Course Outline
Working Smarter with Microsoft Copilot:
An AI Foundations Course
An AI Foundations Course
Four modules · Hands-on tasks in every lesson · Built around your real workflows
How This Course Works
Designed for everyone
The course is built for all employees regardless of their current experience with AI tools, whether they have never used Copilot before or are already using it daily. A key goal of Module 1 is to establish a shared foundation of vocabulary, concepts and good practice across the whole organisation, so that everyone is working from the same starting point.
Online and self-paced
The four-module course is delivered entirely online, allowing learners to work through each module at their own pace and in their own time, without disrupting their working day.
Four weeks from start to finish
The course is designed to be completed over four weeks, with learners working through one module at the start of each week. From the very first week, however, they will already be applying what they've learned to their real work, so the practical side of the course begins straight away and runs throughout.
Kicked off with a live session
We recommend starting the course with a short live meeting led by our Learning Director, who walks everyone through how the course works, what to expect from each module, and how to get the most out of it. This sets the tone, answers early questions, and gets the group off to a confident start together.
Can't make the live session? No problem
For anyone who can't attend the kick-off meeting, we provide a video recording of the Learning Director's introduction, so no one misses out on the context they need to begin.
Each module takes one to two hours
The time varies depending on individual learning speed, but learners can pause, revisit and work through lessons in whatever way suits them best.
Checking understanding along the way
Each lesson ends with a short knowledge check as a quick way to confirm understanding before learners move on.
Learning doesn't stop at the end of the module
Each module includes a set of practical tasks that learners complete during their normal working week, applying what they've just learned directly to their own workflows. This is where the real learning happens: not in a classroom, but in the day-to-day.
Peer-sharing sessions bring it to life
We recommend the organisation schedules a short peer-sharing session once a week alongside the course. These sessions give colleagues the chance to compare experiences, troubleshoot together and learn from each other in a way that no online course can replicate on its own. Throughout the course, each lesson includes suggested topics to spark these conversations. Examples of what a peer-sharing session might look like include:
A short weekly check-in: even fifteen minutes on the end of an existing team meeting is enough to share what's working, what isn't, and what colleagues are discovering.
A dedicated chat channel: an informal space for conversation between sessions, where learners can share prompts, ask quick questions and celebrate wins as they happen.
A learning champion within each team: someone who keeps the conversation going, encourages colleagues to share their experiences and helps maintain momentum across the four weeks. The champion doesn't need to be an AI expert — just someone who is enthusiastic about AI and keen to help others get the most from the course.
Why This Course Works
Learning that has room to breathe
Rather than cramming everything into a single session and hoping it sticks, the course is structured so that learners absorb one module at a time, apply what they've learned in their actual work during the week, and arrive at the next module with real experience to build on. This is how new skills actually become habits.
Practice before you progress
By the time learners move from one module to the next, they've already used what they've learned in their own workflow. Nothing is theoretical for long.
A roadmap that's truly theirs
At the end of the course, every learner leaves with a personalised Copilot integration roadmap. Throughout the course, we've guided them to reflect on their own work, identify their own opportunities and build their own prompt library; by the time the final module asks them to pull it all together, the raw material is already there. The roadmap is the natural result of everything they've done, shaped by their role and their workflows, with our structure holding it all together.
Skills they'll actually keep using
Because every task in the course is rooted in each learner's real work rather than hypothetical examples, what they practise is immediately useful. They finish the course with prompts that already work for them, a library they've already started, and habits they've already begun to build. There's nothing to translate from training into real life: it's all already the same thing.
A clear return on investment, for individuals and the organisation
At the end of the course, every learner produces a personalised Copilot roadmap that maps directly to their role and workflows. These roadmaps don't sit in a drawer; they are designed to be shared with team leaders and managers, giving the organisation a tangible, role-by-role picture of how Copilot is being adopted, where productivity gains are being made, and where further support might be needed. This means training spend is visible, measurable and directly connected to the way people are actually working.
Module 1
What Problem Are You Trying to Solve?
Lesson 1 How Microsoft 365 Copilot Works
Covers what Copilot is, how it processes your input and generates responses, and why being inside the Microsoft 365 ecosystem matters.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 2 Your Organisation's AI Policy: What You Need to Know Before You Start
Covers what enterprise licensing means for data security, what information is and isn't appropriate to use with Copilot, the risks of shadow AI, and where to go if you're unsure.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 3 From Doing to Directing: A New Way of Thinking About Your Work
Covers the Human-AI Interaction stages, the mindset shift from task execution to outcome direction, and how to identify where Copilot assists versus where human judgement leads.
