Microsoft Copilot: Get Started

Microsoft Copilot Chat is an AI assistant that can help you find information, draft content, summarize text and organize information.

All U of G users have access to Microsoft Copilot Chat. When you sign in with your U of G account, your prompts and Copilot responses are protected under Microsoft’s commercial protection terms. Microsoft does not use these prompts or responses to train its foundation models.

Always confirm that you are signed in with your U of G account and that the green shield appears. The green shield indicates that enterprise data protection applies to your Copilot session.

Open Microsoft Copilot

Access Copilot on Different Devices

You can use the U of G Microsoft Copilot Chat in several places:

In a web browser at Microsoft Copilot Chat
In the Microsoft 365 app on the web
In Microsoft 365 desktop or mobile apps
In tools such as Teams and Outlook

The features you see may vary by device, browser, app, license, and Microsoft updates.

Before You Start

Sign in with your U of G email and password to a Microsoft application (OneDrive, Outlook) or sign in to Copilot itself (on the web, mobile app, etc.).
Confirm that your U of G account appears in the upper-right corner.
Use the waffle icon to locate Microsoft Copilot. See Figure 1.
Look for the green shield (shows that enterprise data protection applies to your Copilot session).
Follow the U of G Artificial Intelligence Acceptable Use Guideline.

IMPORTANT: The availability of Copilot does not change academic, legal, research, workplace or course-specific requirements. If you are a student who is permitted to use Copilot for coursework, follow your instructor’s directions and the requirements for your course or assessment.

Illustration of the Copilot app launcher showing the Microsoft Copilot Chat app selected.

Figure 1. Illustration of the Copilot app launcher showing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app selected.

Open Copilot Chat

Open Microsoft Copilot Chat.
Sign in with your U of G account.
Confirm that your U of G account and the green shield appear in the upper-right corner.
Select Chat if the chat window is not already open.

See Figure 2

Illustration of Microsoft Copilot Chat showing a University of Guelph account and the green shield that indicates enterprise data protection. Features include enterprise data protection (1 and 2), chat feature (3), prompt field (4), and content additions (5).

Figure 2. Illustration of Microsoft Copilot Chat showing a University of Guelph account and the green shield that indicates enterprise data protection. Features include enterprise data protection (1 and 2), chat feature (3), prompt field (4), and content additions (5).

Start Your First Chat

Select the Message Copilot box.
Describe what you want Copilot to do.
Include useful context and state how you want the answer presented.
Select Send (arrow button).
Review the response before you use it.

For example (see Figure 3):

Create a 30-minute meeting agenda about [topic]. Include the meeting purpose, three discussion questions and space for decisions and action items. Present the agenda as a table.

After Copilot responds, enter a follow-up prompt to continue the conversation.

Illustration of Microsoft Copilot Chat showing a prompt being entered

Figure 3. Illustration of Microsoft Copilot Chat showing a prompt being entered.

Improve the Response

You do not need to write a perfect prompt the first time. Tell Copilot what to change with a follow-up prompt, such as:

Make the response shorter
Use plain language
Add the information that is missing about the topic you have entered
Explain this for someone who is new to the subject
Identify any claims that I should verify

Treat Copilot as a conversation. Give feedback, add context and ask follow-up questions until the result meets your needs.

Review Every Response

Copilot can produce incomplete, inaccurate, outdated or biased information, including references that do not support its claims. Before you utilize a response:

Check important facts against reliable sources
Open and review any sources that Copilot provides
Check that the response follows your instructions
Check for missing context, unsupported claims, and biased language
Edit the response for your audience and purpose
Take responsibility for the final work

Copilot should only be used to support human judgment, not replace it. Always check important information before you use or share it.

Change the Response Mode

Copilot Chat lets you choose a response mode, such as Quick response or Think deeper, to match the level of speed or detail you need.

Start a new chat.
Select the mode shown under the message box, such as Quick response.
Choose the mode that fits the task. Use Quick response for a faster answer or Think Deeper for a more complex question.
Enter your prompt and select Send.
Review the response. Try another mode if you need a faster, shorter or more detailed answer.

Note that mode availability may vary. The choice of LLM model (e.g., Open AI's GPT or Anthropic’s Claude) is a feature of Copilot 365 (premium) license.

Work With a File

Work with a file means you add a document to the chat so that Copilot can summarize, analyze or help draft content based on that file.

Start a new chat.
Select Add and manage sources, or the plus sign beside the message box.
Select the option to upload or add a file.
Choose the file.
Enter a prompt that explains what you want Copilot to do with the file.
Select Send.

For example (see Figure 4):

Summarize this document in five bullet points. Identify the main decision, outstanding questions and next steps. Do not add information that is not in the document.

Before you upload a file, confirm that the use complies with U of G requirements.

Illustration of Microsoft Copilot Chat showing a file being selected.

Figure 4. Illustration of Microsoft Copilot Chat showing a file being selected.

Protect University Information

Use Copilot only for purposes allowed by U of G policies, guidelines, and other requirements.

U of G’s Artificial Intelligence Acceptable Use Guideline states that signed-in use of Copilot provides enterprise data protection and is the recommended Microsoft environment for approved work with Internal or Confidential University data. If you are unsure how to classify information, use the U of G Data Classification Policy or Data Classification Assessment Tool. See the U of G Artificial Intelligence Acceptable Use Guideline for details.

For more information, see Microsoft’s privacy and protections guidance for Copilot.

Remember:

Use your U of G account.
Share only the information needed for the task.
Do not assume that enterprise protection makes every use appropriate.
Follow privacy, records management, copyright, research, academic integrity, and course-specific requirements.
Ask your supervisor, instructor, Information Security, or the appropriate U of G office if you are unsure.

Copilot Chat and Microsoft Copilot 365

The Copilot experience and available features depend on your Microsoft license.

Copilot Chat (basic license) provides generative AI chat and can use web information and content you add. All U of G account holders have access.

Microsoft Copilot 365 (premium license) adds advanced features that can work with information available to you in Microsoft 365, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams. Access requires an additional paid license.

For more information on Copilot, see the CCS SharePoint page Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft’s Copilot overview.

Troubleshooting

If you have trouble accessing or using Copilot:

Confirm that you are signed in with your U of G account.
Look for the green shield that indicates enterprise data protection.
Open Copilot directly at Microsoft Copilot Chat.
Refresh the page and sign in again.
Try a different browser if Copilot does not load correctly.
Features vary by license and tenant agreement. You may not see all Copilot features described in Microsoft documentation or shown in screenshots. Availability can also vary by device, app version, and Microsoft updates.

For technical support or more information, contact the CCS Help Centre.

Note: If there is an outage or significant problem with Copilot, CCS will share information on the University IT System Status page.