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Nick Ross

Welcome to "Mastering Microsoft 365 Copilot: A Beginner's Guide," your comprehensive pathway to harnessing the full potential of AI across Microsoft's suite of business applications.

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Welcome to "Mastering Microsoft 365 Copilot: A Beginner's Guide," your comprehensive pathway to harnessing the full potential of AI across Microsoft's suite of business applications.

Is your business ready for AI? Is Copilot for Microsoft 365 worth the cost? Is your data at risk when using Copilot?

Check out this new course that acts as your comprehensive pathway to harnessing the full potential of AI across Microsoft’s suite of business applications. Understand if this product meets all of the hype and if it is the right fit for your business. As an MSP, understand the importance of talking to your customers about AI readiness.

This course is taught by a Microsoft MVP and a content creator for all things Microsoft 365 @ Tminus365 on YouTube.

Why Choose This Course?

Cut through the marketing fluff from Microsoft and understand the potential of adopting AI in your business. By enrolling in this course, you will:

  • Explore the Fundamentals: Gain a solid foundation of Generative AI, Large Language Models, and Microsoft 365 Copilot, understanding its capabilities, how it works, licensing models, setup, and integration across different applications.

  • Consumable Demos: Through a wealth of demo content, witness firsthand how Copilot interacts with familiar business tools such as Excel, Word, Teams, and PowerPoint, providing you with practical knowledge to apply immediately.

  • Learn how to begin to prepare your organization for AI: Regardless of what AI tool or technology you adopt, having an AI strategy is paramount to protecting your data. Learn the security and compliance concerns with Copilot and mitigate them with an AI Readiness assessment.

  • Understand how to Administer Copilot for your Organization: Learn the basic administration of Copilot such as licensing users and considerations for rolling out Copilot in a phased approach. Learn about optimizing adoption and ROI through prompt engineering.

Who Should Enroll?

This course is perfect for business decision makers and MSPs who are looking to jump start their knowledge of Microsoft 365 Copilot. This course will provide you the foundation to understanding if Copilot is right for your business and what you can begin to do now to prepare for AI. For MSPs, this course will provide you a better talk track with your customers around Copilot for Microsoft 365 unlock the truth behind the hype of this product.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Navigate and utilize microsoft 365 copilot
  • Understand data security and compliance protection for copilot
  • Apply copilot across professional and personal tasks
  • Understand licensing models and how to purchase copilot
  • Understand how copilot enhances productivity across the microsoft 365 office suite
  • Understand how microsoft 365 copilot works
  • Leverage advanced data analysis in excel
  • Optimize communication and productivity in teams chats and meetings
  • Save time summarizing your email inbox
  • Generate compelling powerpoints from word documents
  • Chat and interact with your business data
  • Understand generative ai and large language models
  • Show more
  • Show less

Syllabus

After this section, you will understand what will be covered in this course and get access to some free Copilot resources you can leverage to interact with the technology.
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In this video, I showcase some of my background and experience with Microsoft 365 Copilot as well as an introduction to the course. I am a Microsoft MVP and have been creating content on all things Microsoft 365 for over 5-years now on my YouTube Channel, T-Minus365. Join me in this lesson to understand more about what this course will cover.

Course Format
By the end of this section, you will have a better understanding of Generative AI and Large Language Models.

§ In this lesson, I cover the background of Generative AI, Large Language Models, and Model types so that you have a better end-to-end understanding of Copilot.

In this video, I cover the top use cases for generative AI, trends we are seeing in the market today, and predications from Gartner.

In this lesson, I cover some of the top risks with Generative AI and some of the concerns you should have leveraging this technology.

By the end of the section, you will have a high-level understanding of what Microsoft 365 Copilot is and how it works behind the scenes.

In this lesson, I demystify a the confusing top of Copilots and Microsoft’s confusing naming convention for their product line.

What is all the hype about? In this lesson, I cover, at a high-level, the core purpose and functionality of Microsoft 365 Copilot so that you can have a better understanding of its powerful benefits.

In this video, I walk through the major chat differences using the paid versions of Microsoft 365 Copilot and ChatGPT. I showcase demos of the tools side-by-side answering question and demo the additional features you get with Copilot.

Knowledge Transfer
By the end of this section, you will understand how Copilot is licensed for both individuals and businesses as well as your purchasing options.

In this video, I showcase the different licensing options available for individuals and organizations. I talk about the free vs paid offerings you can purchase and walk through a feature matrix that describes what you get with each plan.

