Copilot and identify areas for improvement. IT managers You'll need to oversee the technical aspects of Copilot deployment and ensure smooth operations. HR Managers Track employee sentiment and impact metrics for workforce planning and development. How do admins grant access to the Copilot Dashboard? You can delegate and manage access for individuals or groups to the dashboard in two different ways: 1. The Microsoft 365 admin center Access the Copilot Dashboard here or Sign in to Microsoft 365 admin center Navigate to the Settings tab Select Setup Go to the Copilot Dashboard to Manage access settings. From there you can search for and select users to grant or revoke access. Manage access for groups by selecting the Groups option, searching for Entra ID groups, and adding or removing users as needed. 2. PowerShell Viva Insights admins can delegate access to organizational insights and the Copilot Dashboard using PowerShell. Set policies to enable or disable access to the dashboard at the tenant level using PowerShell cmdlets. This method gives you more granular control. Use it to manage access for larger groups or the entire organization. Note: You can only delegate access to users with a Viva Insights license. Viva Insights is available as part of the Microsoft Viva Suite or as a standalone add-on to Microsoft 365 enterprise plans. How do business stakeholders access the Copilot Dashboard? Business stakeholders, you can access the Microsoft 365 Copilot Dashboard through your Teams Viva Insights app. 3. Integrating organizational data into the dashboard Admins will upload organizational data directly through the admin center and configure it for analysis. If both the Viva Insights admin and the Global admin upload data, the dashboard will merge these uploads and display insights based on the most recent data. Empowering business stakeholders with insights they can act on Microsoft 365 Copilot is transforming productivity, and metrics powered by Viva Insights are proving its impact to the world. Access the Copilot Dashboard today for yourself and unlock Copilot’s full potential for driving organizational success. Learn more For more information on connecting to the Copilot Dashboard for Microsoft 365 customers, watch our recent video, AI Transformation: Maximize the value of Copilot with Copilot Dashboard and check out our article: Connect to the Microsoft Copilot Dashboard for Microsoft 365 customers | Microsoft Learn. Need more assistance? FastTrack is here to help! FastTrack is available to support customers with eligible licenses. Request assistance from FastTrack today or contact your assigned FastTrack Architect (FTA).The future of Microsoft 365 deployment: Microsoft 365 Setup Expert
Are you an IT professional, a business or technical decision-maker, or stakeholder involved with managing Microsoft 365 environments? If so, you need quick and reliable access to setup and deployment information. Now you have that access at your fingertips with Microsoft 365 Setup Expert. Read below for more details or check out the full blog post here. What is Microsoft 365 Setup Expert? Microsoft 365 Setup Expert is an innovative, AI-powered solution that helps IT, BDMS, TDMs, and related stakeholders streamline their Microsoft 365 setup and deployment workloads. Developed by FastTrack engineers, this tool responds to queries with the information you need to make informed decisions about product purchases, licensing, deployment, and troubleshooting. Advantages of Using Setup Expert Setup Expert delivers essential insights for navigating Microsoft 365 setup workflows with confidence, regardless of your job role or credentials. Key Features Prepurchase guidance: Evaluate different Microsoft 365 solutions, compare licensing options, and get recommendations for compliance, remote work, and security scenarios. Post-purchase support: Plan product rollouts, deploy advanced features, troubleshoot issues, and scale deployments based on organizational needs. Reliable information: Sourced from official Microsoft channels, ensuring accuracy and relevance. Role-based responses: Tailored insights for both technical and non-technical users. Real-World Applications Whether you're planning a new deployment or managing an existing environment, Microsoft 365 Setup Expert can help you: Simplify and expedite deployments Reduce reliance on credentialed admins Foster collaboration across roles Streamline procurement decisions Learn more about Microsoft 365 Setup Expert Dive deeper into how Setup Expert can transform your setup processes in the full blog post at the Setup site. Find Setup Expert at setup.cloud.microsoft and start leading your organization through smarter, faster, and more collaborative deployments today!3 internal obstacles to overcome for comprehensive security
