USING M365 COPILOT IN SHAREPOINT

This tutorial focuses on practical, step-by-step guidance for end users.

Prerequisites:

• You need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license (included in plans like E3/E5 with Copilot add-on).
• Access to SharePoint Online sites where you have at least edit permissions for advanced features like creating agents.
• If your organization uses Pay-As-You-Go for agents, unlicensed users may access some features with billing enabled.
• Always review AI-generated content for accuracy, as Copilot is a tool to assist, not replace, human judgment.

Accessing Copilot in SharePoint - Copilot appears in several places within SharePoint:

• Copilot Pane (for Agents and Queries): On any modern SharePoint site, page, or document library, look for the Copilot icon in the top-right corner of the suite bar (next to your profile). Click it to open the side pane.
  • This opens the default "ready-made agent" scoped to the current site's content.
  • Use it to ask natural language questions like "Summarize the latest project updates" or "What are the key points in this document library?"
• During Page Creation: When creating new pages or news posts.
• In Rich Text Editor: When editing text on pages.

Creating Pages with Copilot - Copilot excels at generating professional SharePoint pages quickly.Step-by-Step: Create a New Page

• Navigate to your SharePoint site.
• Click + New > Page (or News post) from the command bar.
• Choose one of two approaches:
  • From Templates: Select a built-in template (e.g., Project Status, Team Spotlight). Copilot will prompt you for details like topic, audience, and tone.
  • From Scratch with Open Prompts: Enter a descriptive prompt, e.g., "Create a page for our Q1 sales review including sections for achievements, challenges, and next steps. Use a professional tone and include placeholders for charts."
• Copilot generates a draft page with sections, text, images, and layout suggestions.
• Review and edit: Add web parts, adjust layout, or use Design ideas for further refinements.
• Click Publish or Republish when ready.
  • Tips:
    • Be specific in prompts for better results (e.g., include desired sections or branding).
    • Copilot can convert existing files (Word docs, PowerPoint) into pages.

Refining Existing Pages

• Edit a page and use Copilot suggestions for layout or content enhancements.

Writing and Editing Text with Copilot (Rich Text Editor) - Copilot helps refine text directly in pages and news posts.Step-by-Step:

• Edit a SharePoint page or news post.
• Highlight text in a Text web part.
• Click the Copilot icon that appears (or right-click for options).
• Choose actions:
  • Rewrite: Rephrase selected text.
  • Adjust tone: Make it more formal, casual, enthusiastic, etc.
  • Make shorter/longer: Condense or expand content.
  • Generate ideas: Suggest new content based on context.
• Select a suggestion and insert it.

Example Prompt: Highlight a paragraph and ask Copilot to "Make this more concise and professional." Note: This feature is available to all Copilot-licensed users in Text web parts.

Using SharePoint Agents - Agents are specialized AI assistants grounded in your site's content. Every modern site has a ready-made agent automatically. You can create custom agents for tailored needs.

• Using the Ready-Made Agent
  • Open the Copilot pane (top-right icon).
  • The default agent is selected.
• Ask questions like:
  • "Summarize documents about budget approvals."
  • "Find files related to the 2026 roadmap."
  • "Generate a FAQ from these project notes."
  • Responses include citations to sources.
• Creating a Custom Agent - You need edit permissions on the site.
  • Options to Start:
    • From Site Homepage: Click New > Agent.
    • From Document Library: Select files/folders > Right-click (or ellipsis) > Create an agent.
    • From Copilot Pane: Open pane > Click arrow next to agent name > Create new agent.
• Configuration Steps:
  • Overview Tab: Set title, logo, and purpose (e.g., "HR Policies Expert – Answers questions on benefits and leave").
  • Sources Tab: Add knowledge sources:
    • Default: Current site.
    • Add more: SharePoint sites, libraries, folders, or specific files (via URLs or selection).
• Behavior Tab: Customize:
  • Welcome message.
  • Starter prompts (suggested questions).
  • Instructions (system prompt for tone/behavior, e.g., "Always respond professionally and cite sources").
• Click Create or Save.
  • The agent file (.agent) saves to Site Assets or the current library.
• Advanced Option:
  • Click Add advanced customization to extend in Copilot Studio (for actions, workflows, or external data).
• Managing and Sharing Agents
  • Edit: Open pane > Select agent > Edit.
  • Share: Like any file – Copy link, invite users, or add to Teams chats/channels.
  • Set as Default (site owners): Promote a custom agent to replace the ready-made one.
  • Interact: Open Copilot pane and select your agent from the dropdown.

Other Copilot Features in SharePoint

• Document Insights: Upload or select files; ask Copilot to summarize, extract data, or answer questions.
• Search Enhancement: Copilot makes searches more conversational.
• Integration with Teams: Share agents directly in chats for collaborative queries.

Best Practices and Tips

• Prompt Engineering:
  • Use clear, detailed prompts (e.g., specify format: "Respond in bullet points with citations").
• Privacy and Security:
  • Copilot respects SharePoint permissions – it only accesses what you can see.
• Review Outputs:
  • Always verify facts, especially for sensitive content.
• Feedback:
  • Thumbs up/down on responses to improve the model.
• Clear History:
  • In Microsoft Copilot settings > Privacy > Copilot activity history.
• Training Resources:
  • Visit Microsoft's support hub: Microsoft 365 Copilot in SharePoint help & learning.

By mastering these features, you'll transform how you work in SharePoint – from manual drafting to AI-assisted creation and insights. Experiment on a test site first! For the latest updates, check the Microsoft 365 Roadmap.