Microsoft Copilot revolutionized the modern way of collaboration in Microsoft 365. At the same time, the Coplitot rollout requires preparation.
AI-powered platforms implemented in all collaborative apps could improve the daily work of your workforce.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is the next big thing in the Microsoft cloud environment. Most organizations looking for Copilot deployment, but af announced Microsoft Copilot costs are challenging.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is a premium solution and you will need to have a good business case for such an investment.
Learn how you should prepare yourself and your organization for Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Why do you need to prepare for Microsoft 365 Copilot?
AI revolution announced by Microsoft makes the Microsoft Copliot the most wanted new app in years. Almost every organization started to think about how to use Copilot to improve the productivity of the employees.
High enthusiasm behind Microsoft 365 Copilot dropped after Microsoft announced the Copilot pricing. 30$ per user per month is often named by Customers as expensive.
It means that organizations who decide to invest in Microsoft 365 Copilot need to have a solid business case and plan to utilize this solution.
Moreover, Copilot will be a complex set of features implemented inside multiple business applications in Microsoft 365:
- Copilot for SharePoint Online
- Coptilot for Microsoft Teams
- Copilot for Microsoft Outlook
- Copitot for Microsoft Word
- Copilot for Microsoft Excel
- Copilot for PowerPoint
- Copilot for PowerPlatform
- Sales Copilot
- and more …
The package of the final functionalities available across all of these applications will be a huge challenge. User adoption and user training will crucial part of onboarding such a complex change through almost all Office 365 apps.
You will need to prepare to successfully deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot in the organization.
What to learn before the work with Microsoft 365 Copilot?
Before you use your credit card and buy Microsoft Copilot it will be good to have an understanding of what are you buying.
Better understanding of the AI technology
Having a fundamental understanding of Artificial Intelligence its capabilities and possible business use case scenarios will be crucial to succeed with Microsoft Copilot.
New AI-powered features in Microsoft 365 will be based on the OpenAI engine and capabilities similar to ChatGPT. You will need to learn what Large Language Models are, how prompting works in Chat GPT, and how to utilize that kind of tool in daily work.
Moreover, it will be good to have a general understanding of content-generating AI tools available on the market.
Challenges behind AI-based solutions
AI technology is a great opportunity and a way to improve productivity and the way your organization will work. At the same time, there are organizational challenges behind using AI.
Remember that Microsoft 365 Copilot rollout can vary widely depending on the size of your organization, and your industry. Challenges that organizations might face during the rollout of Copilot:
- Data Quality and Availability: AI systems require large amounts of high-quality data to train and function effectively. Many organizations struggle with data that is incomplete, inconsistent, or not properly labeled. It will be worth to verify the quality and location of the data. If you are still using legacy systems it is good to consider the impact of the migrations to Microsoft 365.
- Data Privacy and Security: Handling sensitive data raises concerns about privacy and security. Organizations need to ensure that AI systems comply with data protection regulations. Microsoft building Copilot with with comprehensive approach to security, compliance, and privacy. Copilot is built on top of and integrated with Microsoft 365 with existing Microsoft security, compliance, and privacy capabilities.
- Ethical Concerns: AI systems can inadvertently learn biases present in training data, leading to biased decision-making. Ensuring ethical AI use and minimizing bias require constant monitoring and intervention to rectify any discriminatory outcomes. Microsoft is committed to making sure AI systems are developed responsibly and in ways that warrant people’s trust.
Copilot will assist and enhance your capabilities, not replace them. By developing a solid understanding of AI fundamentals, building relevant skills, and maintaining a curious mindset, you can effectively prepare for Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Understanding Microsoft 365 Copilot data model
Based on a better understanding of the AI models delivered by OpenAI and Large Language Models you should dig into the way how Copilot will work in Microsoft 365. You will need to verify the standard model of Copilot operations:
- Microsoft 365 Copilot will be deeply integrated with Office 365 apps like: Teams, Outlook, or SharePoint. You will be able to reach out to the Copilot interface directly from productivity apps.
- Your requests will be processed by Copilot with Microsoft Graph. Data used by Copilot with authenticated in the scope of the user. In this context, the Graph will allow to access organizational data and gather necessary information.
- The gathered information will be used as input to the LLM AI model. Delivered responses from AI will be post-processed and delivered to the end user.
- Copilot returns responses and recommendations to the end user. In Office 365 apps users will be able to command back, review and assess the suggested response.
You will need to gather at least a basic understanding of the way Microsoft 365 Copilto will work. I recommend checking official Microsoft resources and documentation for the most up-to-date and accurate information on preparing for its rollout.
