Introduction

Imagine you're a business user at a tech company that uses Copilot Chat (Basic) to help with various tasks such as researching competitors, drafting new content, or analyzing data. However, sometimes you don’t know how to frame your request to Copilot to get the desired result. This module will help you navigate these challenges and make the most out of your interactions with Copilot.

In this module, you'll delve into the art of writing effective prompts for Microsoft Copilot Chat (Basic), ensuring you can communicate your needs clearly and concisely to achieve optimal results. You'll explore the essential elements of crafting well-structured prompts, including the importance of context, goals, sources, and expectations. Additionally, you'll review best practices and common pitfalls to avoid when prompting, ensuring high-quality, relevant responses from Copilot. You'll discover how to personalize your Copilot experience using Custom Instructions and Copilot Memory, so Copilot learns your preferences and responds consistently without you needing to repeat yourself. Lastly, the module introduces Prompt Lab, a valuable resource for discovering, saving, and sharing prompts to enhance daily workflows and inspire productivity across different roles and tasks. The prompting skills you build here apply to Copilot Chat (Basic) today and transfer directly as you advance to the full Microsoft Copilot experience—making every AI interaction more effective at every stage of your journey.

By the end of this module, you'll be able to:

• Identify the four key elements of an effective Copilot prompt: context, goal, source, and expectations.
• Apply best practices to write clear, concise, and well-structured prompts.
• Recognize common prompting mistakes and how to avoid them.
• Configure custom instructions and manage Copilot Memory to personalize your Copilot experience.
• Use Prompt Lab to discover, save, edit, and share useful prompts.