Microsoft Copilot Prompts: A Beginner’s Playbook

Cover of The Microsoft Copilot Prompt Playbook, a free PDF guide by Frank Deardurff

Free 7-page playbook

If Copilot is the AI tool your workplace allows, you can still get excellent results from it. This free playbook gives you a simple formula, six habits, and a library of copy-and-paste Microsoft Copilot prompts for everyday business work.

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The Copilot formula

ROLEWho it should be
TASKWhat to do
CONTEXTThe background
FORMATHow to deliver
CONSTRAINTSThe limits
= BETTER RESULTS

Instead of

Write me a blog post about SEO.

Use this

Act as an SEO strategist. Write a 1,200-word blog post for small business owners explaining local SEO. Use simple language, include examples, create H2 and H3 headings, and end with 5 actionable tips. The tone should be professional but approachable.

Six habits of great Copilot prompts

1Give Copilot a role

Bad

Create a marketing plan.

Good

Act as a CMO for a software startup and create a 90-day marketing plan.

Try: Marketing Director, CEO, Web Developer, HR Manager, Attorney, Accountant, Project Manager, Customer Support Manager, SEO Consultant.

2Provide context

Bad

Write an email.

Good

Write an email to a client who has missed two invoice payments. Maintain a friendly tone while clearly requesting payment within 10 business days.

Include audience, industry, company size, goals, obstacles, and past conversations.

3Specify the output format

Bad

Explain AI.

Good

Explain AI using a simple analogy, 3 bullet points, a real-world example and a one-sentence summary.

Format as a bullet list, table, executive summary, email, proposal, checklist, FAQ, SOP, training guide, or presentation outline.

4Tell it what good looks like

Bad

Write website copy.

Good

Write website copy similar in style to Apple: concise, benefit-focused, and easy to scan.

Or spell it out: conversational language, 6th-grade reading level, short paragraphs, strong calls to action.

5Use examples

One example can dramatically improve output.

Rewrite descriptions in this format: Example: “Fast website hosting with daily backups.” Now rewrite: “Our system stores files securely and can be accessed from multiple locations.”

6Ask for iterations

Don’t start over. Steer with short follow-ups:

› Make it shorter.
› Make it more persuasive.
› Sound more professional.
› Make it clearer for non-technical users.
› Give me 10 alternatives.

Copy-and-paste Copilot prompt library

Copy one, replace the [bracketed] parts with your details, and send.

The “Make This Better” prompt

Act as a professional editor. Review the following content and improve: – clarity – readability – engagement – persuasiveness – grammar Then explain the key improvements made. [PASTE CONTENT]

The universal business prompt

Act as a senior business consultant. Analyze the following situation and provide: 1. Key issues 2. Risks 3. Opportunities 4. Recommended actions 5. Priority order Situation: [PASTE HERE]

Email prompt template

Write an email to [AUDIENCE]. Goal: [GOAL] Tone: [FRIENDLY / PROFESSIONAL / FORMAL] Length: [SHORT / MEDIUM / DETAILED] Include: [SPECIFIC POINTS]

Meeting summary prompt

Summarize this meeting. Provide: – Key discussion points – Decisions made – Open questions – Action items – Responsible parties – Deadlines [PASTE NOTES]

Excel prompt

You are an Excel expert. Explain how to: [TASK] Provide: – Formula – Step-by-step instructions – Common mistakes – Alternative approaches

Coding prompt

Act as a senior software developer. Create: [FEATURE] Requirements: [DETAILS] Provide: – Complete code – Comments – Error handling – Security considerations – Explanation

Research prompt

Research the following topic. Provide: – Executive summary – Key findings – Advantages – Disadvantages – Best practices – Sources Topic: [TOPIC]

SEO prompt

Act as an SEO consultant. Analyze this page: [URL OR CONTENT] Provide: – SEO score – Missing keywords – Content gaps – Meta title – Meta description – Header structure – Improvement recommendations

Website audit prompt — a favorite for any site owner

Act as a UX, SEO, and conversion optimization expert. Audit this website: [URL] Provide: 1. First impressions 2. UX issues 3. SEO issues 4. Accessibility issues 5. Conversion issues 6. Quick wins 7. High-impact improvements

Advanced: prompt chaining

Most people ask one giant question. Power users break the job into stages, and the results are usually much better.

Step 1

Create an outline for a guide about local SEO.

Step 2

Expand section 1.

Step 3

Add examples.

Step 4

Create a checklist from the guide.

Step 5

Turn that checklist into a client worksheet.

The magic question

“What information do you need?”

Whenever an answer isn’t good enough, ask this. Copilot will tell you what’s missing.

To improve this answer, what information would help you provide a significantly better result?

The best prompt of all

KEEP THIS ONE HANDY · WORKS FOR ALMOST ANY TOPIC

Act as an expert in [FIELD]. Before answering, think through the problem step-by-step. Ask yourself: – What is the goal? – Who is the audience? – What would an expert recommend? – What common mistakes should be avoided? Then provide: 1. Recommendations 2. Rationale 3. Examples 4. Actionable next steps Topic: [INSERT TOPIC]

Don’t

✕ Be vague
✕ Ask several unrelated questions at once
✕ Assume Copilot knows your situation
✕ Accept the first answer every time

Do

✓ Give context   ✓ Assign a role
✓ Specify the format   ✓ Provide examples
✓ Refine as you go   ✓ Ask for alternatives

The Frank Deardurff Rule

Talk to Copilot the way you’d brief a contractor. If you’d need to explain it to a human to get a good result, you need to explain it to Copilot.

Keep it by your desk

Get the printable 7-page playbook

Every habit, prompt, and checklist on this page in a clean PDF you can print or share with your team.

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More free AI playbooks

Free to share and print. See the copyright and sharing policy. Microsoft Copilot is a trademark of Microsoft; this guide is independent and not affiliated with Microsoft.