Staying up-to-date with Microsoft 365 Copilot
You need to stay updated and keep up-to-date with Microsoft Copilot development. This is a new, evolving technology that will change in time. Stay informed about news around Copliot technology, AI tools, and advancements by:
- Follow the Copilot newsletter: Every week I’m sharing with subscribers news, announcements and changes around Microsoft Copilot in Microsoft 365 Weekly Digest. Stay up to date with Microsoft announcements.
- Check the Microsoft 365 roadmap: Review the Microsoft roadmap for Microsoft 365 Copilot and the timeline for the release of the new features.
- Open Microsoft 365 Message Center: From time to time open the Message Center in your Microsoft 365 Admin Center and be aware of how new releases of Copilot will be deployed to your organization
Be prepared for the changes around Microsoft 365 Copilot and be a leader in your organization in the preparation for its usage.
How to prepare the organization for Microsoft 365 Copilot?
Adopting Microsoft 365 Copilot in the organization will require proper preparation. You will need to convince your organization to invest and build a strong business case and commitment.
The use of AI-based Copilot in large organizations comes with its fair share of challenges. Here are some of the common challenges that organizations might face when executing AI initiatives and the way to prepare for them:
- Costs & Business Case: Deployment of Microsoft Copilot will require a strong budget. You will need to secure the foundation for the licenses and resource allocation who will be engaged in the Copilot project. Proper budgets and resources to ensure the successful execution of the Copilot initiative. To secure funding you will need to have a planned business case on how Microsoft 365 Copilot could benefit your organization. The return on Investment (ROI) behind Copilot is uncertain. While AI has the potential for significant returns, predicting the exact ROI can be challenging. You will need to prepare business cases and scenarios to benefit from using Copilot.
- Step-by-step deployment plan: Organizations might need to make substantial upfront investments before realizing the benefits of using Copilot. An Agile approach for deploying Copilot in the organization could be the best approach to build up the business case behind Copilot after every Deployment phase. You should prepare a proper plan for the deployment and rollout of the Microsoft 365 Copilot.
- Change Management and Adoption: Introducing Copilot requires changes to established workflows and processes. Employees might resist these changes due to fear of job displacement or unfamiliarity with AI. It’s essential to manage the cultural shift and communicate the benefits of AI adoption clearly. Microsoft 365 Copilot will become an essential part of most productivity applications available in Office 365. You will need to work on an adoption plan for Copilot for a select group of users to succeed with a wider rollout in the organization.
To address these challenges, organizations should take a strategic and thoughtful approach to Copilot adoption. This includes proper planning, identifying use cases with clear value propositions, investing in training and upskilling, fostering a culture of innovation, and collaborating with AI experts and technology providers to navigate complexities effectively.
What technically prepare before deployment of Microsoft 365 Copilot?
There are also a few technical elements that you need to prepare in your Microsoft 365 environment to be sure that you will be able levarge the Microsoft 365 Copilot.
- Availability of Microsoft 365 Apps – Your users will need to have access to Microsoft 365 apps to fully use Copilot capabilities. Except standard apps like Word, Outlook, Teams or SharePoint, Copilot will use Microsoft Loop. if you have not started to use Loop it good time start to adopting it.
- OneDrive account – some Copilot features will require OneDrive storage to work. If for any reason OneDrive is not enabled in your organization you will need to turn it on.
- New Outlook for Windows – Copilot will require new version of the Outlook to have full experience of its features. Again this is a good point in time preapre your organization for the rollout of the new Outlook.
- Copilot licenses – after you acquire and enable Copilot licences manage the licenses in your Microsoft 365 Admin Center to be sure that the right users get access to them.
If you are using Microsoft 365, the rest of the topics are already in place and you are good to go with Microsoft Copilot.
Free course “Prepare for Microsoft Copilot”
I can imagine that preparation for the Microsoft 365 Copilot could be a little overwhelming. Becasue of that I’m preparing free online course that will help you and your organization prepare better for the rollout of the Copilot.
What’s next?
Great! You learned how to prepare for Microsoft Copilot. Now you should learn more about Microsoft Copilot itself. Learn what is Microsoft Copilot, a secure way for searching – Bing Chat Enterprise or pricing of the Copilot service.
Do you want more?
I prepared more articles around main Office 365 apps, like Planner, Microsoft Outlook, Power Apps, and SharePoint Online.
Conclusion
Learn how to prepare for Microsoft 365 Copilot rollout in your organization. Prepare yourself, your technical setup, and your organization for Copilot. Build a business case for Copilot investment.
