Outlook: catch up and draft

Allow 3 minutes. Start with an approved training mailbox or use the Chat route below.

Know the scope

In a supported Outlook experience, sign in with your work account and select the Copilot button in the upper region of Outlook. Without the add-on, Copilot Chat can answer questions about the inbox, calendar, meetings and limited related data. The add-on provides broader work context.

Support varies by mailbox, client and task. If a feature is missing, ask IT to check your access before you buy another licence.

Ask for a bounded catch-up

For a training thread you are permitted to use, ask:

Summarise this thread in three bullets.
List any decision, action owner and agreed date.
If an owner or date is missing, write 'not stated'.
Draft a short reply based only on those points.
Do not send it or make a new commitment.

Compare the summary with the thread. Check the latest message, not just the first. Review recipients, dates, attachments and promises before you later use a real reply.

Try it: 1 minute

Chat route: use the invented Wellington notes from module 2. Add this invented update: "The coordinator's deadline is now Wednesday next week." Ask for a follow-up draft that uses the updated date. Confirm that the old date is gone.

Done when: your draft reflects the current source and stays unsent.

Sources

• Chat with Copilot in Outlook