This holiday season, Microsoft 365 Copilot is here to help you and your organization free up time and focus on what’s important. We’ve put together seven of our favorite Copilot prompts for preparing for out of office, planning holiday events, and catching up on work quickly. Share the prompt examples below with your users to inspire greater Copilot usage during the season!
1. Thank your team (Outlook)
A heartfelt end-of-the-year message can make your team feel valued and recognized for their hard work, setting a positive tone for the upcoming year.
Prompt: Write an end-of-the-year message to my team congratulating them on a great year and all the work on [Project Monaco]. Use a warm and appreciative tone with some light humour. Consider incorporating bullet points to highlight specific achievements or milestones.
Try it in Outlook – Create a new email, select “Draft with Copilot” and paste this prompt.
Pro tip: Use Copilot to tailor the email further, like adjusting the tone or length of the email or including the names of your co-workers in the prompt to make the response more personal.
2. Set your out-of-office message (Business Chat)
Need to setup an out-of-office reply? Copilot can draft a festive message for you, spreading holiday cheer while ensuring your contacts know when you'll be back and who to reach out to in your absence. You can even request a reminder for how to set Out of Office replies in Outlook.
Prompt: Write some funny Out of Office email responses to use while I'm on vacation from [Dates]. Also include steps for how to set this in Outlook.
Try it in Business Chat via this link.
Pro tip: Ask Copilot to turn the messages into poems!
3. Keep your team updated on important holiday details (Word)
Be confident everyone is on the same page regarding office hours, vacation schedules, and key deadlines. Leverage this prompt to create a template that you can customize and share with your team to maintain smooth operations and foster a supportive, well-coordinated team environment.
Prompt: Create a template for a holiday schedule that outlines office hours, team members' vacation days, and any important deadlines during the holiday season
Try it: Create a blank document on Word, and ask Copilot to generate this template for you.
Pro tip: Select the paperclip icon to attach relevant emails, files, or meetings as references to the prompt to further tailor Copilot’s response.
4. Kickstart team event planning (Business Chat)
Need help with catering for a team event? Streamline the party planning process with Copilot. From menu comparison to cost analysis, Copilot will help with the research and ensure you make the best choices for your team.
Prompt: List options for a local catering company that can support a holiday event for 20 people. Be sure to include companies that have vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Try it in Business Chat via this link, or paste the above prompt into Copilot.
Pro tip: Adjust the prompt and ask Copilot to look for catering companies within your city or town and have options for delivery.
5. Brainstorm gift options (Business Chat)
Copilot can be your go-to assistant for brainstorming gift ideas this holiday season. Use Copilot to help you find the perfect gift to make your colleagues, friends, and family feel special.
Prompt: Suggest some holiday gift ideas for my clients that are under $50 each. Ensure the list contains innovative and engaging items that ensures these are memorable. Please include a brief description of what the item is, how much it costs, and the expected reaction from different client personalities. Make the title of each item in the list a link of where to purchase it.
Try it in Business Chat via this link, or paste the above prompt into Copilot.
Pro tip: Experiment with this prompt to get a more personalized response – make sure the toggle is set to Work mode and ask Copilot to suggest gifts for the top 5 people you’ve recently collaborated with.
6. Catching up after the holidays (Outlook)
Let Copilot help you get up to speed on important emails after you have taken some well-deserved time off.
Prompt: Summarize the emails I've received over the past two weeks and prioritize them based on urgency.
Try it in Outlook by selecting the Copilot icon on the right side of the top banner in the new Outlook application (or Outlook on the web).
7. Prepare for your first day (Business Chat)
Feel confident on your first day back to work after the holidays by using Copilot to prepare for your meetings. Copilot will provide a recap of relevant meetings and communications.
Prompt: Help me prepare for my next meeting.
Try it in Business Chat via this link, or paste the above prompt into Copilot and make sure it’s toggled to Work.
As you celebrate the season, let Microsoft 365 Copilot be your organization’s holiday helper. Combining specific, useful prompts with the right Microsoft 365 applications ensures users are making the most out of Copilot.
For additional Copilot prompt inspiration and skilling, encourage people at your organization to explore the Copilot Prompt Gallery, where they can discover, save, and share their favorite prompts.
Looking for more resources to drive Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption? Check out new Copilot user engagement tools and templates on the Microsoft Adoption site, including:
- User onboarding email templates (download link)
- Manager onboarding resources (download link)
Happy Holidays!
Please note that outputs may vary when using these Copilot prompts. Large language models output varying responses, even for the same exact prompts. When utilizing these suggested prompts, expect new/fresh answers from Copilot. Users should still review the outputs from Copilot to ensure that the final output aligns with the users’ goals.
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