In this video, I show you how you can purchase Copilot Pro as an individual and Microsoft 365 Copilot as an organization. I showcase the pricing and billing terms for each purchasing model that you need to be aware of as well.

In this video, I discuss the security and data privacy concerns you should have leveraging Microsoft 365 Copilot in your organization. Learn how user can get inadvertent or unauthorized access to sensitive data within the company. Prepare yourself with an AI readiness assessment.

In this lesson, I discuss the importance of talking to your customers about an AI Readiness Assessment. I showcase an assessment Microsoft provides that you can walk your customers through.

In this video, I show some statistics and surveys conducts by Microsoft and other 3rd parties as it relates to AI and users perception on Copilot for Microsoft 365. I discuss how to leverage a phased approach to maximize adoption of Copilot within an organization to maximize ROI.

If you are an admin for Microsoft 365 for your organization, I show you how to roll out Copilot to the business, including licensing users and activating Copilot within your tenant. I highlight the importance of performing an AI readiness assessment for security and data privacy which we cover in more depth later in the course.

By the end of this section, you will understand the science of Prompt Engineering and how to maximize your prompts to Copilot to get the best results.

In this lesson, I walk through the art and science of prompt engineering including some ingredients you can use to create a great prompt for Copilot.

In this lesson, I show you some examples of crafting better prompts in Word and Teams

In this lesson, I show you some best practices when prompting Copilot to help you maximize the value you get from the tool.

By the end of this section, you will understand how Copilot interacts with email and calendar items in Microsoft 365 Outlook

In this video, I demo some examples of Microsoft 365 Copilot in Outlook and its summarization capabilities. We take a look at Copilot summarizing your inbox, long email threads, and individual email messages.

In this video, I show you how to leverage Copilot in outlook to draft new emails and replies that can shorten the time it takes you to manage your inbox or create content from scratch.

In this video, I go over the “Coaching by Copilot” feature in outlook which allows you to analyze an email and have Copilot provide recommendations on aspects of the email such as tone, clarity, and sentiment.

In this video, I show you a popular feature in Outlook leveraging Copilot to follow a meeting on your calendar. By taking this action, you can get a recap of the meeting automatically from Copilot after the meeting has ended and even chat with the transcript to get caught up on what you missed.

By the end of this section, you will understand how Copilot interacts with meetings and phone calls within Microsoft Teams

In this video, I show you how you can leverage Copilot to in a live meeting to ask questions about the meeting such as what has been discussed so far, uncover unresolved topics, and even get suggestions on questions you could or should be asking to other participants.

In this video, I show how Copilot summarizes a meeting after it has concluded to capture key meeting notes, action items, and follow up tasks.

In this video, I show you how you can interact with Copilot on a live call, leveraging Teams voice. This can create an amazing customer experience of being able to capture unresolved questions as part of a call transfer process.

By the end of this section, you will understand how Copilot interacts with documents in Microsoft Word

In this video, I show you how you can create brand new word documents leveraging other documentation content in your Microsoft environment such as other word docs, PowerPoint slides, OneNote sheets, and more.

In this video, I show you how you interact with word documents in a way that seems like you were conversing with a human. Leveraging Copilot, you can summarize the document, pull out key insights, ask about specific topics, and even have Copilot rewrite sections you choose.

If you are an individual consumer of Microsoft 365, I show you how to leverage an integration with Microsoft Designer to create impressive graphics in your word documents such as banner images. AI capabilities extend into Designer where you can create and modify images or graphics to create amazing content.

By the end of this section, you will understand how Copilot interacts with Microsoft Excel to perform advanced data analysis and formulas.

In this video, I cover some of the key insights Copilot can pull from your data in excel. No matter if you are a power user of excel or a novice, Copilot allows you to seamless interact with your data and you will see that in this video where I demo basic interactions with an existing table.

Creating formulas in excel is not always straightforward and is often a heavy learning curve for the average user. In this lesson, I show you how Copilot can interpret your data and create the formulas you need to generate new business insights.

By the end of this section, you will understand how to create PowerPoint slides from word documents and modify slides with Copilot.

In this video, I show you how to create an entire presentation from a word doc. Imagine being able to take notes from word documents or from a well written paper and generate a powerful presentation including all of the graphics, organization, and formatting you need. This is the power of Copilot in PowerPoint.

In this video, I show you how Copilot can create a PowerPoint presentation from a textual description as well as some common interactions you might have for updating existing presentations.

