How to Use Copilot Prompts Effectively
Copilot is a powerful generative AI system that can help you create or edit content, ask questions, summarize information, and catch up on things across various Microsoft 365 applications. In this article, we will learn how to use Copilot prompts effectively and get the desired results from it.
Copilot is built upon large language models (LLMs) that are connected to your Microsoft 365 apps and data, as well as internal business data for enterprise-licensed users.
You can use Copilot for various purposes to write, code, and do other things. For this, you need to write prompts, which are instructions or questions you use to tell Copilot what you want. Prompts can include four parts: the goal, context, expectations, and source.
You can put a little or a lot into a prompt, but all that’s required is a clear goal. If you want to be more specific, add the other parts. You’ll often need to include more than a goal to get the desired results. Here’s an example prompt in Microsoft 365 chat, that includes a goal and source:
Prompt: Write a summary based on all emails from Sam in the past two weeks.
Here’s an example that includes a goal, context, and expectations:
Prompt: Draft an outline of a training manual about time management. Our audience is professionals who work in a hybrid environment and constantly need to attend virtual meetings and meet deadlines. The tone of the document will be friendly and suggestive.
Most likely, you’ll follow up on the results with another prompt. Expect some back-and-forth conversation to get the results you’re looking for.
Why good prompts are important
Prompt engineering is a skill that you can learn and improve over time by experimenting with different prompts and observing the results. Some tools and resources can help you with prompt engineering, such as prompt libraries, prompt generators, or prompt evaluators.
The quality of your prompts influences the quality of Copilot’s outputs. By creating precise and comprehensive prompts, Copilot is better able to synthesize the task it is performing and generate responses more useful to you.
The benefits of prompt engineering include:
Improving the speed and efficiency of generative AI tasks, such as writing complex queries, summarizing data, and generating content.
- Enhancing the skills and confidence of generative AI users — especially novices — by providing guidance and feedback in natural language.
- Leveraging the power of foundation models, which are LLMs built on transformer architecture and packed with information, to produce optimal outputs with few revisions.
- Helping mitigate biases, confusion, and errors in generative AI outputs by fine-tuning effective prompts.
- Helping bridge the gap between raw queries and meaningful AI-generated responses — and reducing the need for manual review and post-generation editing.
How to write effective prompts for Copilot
Here are some essential tips for getting the most out of your prompts:
Do’s:
Be clear and specific: Clarify your objective and expected outcome. The more specific your prompt, the better Copilot can generate a productive response. Provide specific instructions to the Copilot, such as the topic, purpose, tone, and required length. Let’s see with the following prompt examples:
Unclear and unspecific prompt: Write a poem.
Clear and specific prompt: Write a haiku about spring.
Unclear and unspecific prompt: Write some code.
Clear and specific prompt: Write a Python function that takes a list of numbers and returns the average.
Unclear and unspecific prompt: Write a summary.
Clear and specific prompt: Write a summary of the main points of the article titled “How to Use Copilot Prompts Effectively” in 100 words or less.
Unclear and unspecific prompt: Write a tweet.
Clear and specific prompt: Write a tweet promoting the new features of Copilot in less than 280 characters.
Provide context: Give Copilot some background information or relevant details that can help it understand the task better. For example, you can provide the audience, the source, the format, or the style of the content you want. See the example:
Prompt: Write a short story for children aged 6–8 based on the image below. The story should have a title, a beginning, a middle, and an end. The story should be fun, imaginative, and educational. (Upload an image)
Use examples: Show Copilot what you are looking for by providing examples of similar or desired outputs. You can also use examples to correct or improve Copilot’s outputs by showing what you like or don’t like. Here is an example to do it:
Prompt: Write a paragraph about the benefits of meditation. Use simple and clear language.
Copilot’s output:
Meditation is a practice that involves focusing your attention on a single object, such as your breath, a word, or a sound. Meditation can help you reduce stress, improve your mood, and enhance your well-being. Meditation can also help you develop mindfulness, which is the ability to be aware of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the present moment.