Organizations today face relentless security challenges, fending off an average of 59 data security incidents each year. 1 At an average cost of $15 million, 2 successful exploits can be devasting. To address these risks, organizations need a comprehensive defense, including committed leadership and cutting-edge tools. At Microsoft, safeguarding data, technology, and secure AI adoption is a year-round priority. In fact, Charlie Bell, executive vice president of Microsoft Security, recently underscored Microsoft’s “unique responsibility in safeguarding the future for our customers and community.” As part of meeting this responsibility, Microsoft’s advanced security solutions include Microsoft Defender XDR, a platform designed to provide holistic security against today’s complex threats. While solutions like Microsoft Defender XDR are invaluable, getting them deployed can sometimes be challenging. Organizations may face internal hurdles—conflicting priorities, resource limitations, even resistance to change—that can slow or stall implementation of essential security tools. In this article, we’ll explore three common hurdles and discuss how, by deploying Microsoft security products, you can help ensure a more secure future at your organization. 3 common internal obstacles to achieving comprehensive security 1. Reluctance to replace individual, legacy solutions In the past, organizations commonly implemented individual security tools for different, siloed areas of the organization. Today, we know this fragmented approach weakens data security. In fact, according to Microsoft’s 2024 State of Multicloud Security Risk Report, organizations using multiple individual point solutions experience 2.8 times as many data security incidents as those using fewer, integrated tools. Here's a table comparing the performance of individual point solutions vs. Microsoft Defender XDR, the industry-leading unified security platform. 3 Is sunk cost fallacy to blame? “Security is an area significantly impacted by behavioral economics." 4 Sunk cost fallacy can lead cybersecurity professionals to resist replacing existing systems, even when evidence suggests it's necessary. According to Forbes: “The biggest risk in viewing cybersecurity as a sunk cost is inaction. In other words, thinking that you are safe because you haven’t yet suffered a major breach. Remember this maxim: Everyone is vulnerable." 5 To move past sunk-cost fallacy, Forbes says decision-makers need to understand that “the implementation of robust security measures can deliver substantial value beyond just mitigating risks.” By examining ROI and a products’ impact on improving security, reducing complexity, and streamlining operations “...businesses can start recognizing cybersecurity as a driver of competitive advantage, innovation and operational efficiency,” instead of as simply a cost center 6 [Emphasis added]. As an example of the potential for ROI, a 2022 Forrester TEI study found that a composite company achieved an ROI of 242% over three years and a net present value (NPV) of $17 million from switching to Microsoft Defender. It's easy to overestimate the value of individual or legacy security solutions but the clear security advantages and proven ROI of Microsoft Defender XDR demonstrate that replacing legacy systems can be well worth the effort. 2. Concerns about ensuring secure integration If not managed carefully, integrations involving newly opened communication, authentication, or data transfer channels can introduce vulnerabilities that become attack vectors. Microsoft’s 2024 State of Multicloud Security Risk Report notes that “...misconfigured APIs were one of the leading causes of cloud data breaches in 2023.” As a unified security platform, Microsoft Defender XDR mitigates such risks through a multilayered approach, through a multilayered approach, offering centralized management (including identity access), comprehensive visibility, and stronger security controls to help prevent human error. This approach “help[s] security teams proactively detect and monitor misconfigurations so they can remediate as needed." 7 Consistent, automated security with Microsoft Defender XDR Microsoft Defender XDR integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft security tools, Microsoft 365 products, and AI, delivering consistent, automated security across the entire stack. For example: Microsoft Defender XDR is embedded with Microsoft Sentinel, a cloud-native, AI-powered SIEM solution that aids Microsoft Defender XDR in addressing top cyberthreats like ransomware through: Improved visibility across domains: By ingesting data from an organization's infrastructure, devices, users, applications, and cloud environments, Microsoft Sentinel gives security teams a broad view of security threats. Enriched data with machine learning: Sentinel employs machine learning to enrich data with Microsoft threat intelligence, powering threat hunting, detection, investigation, and response across an ecosystem. Reduced alert fatigue: Filtering billions of signals, correlating them into alerts, and prioritizing incidents helps SOC teams handle alerts more efficiently, minimizing fatigue and enabling focused remediation. Microsoft Defender integrates with Azure’s Microsoft Defender for Cloud, a cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP) that secures workloads across Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Azure Cloud Services with constant cyberthreat monitoring at the code level. This capability allows: Broad attack investigation: Security teams can investigate threats across cloud resources, devices, and identities. Workload-specific protections: Dedicated protections extend to servers, containers, storage, databases, and more. Actionable security recommendations: Defender for Cloud provides insights to improve overall security posture and prevent breaches. 