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Crafting Prompts for Microsoft 365 Copilot

Have you ever wished for an assistant who understands your needs perfectly and helps with your daily tasks? 这正是你从微软365的Copilot中得到的, 人工智能合作伙伴集成到您的微软环境. It’s designed to understand and respond to your instructions as naturally as you’d talk to a person. To make the most out of Copilot, there are a few simple strategies you can learn to engage with it.

Prompt engineering is the term that has been coined to describe the process of interacting with AI tools such as Copilot. It refers to the thoughtful crafting of input to get the most accurate and helpful output from the tool. Think of prompting as a conversation you would have with a human assistant to help them understand exactly what you need. By mastering prompt engineering, you can communicate your tasks more effectively, 确保副驾驶做出准确和相关的反应.

Prompting Isn’t the Same as Searching

It might be tempting to use Copilot like you would Google — typing in keywords and expecting it to figure out what you mean. However, “副驾驶”更像是与智能助手进行对话,而不是进行简单的搜索.

搜索引擎会根据你输入的关键词搜索出大量的信息.

Copilot, on the other hand, focuses on understanding your request and providing specific answers or actions based on what you’re asking for. 这是关于把事情做好,而不仅仅是寻找信息.

Additionally, 不像搜索引擎提供与你的关键词相关的广泛结果, Copilot can interpret context, understand instructions, and deliver precise outputs. This allows users to perform tasks, create content, or get accurate, context-specific answers within Microsoft 365. Essentially, AI prompts are more interactive, facilitating specific actions and results, 不像搜索引擎,主要是提供信息.

Elements of a Good Copilot Prompt

Crafting effective prompts for AI systems like Copilot involves a number of key elements focused on your goal, context, resources and output parameters. Here’s a closer look at each of these components:

  • Your Goal: Be clear about what you’re trying to achieve. This helps direct Copilot to the right kind of help.
  • The Context: 包括给谁的细节,你为什么需要它,以及任何重要的细节. 这可以帮助副驾驶根据你的情况量身定制帮助.
  • Resources to reference: 如果你需要来自特定地方的信息,比如Outlook中的电子邮件或SharePoint中的文件, mention it.
  • Output parameters: Tell Copilot how you want the information presented — a list, a detailed report, or maybe a summary.

通过考虑并结合这些元素到你的提示, 你让副驾驶不仅能理解手头的任务, but the context surrounding it, the intended objective, and the parameters of the desired output.

Best Practices for Creating Copilot Prompts

Effective Copilot prompts are built on a foundation of key elements but there are also a few best practices to follow that will make your prompts even more effective; namely clarity, specificity, iteration and feedback.

Be Clear and To the Point: Use straightforward language to explain what you need. 把它想象成给不熟悉你工作的人指路.

For example, instead of saying, “我正在为我们的新员工整理一些数据,” you might say, “为软件部门的新员工创建一个入职任务清单.”

Be Specific: 你的要求越具体,副驾驶就能提供越好的帮助.

Instead of saying, “Make a presentation,试着“制作一个澳门网赌大全网址第一季度销售业绩的5张幻灯片。.”

Refine Your Requests: If the first answer isn’t what you expected, try rephrasing or adding more details to your request.

Give Feedback Politely: If Copilot’s response isn’t quite right, gently steer it in the right direction with more specific guidance.

By keeping your requests clear, concise, and specific, you’ll be able to work more efficiently with Copilot, 把它变成一个不可或缺的工具,以适应您的业务需求.

How to Make Copilot Work for You

Here are a few examples of how to put all the basic elements and best practices of Copilot prompting to get the best result.

Project Manager seeking updates on project timelines:

Goal: 副驾驶,我需要猎鹰计划的最新进度.

Context: I am the project manager overseeing Project Falcon, 这涉及到协调不同的部门以确保我们如期推出产品. The update is intended for the project team to ensure everyone is aligned and aware of any changes.

Resources: Please gather the most recent updates from the project timeline document in our Teams channel named “Project Eagle Updates”. 同时,考虑过去一周收到的关于时间调整的相关邮件.

Output Parameters: 我想要一个简短的电子邮件摘要,切中要害,非正式. Please keep it under 300 words. Highlight any areas where we are behind schedule and note any significant changes to the timeline.

The prompt would then be:

"Copilot, I'm the project manager for Project Eagle and need a current status update on our project timelines. Use the latest inputs from the project timeline document in the "Project Falcon Updates" Teams channel and any pertinent emails from the last week about timeline adjustments. 我想要一个简短的,切中要害的,非正式的300字以内的电子邮件摘要. 具体来说,要强调任何延误和重大的时间表变化." 