Learners reframe three of their regular tasks from "I have to do X" to "I need to achieve Y outcome."
Knowledge Check
Lesson 4 What Copilot Can Actually Do, and What It Can't
Covers Copilot's core capabilities (writing, summarising, analysing, formatting and brainstorming) mapped to real workflows across different roles and departments.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 5 Finding Your Quick Wins: Identifying the Right Tasks for Copilot
Covers the four quick-win questions, how to spot tasks that are routine, structured and easy to quality-check, and worked examples from a range of different roles and workflows.
Learners list their five most time-consuming tasks, apply the quick-win questions to each, and identify their top Copilot opportunity to carry through the rest of the course.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 6 Using Copilot Responsibly: Ethics, Bias and Data Privacy
Covers the risks of bias in AI outputs, current regulatory guidance on AI in the workplace, data privacy obligations, and what meaningful human oversight looks like in practice.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 7 Your First Copilot App: Meet Copilot in Outlook
Introduces what Copilot in Outlook can do, presents four task ideas across different workflows, and asks learners to choose one that connects to a problem they've identified; their chosen task becomes the opening exercise in Module 2.
Learners choose one Outlook task from four options and record it in their Living Document, ready to build their first prompt in Module 2.
Knowledge Check
Your Learning in Focus
Before Module 2, learners are asked to complete the following:
- Reflect on your current Copilot use: If you're already using Copilot, note what you've been doing with it and consider how that maps to what you've learned in this module. Are you using it as effectively as you could be?
- Complete your quick-win task list: Finalise your list of time-consuming tasks and confirm your top Copilot opportunity to carry through the course.
- Observe your workflows: Over the coming week, pay attention to your daily tasks with fresh eyes; note anything repetitive, formulaic or time-consuming that you hadn't previously considered.
- Review your organisation's AI policy: Locate and read it, and note anything relevant to your role.
- Confirm your Outlook task choice: Make sure your chosen Outlook task is recorded in your Living Document and that you're clear on the problem it will help you solve.
Module 2
Getting the Best Out of Copilot: Prompt Engineering
Lesson 1 How Copilot Reads and Remembers: Understanding Context and Memory
Covers how Copilot processes your prompts, what a context window is, how Copilot's access to your Microsoft 365 data gives it richer context than standalone AI tools, and when to start a fresh conversation versus continuing an existing one.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 2 Your Outlook Task: Putting Your Prompting to the Test
Opens with the Outlook task chosen at the end of Module 1. Learners apply what they know so far to write an initial prompt for their chosen task, which they will refine as they work through this module.
Learners write a first attempt at their Outlook prompt and note what feels unclear or incomplete about it.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 3 What Makes a Great Prompt: The GCSE Framework
Covers the four elements of an effective prompt (Goal, Context, Sources and Expectations) with worked examples drawn from a range of workplace workflows, showing how each element improves the quality of Copilot's output.
Learners analyse their Outlook prompt against the four GCSE elements, identify what's missing, and rewrite it.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 4 Structuring and Refining Your Prompts: Practical Techniques
Covers how to use clear action verbs, label prompt sections for clarity, tell Copilot what to leave out, avoid ambiguity, and iterate based on the output you receive.
Learners apply at least two of these techniques to further refine their Outlook prompt and compare the outputs.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 5 Giving Copilot the Right Context: Inline Text and Document Attachments
Covers three approaches to providing context: typing it directly into the prompt, attaching a document, and combining both, with worked examples showing when each approach works best across different workplace tasks.
Learners test their Outlook prompt with an attached document or additional inline context and reflect on the difference it makes.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 6 Zero, One and Few-Shot Prompting: When to Use Examples
Covers the three prompting techniques, when each is most appropriate, and how providing examples can dramatically improve the consistency and relevance of Copilot's output for more complex or high-stakes tasks.
Learners rewrite their Outlook prompt using at least one example, test it, and compare the result with their earlier version.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 7 Is the Output Any Good? The CLEAR Evaluation Framework
Covers the five-point CLEAR checklist (Correct, Logical, Effective, Actionable, Relevant) and how to use it to quickly assess whether a Copilot output is ready to use, needs refining, or should be rewritten.
Learners run their final Outlook prompt, evaluate the output using CLEAR, and decide whether it passes, needs refinement, or fails.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 8 Your Next Copilot App: Meet Copilot in Word
Introduces what Copilot in Word can do, presents four task ideas across different workflows, and asks learners to choose one that connects to a problem they've identified; their chosen task becomes the opening exercise in Module 3.
Learners choose one Word task from four options and record it in their Living Document, ready to use in Module 3.
