Overview
Microsoft 365 Copilot Showdown teaches you how to master the art of crafting powerful, personalised prompts that unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. Rather than offering a fixed set of “best prompts,” this course focuses on the process of structuring, refining, and optimising prompts for specific tasks and roles.
With practical exercises and scenario-based learning, you’ll learn to create your own effective prompts that adapt to your goals and workflows. Whether you’re generating reports, summarising conversations, designing presentations, or managing communications, this course equips you to command Copilot confidently and efficiently.
Prerequisites
Participants should have:
- Familiarity with core Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams)
- Basic understanding of business workflows and role-based activities
- No prior experience with prompt engineering or Copilot required
Target audience
This course is ideal for:
- Business professionals looking to enhance productivity using Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Team leads, content creators, and analysts aiming to optimise workflows with generative AI
- Anyone seeking to develop prompt-writing skills tailored to their role and toolset
Delegates will learn how to
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Explain how Microsoft 365 Copilot interprets and responds to prompts
- Design prompts that reflect specific business roles, tasks, and workflows
- Adapt and refine prompts to improve accuracy, relevance, and tone
- Apply prompt-writing techniques across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Outlook
- Evaluate and iterate on Copilot outputs for better results over time
- Create custom prompt libraries to streamline recurring tasks
- Build confidence using Copilot for strategic, operational, and creative goals
Outline
Understanding Microsoft 365 Copilot
- What is Copilot and how it works
- Principles of generative AI in Microsoft 365
- Role of context and intent in prompt response
Prompt-writing foundations
- Anatomy of an effective prompt
- Prompting for roles vs tasks
- Iteration and refinement techniques
Prompting in Word
- Drafting and editing documents
- Generating summaries, bullet points, and tone adjustments
- Improving consistency and readability with Copilot
Prompting in Excel
- Analysing data with natural language queries
- Creating formulas, charts, and pivot tables with prompts
- Refining Copilot responses for accuracy
Prompting in PowerPoint
- Building presentations from scratch
- Visualising content and aligning with brand tone
- Editing and adapting slide content dynamically
Prompting in Outlook
- Summarising email threads and action items
- Composing professional messages with tone control
- Enhancing communication efficiency
Prompting in Teams
- Summarising meetings and chats
- Capturing decisions and follow-up actions
- Using Copilot for collaborative project tracking
Optimising prompts for results
- Troubleshooting vague or irrelevant responses
- Incorporating business-specific language
- Building and maintaining prompt libraries
Applying prompts to your workflow
- Tailoring prompts to your role and objectives
- Integrating prompts into daily routines
- Practice scenarios and real-world examples
Exams and assessments
There are no formal exams in this course. Learners will engage in:
- Interactive scenarios and exercises across Microsoft 365 apps
- Knowledge checks to reinforce key prompt-writing techniques
- Peer discussions and instructor-led feedback sessions
Hands-on learning
This course includes:
- Scenario-based labs for each Microsoft 365 tool
- Guided prompt-writing workshops with real-world challenges
- Instructor-led demonstrations and live feedback sessions
- Opportunities to build a personal prompt library
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