Getting Started with Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word

Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word is an AI-powered assistant that helps you draft, edit, and summarize documents faster than ever. In this lab, you will work through the core Copilot interaction pattern - prompt, generate, refine - by building a professional project proposal from scratch. Starting with a blank document and rough notes, you will use Copilot to generate a complete first draft, rewrite sections with tone adjustments, and produce a summary with key takeaways. These foundational skills transfer directly to every other Microsoft 365 app that supports Copilot.

Objectives

Upon completing this beginner level lab, you will be able to:

• Verify that Microsoft 365 Copilot is available and accessible in Word
• Use the "Draft with Copilot" feature to generate a structured project proposal from a natural language prompt
• Rewrite and refine selected text using Copilot's Auto Rewrite and tone adjustment options (professional, casual, concise)
• Adjust the length and style of generated content to match a target audience
• Summarize a multi-section document into key takeaways using the Copilot chat panel
• Apply effective prompting techniques to get better results from Copilot

Who is this lab for?

This lab is designed for:

• Business professionals who want to leverage Microsoft 365 Copilot to accelerate document creation and editing workflows
• Office workers and knowledge workers looking to learn the fundamentals of AI-assisted writing in Word
• IT professionals and trainers evaluating Copilot capabilities for organizational rollout

Prerequisites

To complete this lab, you will need:

• A Microsoft 365 account with an active Copilot license (Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on or Copilot Pro subscription)
• Microsoft Word - desktop application (Windows or macOS) or Word for the web
• Basic familiarity with Microsoft Word (creating documents, selecting text, navigating the ribbon). No prior Copilot or AI experience needed.