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Using Microsoft 365 Copilot

Updated

Microsoft 365 Copilot is available to staff in two ways:

  1. Copilot (paid license) – includes access to Work tab search over company data and integrated Copilot features inside Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
  2. Copilot Chat (web version) – general internet‑grounded chat with no access to company data.

This article explains the difference between the two, how to access each option, and how to use Copilot inside Office apps when licensed.

 

1. Copilot (Paid License Version)

Staff with a Copilot license can use the full Microsoft 365 Copilot experience. This version is grounded in company data such as:

  • Emails and calendars
  • SharePoint and Teams files
  • OneDrive files
  • Business data they already have permission to access

Where to access it

  1. Go to https://portal.office.com 
  2. Sign in with your company Microsoft 365 account
  3. Select the Work tab
  4. You can now ask questions or generate content based on your work documents, emails, files, and Teams messages.

Examples you can try:

  • “Summarise my unread emails from today.”
  • “Find the latest incident report template from SharePoint.”
  • “Draft a message updating the team about the new onboarding process.”

Important: Copilot only uses the data you already have permission to access. It does not expose private or restricted files.

 

2. Copilot Chat (Internet-Grounded Version)

All staff (even without a paid Copilot license) can use the general Copilot Chat experience.

Key differences

  • Not connected to Infinite Care business data
  • Grounded only on public internet information
  • Cannot access emails, files, SharePoint, Teams, or OneDrive
  • Good for general queries, brainstorming, writing help, learning, etc.

Where to access it

  1. Go to https://portal.office.com 
  2. Ask any general questions—examples:
    • “Explain what phishing is in simple terms.”
    • “Write a professional sentence requesting a meeting.”
    • “Help me understand how pivot tables work.”

 

3. Using Copilot Inside Office Apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

This feature is only available if the staff member has a Microsoft 365 Copilot paid license.

Word

You can:

  • Draft documents based on prompts
  • Rewrite or summarise selected text
  • Generate outlines and reports
  • Analyse long documents

Look for the Copilot button in the toolbar.

Excel

You can:

  • Analyse datasets (“Summarise this spreadsheet”)
  • Create formulas
  • Identify trends
  • Build pivot tables or charts based on prompts

Copilot does not create entirely new data; it works with the information already in the sheet.

Outlook

You can:

  • Summarise long email threads
  • Draft replies
  • Adjust tone (professional, concise, friendly)
  • Extract action items

PowerPoint

You can:

  • Create slide decks from a prompt or Word document
  • Rewrite slide content
  • Create speaker notes
  • Improve slide layout

 

4. Which Copilot Should Staff Use?

ScenarioRecommended Version
Need information from Infinite Care files, emails, Teams, or SharePointCopilot (Paid License – Work Tab)
General questions, writing help, brainstormingCopilot Chat (Internet)
Drafting or editing content inside Office appsCopilot integrated in Word / Excel / Outlook / PowerPoint (licensed users only)

 

5. Troubleshooting

I don’t see the Work tab

  • You may not have a Copilot paid license.
  • Log out and log back into https://portal.office.com 
  • If still missing, contact the IT Service Desk.

Copilot inside Word/Excel/Outlook is missing

  • Restart the app
  • Sign out and sign back into Microsoft 365
  • Ensure Office apps are updated
  • Confirm your Copilot license has been assigned

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