By the end of this section, you will understand how leverage Copilot in some of your favorite note-taking apps.

In this video, I showcase the Copilot interactions with your favorite note taking apps. With Microsoft Loop, I showcase how to leverage Copilot to create a table that you can share as a Loop component across business apps such as Outlook.

By the end of this section, you will understand how leverage Copilot in a new chat app to collaborate with all of your business data in one location.

In this video, I show you how to have human-like conversation in Microsoft 365 Chat to interact with all of your business data. This allows you to surface information across your inbox, Teams chats, meetings, shared document repositories, and more.

In this video, I show you how to leverage Copilot in Microsoft 365 chat to create new content such as email drafts, blogs, and more from existing documents and a basic dialogue.

By the end of this section, you will understand some of the security and compliance features available that you can leverage as an admin to protect data within your organization.

In this lesson, I outline how Copilot interacts with your business data and why it is important to put policies in place to protect your data.

In this lesson, I showcase a security feature matrix I built that outlines the data security features you get in your base plans of Microsoft.

In this lesson, I show you where you can view and configure your tenant-wide sharing settings along with the privacy settings you can set for document libraries in SharePoint

In this lesson, I show you how you can automatically find and classify sensitive data store across your Microsoft environment.

In this lesson, I show you how you can begin to apply data taxonomy to the documents in your organization to protect sensitive information

In this lesson, I show you how to set up data loss prevention policies to prevent data leakage either internally or externally to your organization

In this lesson, I show you how you can apply retention polices to Copilot chats

In this lesson, I show you how you can discover Copilot interactions throughout your organization based on a specific topic or keyword.

In this lesson, I show you how you can leverage eDiscovery for Copilot interactions.

In this lesson, I show you how to leverage the audit logs to discover Copilot interactions across your organization

In this lesson, I show you basic group management and dynamic group management to help you automate access controls to sensitive information

In this lesson, I show you how to perform automated access reviews for things like group membership to streamline the lifecycle of access controls in your organization.

In this lesson, I show you how to reduce your security exposure with Copilot by ensuring that privileged roles are set up under PIM to provide just in time access to these roles.

In this lesson, I show you how to automate common workflows like user onboarding and offboarding using lifecycle workflows so that you can streamline access control management.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Explores the potential of Generative AI, especially Copilot, for businesses to improve productivity and efficiency
Taught by a Microsoft MVP and a content creator for all things Microsoft 365 on YouTube
Provides hands-on demos to showcase the practical applications of Copilot
Suitable for both business decision makers and MSPs seeking an introduction to Microsoft 365 Copilot and its relevance for their organizations
Covers key aspects of Copilot administration, including licensing, phased rollouts, and prompt engineering for optimizing adoption
Emphasizes the importance of AI readiness and provides guidance on conducting AI readiness assessments

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Mastering Microsoft Copilot: A Beginner's Guide with these activities:
Review Introduction to AI and Machine learning
Review foundational topics in AI and ML to strengthen your understanding of Copilot's underlying capabilities.
Show steps
  • Revisit concepts of AI and machine learning
  • Explore different types of AI models
Follow Online Tutorials on Copilot's Features
Seek out online resources to enhance your understanding of Copilot's functionalities and best practices.
Show steps
  • Search for tutorials on specific Copilot features
  • Follow step-by-step instructions and examples
Practice Using Copilot's Chat Interface
Engage with Copilot's chat interface to gain proficiency in using its command-based structure.
Show steps
  • Interact with Copilot using natural language prompts
  • Experiment with different types of queries
Two other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all five activities
Develop Prompts for Specific Tasks
Craft effective prompts to maximize Copilot's capabilities and optimize its responses.
Show steps
  • Identify specific tasks you want Copilot to perform
  • Draft clear and concise prompts
  • Evaluate and refine prompts based on Copilot's responses
Summarize a document using Microsoft Word
Reinforce your understanding of Copilot's document summarization capabilities by practicing summarizing documents in Microsoft Word.
Browse courses on Document Summarization
Show steps
  • Open a document in Microsoft Word.
  • Select a passage or the entire document you want to summarize.
  • Click on the 'Summarize' button in the 'Copilot' tab.
  • Review the summary generated by Copilot.

