Work data
Ask about a client, meeting or project without copying every source into a separate chatbot.
Microsoft 365 Copilot · Practical guide · Oct 2026
Copilot, now with Claude
A practical guide to choosing the right model and using Claude inside Copilot Chat, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Cowork and AI agents — without losing organizational controls.
Start here · 60 seconds
Three steps to your first useful result
- Open Copilot. Go to m365.cloud.microsoft or launch the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.
- Choose the model. Select Auto at the top, then Claude and the model you need.
- Write a precise request. State the outcome, relevant files or people, constraints and required format.
01
What Microsoft 365 Copilot actually is
Copilot is Microsoft’s AI layer across Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The important difference from a general chatbot is grounding: when Work IQ is enabled, Copilot can use the emails, meetings, files and chats that the signed-in user is already allowed to access.
That does not mean it can see everything. Existing Microsoft 365 permissions remain the boundary, and the user is still responsible for reviewing important results.
Model choice
Use automatic routing for routine work and choose GPT or Claude when the task benefits from a specific model.
Action, not just text
Agent Mode and Cowork can create and edit working files, prepare plans and coordinate multi-step tasks.
02
Which model should you choose?
The simple rule is: routine work → Auto; work that needs judgment → consider Claude Opus. Model availability and names change, so choose by workload rather than memorizing a version number.
| Option | What it does | Good for | Typical pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto Default | Copilot routes the request. | Email, short summaries and everyday questions. | Fast |
| Quick response | Optimizes for speed. | Rewriting, translation and simple questions. | Very fast |
| Think deeper GPT | Spends more time reasoning. | Logic, planning and calculations. | Slower |
| Claude Opus Claude | Heavier Anthropic model. | Deep analysis, financial models, long documents and multi-step work. | Medium |
| Claude Sonnet Claude | Lighter, faster Claude option. | High-quality daily writing, editing and organizing notes. | Fast |
For material decisions, compare outputs, inspect the cited source material and keep a human approver in the loop.
03
Claude in Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Open Copilot inside the Microsoft 365 app and use the model menu in the side panel. Files generally need to be stored in OneDrive or SharePoint so Copilot can work with them under organizational permissions.
From notes to a finished document
Turn meeting notes into a proposal, simplify a contract, check a long document for consistency or draft a procedure from a transcript.
Analysis, formulas and models
Classify customer feedback, trace formula errors, document assumptions and build conservative, base and optimistic scenarios.
From report to narrative
Build a concise deck from an approved source document, then review the story, numbers, visuals and speaker notes.
04
Researcher, Analyst, Cowork and custom agents
Researcher builds sourced reports from web and organizational material. Analyst works through data and calculations. Cowork plans and executes multi-step work, pausing for approval before sensitive external actions. Agent Builder lets teams create reusable agents without starting from code.
05
12 prompts you can copy
A reliable structure is outcome + context + source + constraints + output format. Replace the brackets with your real details and remove any access the task does not need.
1. Inbox brief
Summarize every email from [client] received in the last seven days. Separate decisions, open requests and items that require my response. Finish with a short reply draft.
2. Meeting preparation
Prepare me for my next meeting with [person]. Summarize our previous discussion, relevant emails and files, and the three most useful questions to ask.
3. Compare proposals
Compare the proposals in [folder]. Build a table with price, delivery time, warranty and payment terms. Recommend one and flag clauses that need legal review.
4. Notes to proposal
Turn the notes in [file] into a client proposal with an opening, understanding of the need, solution, timeline, price and next step. Use a direct, warm tone. Maximum two pages.
5. Plain-language contract review
Explain this contract in plain language: our obligations, material risks, important dates and terms worth discussing with counsel. Do not provide legal advice.
6. Workbook error audit
Review every sheet for formula errors, broken references and inconsistent logic. For each issue, provide the cell, the problem and a proposed correction.
7. Customer feedback analysis
Classify the feedback in column D by topic and sentiment. Add the new columns and give me five central insights with one supporting example each.
8. Forecast model
Build a 12-month revenue forecast from this workbook. Put assumptions on a separate sheet and create conservative, base and optimistic scenarios.
9. Report to presentation
Create an eight-slide presentation from [report]. Lead with the central message, include at least one chart, finish with recommendations and add speaker notes.
10. Competitor research
Research what [competitor 1], [competitor 2] and [competitor 3] changed in the last six months: products, pricing, hiring and marketing. Cite sources and identify gaps we could test.
11. Teams catch-up
What did I miss in [Teams channel] since Monday? Return only decisions, tasks assigned to me and questions waiting for my answer.
12. Cowork launch task
Prepare me for the launch on [date]: create a competitor comparison in Excel, a messaging brief in Word and a ten-slide executive deck. Stop for approval before sending or scheduling anything.
06
For IT administrators
If users cannot see Claude, verify licensing, rollout status and whether Anthropic models are allowed as Microsoft subprocessors. Use a test group before broad enablement and document which tasks require human approval.
Microsoft 365 admin center→Copilot→Settings→AI providers operating as Microsoft subprocessors
Security principle: grant the minimum access needed, keep existing Microsoft 365 permissions clean, test with representative data and require approval for actions that affect customers, employees, money or external systems.
07
Frequently asked questions
How much does Microsoft 365 Copilot with Claude cost?
Copilot Chat is included in many Microsoft 365 plans. The full Microsoft 365 Copilot license follows Microsoft’s current price list, and model choice including Claude is included. Cowork may be billed separately based on usage, so check the current terms with Microsoft or your enterprise partner.
Why does Claude not appear in Microsoft 365 Copilot?
Common reasons include not having a full Microsoft 365 Copilot license, Anthropic models being disabled by an IT administrator, or the feature not yet being available in your tenant. Check with your IT team first.
Is Claude inside Copilot the same as the Claude app?
The underlying model family may be the same, but the working environment is different. Inside Copilot, Claude can work with Microsoft 365 data under your organization’s permissions and security policies; the standalone Claude app has its own interface and features.
Which is better in Copilot: GPT or Claude?
There is no single best model for every task. Keep routine work on Auto, consider Claude for analysis, long-form writing and multi-step work, and compare outputs for high-stakes decisions.
Can Copilot send email without approval?
Cowork shows the planned action and pauses for approval before external actions such as sending an email or creating a meeting. The user can stop or change the plan.
Does Microsoft 365 Copilot with Claude support languages other than English?
Yes. You can write prompts and request answers in many supported languages. Results may vary by task and language, so review important outputs and specify the required response language in the prompt.
AI for business and life
Want Copilot and Claude to produce measurable work?
Executive workshops, team training, workflow design and governed AI-agent implementation for organizations.
Sources and further reading — product behavior changes frequently; verify current licensing and availability with Microsoft.