想要了解员工满意度总体状况的人力资源经理:

Goal: 副驾驶,我需要回顾一下我们公司员工的整体满意度状况.

Context: I am an HR manager, and this information will be used to identify areas for improving employee satisfaction and retention. 在我们每月的人力资源会议上,听众将是管理团队.

Resources: The necessary information should be pulled from the most recent employee satisfaction survey located in SharePoint (path: /Shared Documents/HR/Surveys), as well as the summary of exit interviews from last quarter in OneDrive (path: HR/Exit Interviews).

Output Parameters: 我希望能有一个简短的、正式的、简洁的ppt. 它应该包括关键的发现,以视觉方式表示,以及任何值得关注的重要趋势. Make it approximately 10 slides long.

The simplified prompt would be:

"Copilot, I'm the HR manager and need to review the overall status of employee satisfaction within our company. Please use the data from the latest employee satisfaction survey in SharePoint (path: /Shared Documents/HR/Surveys) and the summary of last quarter's exit interviews on OneDrive (path: HR/Exit Interviews). Prepare a brief, 大约10张幻灯片的正式ppt演示, which contains the key findings and major trends, preferably represented visually." 

需要根据预算评估当月支出的财务总监:

Goal: 副驾驶,我需要对比一下我们每月到目前为止的预算.

Context: I am a Controller, and this information will help in managing our financial resources and planning for the remaining period. 这份评估报告将在下次财务会议上提交给公司的高管团队.

Resources: Please pull the data from our financial management system stored in Microsoft Azure and the budget, 位于SharePoint(路径:/Shared Documents/Finance/Budget2021).

Output Parameters: I’d like a detailed Excel file with pivot tables showing the differences between actual and budgeted spending for each department. 请附上一份执行摘要表,说明需要注意的重大差异和趋势. Maintain a formal tone.

Here’s the constructed prompt:

"Copilot, as the Controller, 我需要把我们每月到目前为止的支出和目前的预算进行对比分析. Please refer to our financial data stored in Microsoft Azure and the budget on SharePoint (path: /Shared Documents/Finance/Budget2021). The output should be a detailed Excel file with pivot tables demonstrating the differences between actual and budgeted spending per department, 加上一份执行摘要表,突出了显著的差异和显著的趋势. Make sure the report maintains a formal tone." 

需要组织会议的行政助理:

目标:副驾驶,我需要安排下周的团队会议.

Context: I am an administrative assistant and the meeting is for my department’s team leaders to discuss progress on the current projects. The meeting attendees should include all team leaders within the department and our department manager.

资源:请从他们的Outlook日历中查看与会者的可用性. The agenda items are listed in the document “Department Meeting Agenda” in the SharePoint path: /Shared Documents/Meetings/.

Output Parameters: I require a proposed list of two possible meeting timeslots that are suitable for all attendees, a draft email (maximum 200 words, formal tone) informing them about the meeting and an organized list of the agenda items in a Microsoft Word file that can be attached with the meeting invite.

The final prompt will look like:

“副驾驶,作为一名行政助理,我需要组织下周的团队会议. 参加会议的都是团队领导和部门经理. 请直接从他们的Outlook日历中查看他们的可用性. 会议议程可在此处的“部门会议议程”文件中找到, /Shared Documents/Meetings/ on SharePoint. I need two possible timeslots that suit all attendees, a draft email (up to 200 words, formal tone) announcing the meeting, and a neatly arranged list of agenda items in a Microsoft Word file to be attached to the meeting invite." 

AI Prompting is a Skill Modern Workers Need to Learn

虽然本文的重点是指导如何制作提示副驾驶, 人工智能提示正迅速成为所有现代工人必备的技能. It’s not just about telling a machine what to do; it’s learning how to communicate effectively with AI, like Copilot, to perform complex tasks efficiently. This ability can significantly streamline workflows, 节省了时间,并为人工智能无法复制的创造力提供了更多空间.

对于企业来说,拥有一支擅长人工智能提示的团队会带来实质性的好处. It boosts productivity and efficiency, minimizes wasted resources, and accelerates project timelines. 此外,它可以让你的业务保持敏捷,利用人工智能快速适应和创新.

引领客户实施人工智能技术

在Bellwether,客户会得到他们需要的指导,以采用像Copilot这样的新技术. 我们也是微软产品和服务方面的专家, 并帮助客户从订阅中获得最大收益. 如果你目前的IT团队没有提供这样的支持,我们应该谈谈.

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