Knowledge Check
Your Learning in Focus
Before Module 3, learners are asked to complete the following:
- Reflect on your current Copilot use: If you were already using Copilot before this course, consider whether you were applying any of the GCSE elements instinctively, and where your prompts could now be stronger.
- Save your best prompt: Add your refined Outlook prompt to your Prompt Library as your first entry, noting what made it work.
- Keep iterating: If your Outlook prompt still isn't quite delivering what you need, keep testing and refining it during the week; iteration is part of the process.
- Notice prompting opportunities: During the week, pay attention to any task where you find yourself writing the same thing repeatedly; these are prime candidates for prompting practice in Module 3.
- Confirm your Word task choice: Make sure your chosen Word task is recorded in your Living Document and that you're clear on the problem it will help you solve.
Module 3
Advanced Prompting and Organising Your Copilot Workspace
Lesson 1 Your Word Task: Putting Your Prompting to the Test
Opens with the Word task chosen at the end of Module 2. Learners apply the GCSE framework and CLEAR checklist to write and evaluate an initial prompt, which they will refine as they work through this module.
Learners write an initial prompt for their Word task, evaluate it using CLEAR, and note where it could be stronger.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 2 Iteration, Personas and Prompt Libraries: Building Strong Prompting Habits
Covers why iteration is essential rather than a sign of weak prompting, how assigning a role or persona to Copilot can sharpen tone and context, and how to start building a personal Prompt Library to save time and improve consistency.
Learners add a persona to their Word prompt, compare the output with their previous version, and save their best prompt to their Prompt Library.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 3 Chain-of-Thought Prompting: Getting Copilot to Show Its Reasoning
Covers what chain-of-thought prompting is, when to use it, and how asking Copilot to break a problem into steps produces more structured, precise and useful outputs for complex tasks.
Learners apply chain-of-thought prompting to their Word task or a suitable analytical task from their workflow, and compare the output with a simpler prompt.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 4 Socratic Prompting: Using Copilot to Challenge and Deepen Your Thinking
Covers how to use Copilot to ask probing questions rather than give direct answers, helping learners explore assumptions, anticipate objections and think more deeply about complex decisions or recommendations.
Learners apply Socratic prompting to a current decision or recommendation in their work, using one of the three Socratic modes: challenge, explore or prepare.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 5 Combining Techniques: Layering Prompts for More Powerful Outputs
Covers how chain-of-thought, Socratic prompting, personas and the GCSE framework work together, with a worked example showing how each layer added to a prompt improves the output at every stage.
Learners build a layered prompt for their Word task, adding techniques one at a time and documenting how each layer changes the output.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 6 Giving Copilot What It Needs: Preparing and Using Context Data
Covers what context data is, why accurate, relevant and concise context produces better outputs, how to prepare different types of documents for Copilot, and the tribal knowledge problem; why information stored in individual inboxes and personal files limits what Copilot can do for your team.
Learners identify their top three knowledge centralisation opportunities and prepare one existing document as a reusable context file for Copilot.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 7 Organising Your Work: Using Copilot Projects and SharePoint
Covers what Copilot projects are, how they differ from one-off chats, how to set up a project with custom instructions, and how organising files in SharePoint and OneDrive makes them accessible to Copilot across sessions and teams.
Learners set up a Copilot project, attach their Module 1 and 2 Living Documents, set custom instructions, and use it to extract and summarise key learning.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 8 Choosing the Right Copilot App for the Right Task
Covers how different Copilot apps are optimised for different tasks: Word for documents, Excel for data, Teams for meetings, Outlook for communications, PowerPoint for presentations, and Copilot Chat for open-ended tasks; and how to match the app to the job rather than defaulting to one tool for everything.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 9 Your Next Copilot App: Meet Copilot in Teams
Introduces what Copilot in Teams can do, particularly around meeting transcription, summarisation and follow-up actions; it presents four task ideas across different workflows, and asks learners to choose one that connects to a problem they've identified.
Learners choose one Teams task from four options and record it in their Living Document, ready to use in Module 4.
Knowledge Check
Your Learning in Focus
Before Module 4, learners are asked to complete the following:
- Reflect on your current Copilot use: If you were already using Copilot before this course, consider whether you were applying any of the advanced techniques instinctively, and where a more structured approach could now improve your outputs.
- Build your Prompt Library: Add any effective prompts from this module, including layered prompts and context documents, so they're ready to reuse and share.
- Centralise one piece of knowledge: Take one document or resource from your workflow and prepare it as a clean, structured context file for future Copilot use.
