Copilot Prompts: Copy-Paste Examples for Word, Excel and Outlook

If your business runs on Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams, Microsoft Copilot sits right where you already work. The catch is that a vague request gets a vague answer, and many people give up after a couple of bland drafts. A few small changes to how you ask make a big difference.

This guide follows Microsoft's own advice on writing Copilot prompts and gives you a copy-paste library for each Microsoft app, written for small business jobs. Fill in the brackets and paste.

What makes a good Copilot prompt?

Microsoft names four parts of a good prompt:

• Goal: what you want Copilot to do. This is the only part that's required.
• Context: why you need it and who it's for.
• Source: which information or samples Copilot should use, such as a file, email or meeting.
• Expectations: how Copilot should respond, including length, format and tone.

Microsoft adds a few more tips. Order matters, so put specific source material at the end. Tell Copilot what to do rather than what to avoid. And treat the first answer as the start of a conversation, refining it as you go.

Copy this prompt

Goal: [what you want].
Context: this is for [reader] because [reason].
Source: use [file, email thread or meeting].
Expectations: [length], [bullets or paragraphs or table], [tone].

Why does Copilot give me bland answers?

Most bland answers come from prompts with only a goal. "Write an email about the delay" is a goal with no context, no source and no expectations, so Copilot fills the gaps with safe, general wording. Add who the email is for, which thread or file it should draw on and how long it should be, and the answer sharpens straight away. When the first reply misses, tell Copilot what to change rather than starting again.

Where do I find Microsoft's own Copilot prompts?

Microsoft's Copilot Prompt Gallery, which used to be called Copilot Lab, collects example prompts you can try and save. Microsoft says the standalone app was discontinued and prompts now open from Copilot Chat and the Copilot pane in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. There's also a public gallery on Microsoft's adoption site.

Which apps does Copilot work in?

Microsoft lists Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Teams and Forms for Microsoft 365 Copilot, with Copilot Chat also available in Edge, Outlook and Teams. The Microsoft 365 Copilot app is now simply called Microsoft Copilot.

One thing that trips people up: Microsoft says the basic Copilot Chat doesn't include Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. If you can't see Copilot in those apps, check which version your account has before blaming your prompt.

Copilot prompts for Word

Copy this prompt

Draft a one-page proposal for [client] about [service].
Context: they're a [type of business] worried about [concern].
Use the details in [file]. Keep it plain, with headings for the problem, the plan, the timeline and next steps.

For editing, Microsoft suggests selecting a paragraph and using Rewrite with Copilot. Here's a prompt to pair with it.

Copy and paste this prompt

Rewrite this section so it's shorter and friendlier for a customer who isn't technical.
Keep every fact the same and end with a clear next step.

Copilot prompts for Excel

Microsoft's own Excel examples ask questions of your data, such as which region had the highest and lowest sales. These prompts work the same way.

Copy this prompt

Look at this sheet of [orders or enquiries]. Which [product, service or month] performed best and worst?
Show the answer as a short table, then give me one possible reason for each.

Copy and paste this prompt

Add a column that labels each row as [category A] or [category B] based on [rule].
Then summarise how many rows fall into each label.

Microsoft has retired the COPILOT cell function, so use the Copilot pane in Excel for this kind of request. If you also use Claude, Claude for Excel is worth comparing.

Copilot prompts for Outlook

Copy this prompt

Summarise this email thread in five bullet points: what was agreed, what's still open and who's waiting on me.

Copy and paste this prompt

Draft a reply to [name] that confirms [detail], answers their question about [topic] and suggests [next step].
Keep it warm and under [number] sentences.

Copilot prompts for PowerPoint and Teams

Copy this prompt

Create a [number]-slide presentation from [file] for [audience].
One idea per slide, short headings, and speaker notes for each slide.

In Teams, Microsoft's examples ask Copilot about the meeting itself, such as which questions were asked. Try these after a client call.

Copy and paste this prompt

What did we agree in this meeting, who owns each action, and what questions are still unanswered?
Then draft a short follow-up message I can send to everyone who attended.

Copilot prompts for OneNote and Forms

Copy this prompt

Turn my notes on this page into a tidy plan with three headings: decisions, actions and questions.
Keep my wording where you can and mark anything that looks unfinished.

Copy and paste this prompt

Create a short customer feedback form for [service] with [number] questions.
Mix rating questions and one open question, keep the wording friendly, and end by asking if we can follow up.

A worked example: from vague to useful

Here's how the four parts change a prompt. A vague request such as "write a newsletter" gives Copilot almost nothing. Add each part and the result changes completely.

• Goal: write the monthly customer newsletter.
• Context: it goes to past clients of a small bookkeeping firm who mostly read on their phones.
• Source: use the notes in the attached document and the previous newsletter for tone.
• Expectations: three short sections, a friendly opening line and one clear call to book a review.

Put together, that's a prompt Copilot can act on. It's the same shape Microsoft uses in its own worked example, and it works for almost any job you'd hand to an assistant.

Common Copilot prompt mistakes

• No source. Name the file, email or meeting so Copilot isn't guessing.
• No reader. Say who it's for; a client update reads differently from a team note.
• Asking for everything at once. Break big jobs into steps and refine as you go.
• Accepting the first answer. Microsoft recommends reviewing and iterating.

A good habit is to keep a short note of the prompts that worked for you, with the file or meeting you used them on. After a few weeks you'll have a personal library that fits your business better than any generic list.

If you want more cross-tool examples, my AI prompt examples cover the same jobs for ChatGPT and other assistants.

Tools that work with Copilot prompts

Copilot is strongest inside Microsoft 365: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and Teams, with Copilot Chat in Edge. Microsoft Loop and OneNote are good places to keep a shared prompt library for your team. If you use other assistants too, ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini will follow the same four-part structure, and TextExpander can store your favourite prompts as shortcuts.

If you'd like help rolling out Copilot or another assistant across your team, this is how I work with business owners.

If you want the full set, start at the ChatGPT Prompts and Limits: 30 Guides to Fun Prompts, Photo Edits and Daily Caps. To write your own, try the free ChatGPT prompt generator.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a good Copilot prompt?

Microsoft suggests four parts: a goal, context on why and who it's for, the source to use, and your expectations for length, format and tone. Only the goal is required.

Where is the Copilot Prompt Gallery?

The Copilot Prompt Gallery, formerly Copilot Lab, opens from Copilot Chat and the Copilot pane in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Microsoft also has a public gallery on its adoption site.

Why can't I see Copilot in Word or Excel?

Microsoft says the basic Copilot Chat doesn't include Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint or OneNote. Check which Copilot version your account has.

Does the order of a Copilot prompt matter?

Yes. Microsoft says order matters and suggests putting specific source material at the end of the prompt.

Can I use the same prompts in ChatGPT or Claude?

Mostly. A clear goal, context, source and format help any AI assistant, so these prompts adapt easily.