Career center

Learners who complete Mastering Microsoft Copilot: A Beginner's Guide will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Artificial Intelligence Engineer
As an Artificial Intelligence Engineer, you will need to be able to design, develop, and deploy artificial intelligence systems. This course will help you build a foundation in artificial intelligence, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create and deploy successful artificial intelligence systems. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with artificial intelligence, such as data collection and analysis.
Learning and Development Manager
As a Learning and Development Manager, you will need to be able to plan, develop, and implement learning and development programs. This course will help you build a foundation in learning and development, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create and deliver effective learning and development programs. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with learning and development, such as content creation and program management.
Business Analyst
As a Business Analyst, you will need to be able to understand business needs and develop solutions to improve efficiency and effectiveness. This course will help you build a foundation in business analysis and process improvement, which can help you identify opportunities for improvement and develop solutions that meet the needs of the business. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with business analysis, such as data collection and analysis.
Product Manager
As a Product Manager, you will need to be able to understand customer needs and develop products that meet those needs. This course will help you build a foundation in product management, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create successful products. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with product management, such as market research and customer feedback analysis.
Data Scientist
As a Data Scientist, you will need to be able to collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make informed decisions. This course will help you build a foundation in data science, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to identify trends, patterns, and insights in data. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with data science, such as data cleaning and wrangling.
Knowledge Manager
As a Knowledge Manager, you will need to be able to create, manage, and share knowledge within an organization. This course will help you build a foundation in knowledge management, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create and manage knowledge repositories that are both usable and effective. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with knowledge management, such as content creation and collaboration.
Information Architect
As an Information Architect, you will need to be able to design and organize information systems. This course will help you build a foundation in information architecture, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create information systems that are both usable and effective. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with information architecture, such as data modeling and content management.
Technical Trainer
As a Technical Trainer, you will need to be able to train others on how to use software and technology. This course will help you build a foundation in technical training, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create and deliver effective training programs. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with technical training, such as content creation and assessment development.
Instructional Designer
As an Instructional Designer, you will need to be able to design and develop educational materials. This course will help you build a foundation in instructional design, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create educational materials that are both effective and engaging. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with instructional design, such as content creation and assessment development.
Machine Learning Engineer
As a Machine Learning Engineer, you will need to be able to design, develop, and deploy machine learning models. This course will help you build a foundation in machine learning, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create and deploy successful machine learning models. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with machine learning, such as data preprocessing and model training.
Software Engineer
As a Software Engineer, you will need to be able to design, develop, and test software applications. This course will help you build a foundation in software engineering, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create high-quality software applications. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with software development, such as code generation and testing.
Data Analyst
As a Data Analyst, you will need to be able to collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make informed decisions. This course will help you build a foundation in data analysis and visualization, which can help you identify trends, patterns, and insights in data. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with data analysis, such as data cleaning and wrangling.
Project Manager
As a Project Manager, you will need to be able to plan, execute, and close projects successfully. This course will help you build a foundation in project management, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to manage projects effectively. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with project management, such as scheduling and budgeting.
User Experience Designer
As a User Experience Designer, you will need to be able to design and evaluate user interfaces. This course will help you build a foundation in user experience design, which can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create user interfaces that are both usable and enjoyable. Additionally, this course will introduce you to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can help you automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with user experience design, such as prototyping and testing.
Technical Writer
As a Technical Writer, you will need strong written communication skills to create user guides, training materials, and other documentation that explains complex technical concepts. This course will help you build a foundation in Generative AI and Large Language Models, which can help you write more engaging and informative documents that are easy for readers to understand. Additionally, if you have an interest in Microsoft 365 Copilot and want to learn more about how to use it to improve your productivity, this course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to get started.

Reading list

We've selected 11 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Mastering Microsoft Copilot: A Beginner's Guide.
Provides a business-oriented overview of AI and machine learning, including the different types of AI, the benefits of using AI, and the challenges of implementing AI.
Provides a comprehensive overview of Microsoft 365, including the collaboration tools, productivity apps, security features, and cloud services.
Provides a practical guide to using Microsoft Excel for data analysis, including how to clean and prepare data, create charts and graphs, and perform statistical analysis.
Provides a comprehensive guide to creating effective PowerPoint presentations, including how to choose the right template, design slides, and deliver presentations.
Provides a practical guide to effective management, including how to set goals, give feedback, and motivate employees.
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Provides a practical guide to personal productivity, including how to set goals, organize tasks, and manage time.
Provides a thought-provoking look at the power of introversion, including how introverts can succeed in a world that often values extroversion.
Provides a sweeping history of humanity, from the Stone Age to the present day, and explores the big questions about our place in the universe.

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