- Explore your Copilot project: During the week, use your new project for at least one real work task and note how having persistent context changes the quality of Copilot's outputs.
- Confirm your Teams task choice: Make sure your chosen Teams task is recorded in your Living Document and that you're clear on the problem it will help you solve.
Module 4
Evaluating, Experimenting and Making Copilot Work for Your Organisation
Lesson 1 Your Teams Task: Putting Your Prompting to the Test
Opens with the Teams task chosen at the end of Module 3. Learners apply their full range of prompting skills to write and evaluate an initial prompt, which they will refine as they work through this module.
Learners write an initial prompt for their Teams task, evaluate it using CLEAR, and note where it could be stronger.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 2 Is It Good Enough? Evaluating Copilot Output Against Business Standards
Covers how to move beyond the CLEAR checklist to assess whether output is truly fit for business purpose, how to set quality thresholds depending on the context: internal notes, client-facing work or compliance content; and how to make fast, confident pass, fail or borderline decisions.
Learners apply the 30-second assessment and decision framework to a piece of recent Copilot output from their own work.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 3 Getting More From What Copilot Produces: Follow-On Prompting
Covers how to repurpose and transform an existing Copilot output for a different format or audience, turning a summary into a slide deck, a document into speaking notes, or a report into a set of actions; maximising the value of a single piece of work.
Learners take their Teams task output and write two follow-on prompts that transform it into different formats, adding the most useful to their Prompt Library.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 4 Meet Copilot in Excel: Data, Tracking and Reporting Made Easier
Introduces what Copilot in Excel can do, presents four task ideas across different workflows and departments, and asks learners to choose one that connects to a problem they've identified.
Learners choose one Excel task from four options, build a prompt using the GCSE framework, test it, and evaluate the output using CLEAR.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 5 Meet Copilot in PowerPoint: Turning Your Content Into Presentations
Introduces what Copilot in PowerPoint can do, presents four task ideas across different workflows, and shows how it connects naturally to outputs already created in Word, Teams or Excel, making it a powerful follow-on tool.
Learners use an output from an earlier module task as the basis for a Copilot in PowerPoint prompt, building a short presentation from existing content.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 6 From Random Tweaks to Structured Experiments: A/B Testing Your Prompts
Covers how to move beyond trial and error by forming a clear hypothesis, running two versions of a prompt against the same input, comparing the results fairly, and knowing when to stop iterating and accept the best available output.
Learners pick one prompt from their Prompt Library that could be improved, write a hypothesis, run an A/B test, and document the result.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 7 Using Copilot to Critique Its Own Work: The Critique Method
Covers how to use a fresh Copilot conversation to objectively evaluate a previous output, how to frame a critique prompt using domain expertise and global best practice, and how to apply meaningful improvements rather than surface-level edits.
Learners run the critique method on a piece of output from earlier in the course, apply the feedback, and compare the before and after.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 8 Building a Prompt Library That Works for Your Whole Team
Covers how to structure a Prompt Library with success, failure and near-miss sections, what details to capture for each entry, how to spot patterns across entries, and how to house the library in a shared Microsoft 365 location so the whole team benefits.
Learners add at least three entries to their Prompt Library (one pass, one fail and one near-miss) with full context captured for each.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 9 Staying Current: How to Keep Up as Copilot Keeps Evolving
Covers how to stay informed about new Copilot features and updates through reliable sources, how to use your Prompt Library's fail and near-miss sections to test new capabilities as they arrive, and how to build simple habits that keep your skills current without overwhelming your schedule.
Knowledge Check
Lesson 10 Your Personal Copilot Roadmap: Turning Your Learning Into a Plan
Brings together all four modules by using Copilot itself to analyse learners' Living Documents and generate a personalised integration roadmap, covering what they've learned, how they're already using Copilot, and their short, medium and long-term next steps.
Learners upload all four Living Documents to a Copilot project, generate their roadmap using a structured prompt, refine it using the GCSE framework and CLEAR checklist, and save it as their personal action plan.
Knowledge Check
Your Learning in Focus
After completing the course, learners are asked to reflect on the following:
- Reflect on your full Copilot journey: Compare how you were using Copilot, or thinking about it, at the start of Module 1 with where you are now. What has changed most significantly?
- Share your Prompt Library: Identify at least two or three prompts that could be valuable to colleagues and add them to a shared team library in Microsoft 365.
- Put your roadmap into action: Identify your single most important short-term action from your roadmap and commit to completing it within the next two weeks.
- Keep experimenting: Schedule a regular slot (even 15 minutes a week) to test new prompts, explore new Copilot features, and add to your Prompt Library.