Example to correct or improve Copilot’s output:
Prompt: I like your output, but it is too long and complex for my purpose. I want a shorter and simpler paragraph that uses fewer words and easier vocabulary. Here is an example of what I am looking for:
Meditation is when you pay attention to one thing, like your breathing or a sound. Meditation can make you feel calm, happy, and healthy. Meditation can also help you notice what is happening in your mind and body right now.
Use keywords: Use keywords that are related to the topic or domain of your prompt. This can help Copilot narrow down the scope of the task and generate more relevant outputs. See this example:
Prompt: Write a paragraph about the causes and effects of climate change. Use the keyword “greenhouse gases” in your paragraph.
Use proper grammar and spelling: Write your prompts in correct and standard language, as Copilot will follow your lead. Avoid slang, abbreviations, or informal language that might confuse Copilot or lower the quality of the outputs.
Don’ts:
Be vague or ambiguous: Avoid using general or unclear terms that might lead to multiple interpretations or irrelevant outputs.
For example, don’t ask Copilot to “write something interesting” or “give me some tips”. Instead, specify the subject, the goal, and the criteria of the content you want. See an effective prompt example:
Prompt: Create a plot summary for a sci-fi novel set in the year 2050.
Provide too much or too little information: Balance the amount of information you provide in your prompt. Too much information might overwhelm or constrain Copilot, while too little information might leave Copilot guessing or missing the point.
For example, don’t ask Copilot to “write a blog post” without giving any details, or “write a blog post about the history, benefits, challenges, and future of generative AI, with at least 10 references, 5 images, and 3 quotes, in less than 500 words” with too many details.
Expect perfection: Remember that Copilot is a generative AI system, not a human writer or editor. It might not always produce the exact output you want, or it might make mistakes or errors. You need to revise, edit, or refine Copilot’s outputs, or provide feedback to improve its performance.
Violate ethical or legal standards: Respect the safety and privacy of yourself and others when using Copilot. Do not use Copilot to generate or request content that is harmful, offensive, illegal, or unethical. For example, do not ask Copilot to write personal information, sensitive data, hate speech, plagiarism, or spam.
Copilot prompts in this page are examples you can use. But experienced users use advanced and effective prompts, so they can get desired results with minimal edits. Learn to craft effective prompts from experts for Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, or ChatGPT you use:
Books on Microsoft Copilot (Amazon)
48+ Free Google Gemini Prompts (NIGCWorld)
Best Prompt Engineering Courses (NIGCWorld)
Some powerful prompts for content writing, MS Excel, and coding
Content Strategy and Planning:
Prompt: Analyze our target audience demographics, interests, and pain points to develop a content strategy that resonates and drives engagement.
Prompt: Develop a content calendar with a diverse mix of content formats (blog posts, social media content, videos, etc.) and optimize publishing frequency for maximum reach.
Content Creation and Optimization:
Prompt: Generate multiple creative headlines for a specific topic, considering [keywords and audience appeal].
Prompt: Research and incorporate relevant statistics, quotes, and expert opinions to strengthen [your content’s] credibility and authority.
Workflow Optimization and Efficiency:
Prompt: Create templates for repetitive content formats to save time and maintain consistent branding.
Prompt: Implement time-tracking tools to monitor your productivity and identify areas for improvement.”
MS Excel:
Prompt: Explain how the VLOOKUP function retrieves data from a table based on a lookup value.
Prompt: Optimize the following Python code snippet:
for i in range(100): print(i)Prompt: How do I fix the following JavaScript code?
function greet() { console.log('Hello, world!') }”
Coding:
Prompt: Explain how the map function works in JavaScript.
Prompt: What is the correct syntax for a for loop in Python?
Prompt: Show me best practices for writing async/await functions in JavaScript.
Conclusion
Copilot is a powerful tool that can help you with various tasks. To use Copilot effectively, you need to write good prompts that communicate your goal, context, expectations, and source. By following the best practices of prompt engineering, you can optimize Copilot’s performance and get the most out of its capabilities.
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