3. Resource, staff, and time constraints Resource constraints, staff shortages, and time limitations are intensifying today’s already challenging cybersecurity landscape and can, understandably, impede deployments of new security products. For example: Resource constraints: Many organizations face limited budgets for security tools, technology, and personnel, leading them to continue with patchwork solutions or delay implementing critical security measures, potentially leaving gaps in security. Staff shortages: As cyber threats become more sophisticated, global demand for skilled IT and security professionals continues to grow while supply hasn’t been able to keep up. 8 When insufficient staff results in missed security tasks, reduced monitoring, and slower incident responses, organizations can be left vulnerable to risk. Limited time: Time constraints are a problem as old as time itself, but for IT teams with already heavy workloads, one more thing to do is more than stressful, it can leave systems vulnerable and increase windows of opportunity for bad actors. FastTrack resources to help you get Microsoft Defender up and running For Microsoft 365 customers experiencing any of the issues mentioned above, FastTrack for Microsoft 365 is here to help with accessible resources, automated, prescriptive setup guides, and even one-on-one assistance. Here’s how to start: 1. Visit the Microsoft 365 Setup site Review openly accessible setup resources at the Microsoft 365 Setup site. Both business and IT leaders will find value in perusing detailed Microsoft Defender setup guides, on-demand videos, and helpful blogs to plan for safe, efficient Microsoft Defender deployment workloads. 2. Sign in to the Microsoft Admin Center (MAC) and start deploying Microsoft Defender using FastTrack’s automated setup guides When you deploy Microsoft Defender XDR from the MAC using advanced deployment guides, you’re taking the most accurate, efficient, and secure deployment path possible. These automated guides combine detailed documentation with step-by-step instructions tailored specifically for your environment to give you streamlined guidance from beginning to end. Start by setting up Microsoft Defender Zero Trust security model for your organization. 3. Request assistance from FastTrack for Microsoft 365 Customers with eligible licenses can request remote, one-on-one assistance from FastTrack before, during, or even post-deployment of Microsoft Defender. Take the next step to implement unified protection Security is too crucial—and the cost of breaches are too high—to let any impediments, real or potential, delay or dissuade you from fully implementing your security investments. When you deploy Microsoft Defender, you’re protecting your organization with a unified security platform that combines multiple security functions—including endpoint, identity, and cloud security—under a single tool. Start protecting your entire digital estate today: Keep your organization, data, and users safe by implementing the comprehensive power of Microsoft Defender, the industry-leading XDR solution that reduces costs and overhead while helping you keep your organization secure across all domains from costly cybercrime. To learn more about improving your security posture with Microsoft Defender, check out our recent webinar: Supercharging your SOC: Unlock the power of endpoint security in Microsoft Defender XDR. Footnotes 1 Microsoft’s 2024 State of Multicloud Security Risk Report 2 Microsoft’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook Insight Report, 2022 3 Microsoft Defender was named an XDR leader in The Forrester Wave: XDR platforms, Q2 2024 4 3 Ways Behavioral Economics Obstructs Cybersecurity 5 Closing the cybersecurity skills gap 6 Cybersecurity As a Strategic Investment (forbes.com) 7 2024-State-of-Multicloud-Security-Risk-Report.pdf (microsoft.com) 8 Closing the cybersecurity skills gap (microsoft.com)
Simplify your Windows 365 Enterprise deployment with the updated Windows 365 deployment checklist
We’re excited to announce that we’ve just released an updated Windows 365 deployment checklist in the Microsoft 365 admin center (MAC). What is Windows 365? Windows 365 is a cloud-based Desktop as a service (DaaS) solution that automatically creates a new type of Windows virtual machine for your customer, known as a Cloud PC. A Cloud PC is a highly available, optimized, and scalable virtual machine that provides customers with a rich Windows desktop experience. Cloud PCs are hosted in the Windows 365 service and is accessible from anywhere, on any device (Learn more about Windows 365). Windows 365 deployment is made to be simple (to see an end-to-end deployment overview, visit Overview of Windows 365 deployment). However, we understand that our customers have unique and complex environments. What is the Windows 365 deployment checklist? To help you integrate Windows 365 with your existing enterprise environment, we've compiled learnings and best practices from the Microsoft 365 FastTrack Team, which has worked with hundreds of enterprise customers. We're excited to offer these in an updated Windows 365 deployment checklist experience as part of the Advanced Deployment Guides in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. This checklist will guide you as you plan, deploy, and scale Windows 365 in your environment. The Windows 365 deployment checklist guides admins through the considerations around Azure basics, identity, networking, licensing, management, security, applications, and end user experiences that are applicable to their deployment configuration. Admins can assign tasks for each area to the responsible stakeholders and define a target date of completion. Admins can also see a summary view with an overall status to track progress against their timelines. How can I access the Windows 365 deployment checklist? To access the Windows Enterprise 365 checklist, visit this link or directly at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2251210. Additional Resources: Product Info: Windows 365 Enterprise on Microsoft.com Microsoft Learn: What is Windows 365 Enterprise? Microsoft Learn: Requirements for Windows 365 Access all Microsoft 365 Advanced Deployment Guides
