As we approach the end of September, Microsoft has rolled out exciting new features and updates across its 365 products. This month’s focus is all about AI-driven productivity enhancements and new capabilities within Microsoft 365 Copilot.
In this blog post, we’ll cover the latest updates in Microsoft Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, OneDrive, and Copilot agents. Whether you’re a business professional, IT administrator, or a developer, there’s something in this month’s updates to supercharge your productivity.
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Copilot Pages
Introducing Copilot Pages, the first digital artifact of the AI age—a dynamic, persistent canvas designed for multi-player AI collaboration. This feature allows you and your team to collaborate in real-time, with AI-enhanced tools, creating a new workflow pattern where human-to-AI-to-human collaboration becomes seamless. Pages will roll out in September 2024 and will soon be available to over 400 million users with a Microsoft Entra account.
You can get started with BizChat, the central hub that brings all your data (web, work, and business) into the flow of work, making collaboration faster and more insightful.
Copilot in Teams
In meetings, conversations happen both in the spoken discussion and the chat. Now, with Copilot in Teams, you can get a complete overview of what was discussed. Copilot reviews both the transcript and the chat to ensure no questions or key points are overlooked. This feature is now generally available as of September 2024. Whether you need a recap of what you might have missed or a complete summary of decisions made, Copilot has you covered.
Copilot in Excel with Python
The powerful combination of Python and Excel is here! Now, with Copilot in Excel, you can conduct advanced data analysis, such as forecasting and machine learning, all in natural language. This new functionality allows users to work with data effortlessly, combining the best of Excel’s capabilities with the advanced processing power of Python. This feature is currently in public preview and ideal for businesses looking to elevate their data analysis without needing coding expertise.
Microsoft PowerPoint
Narrative Builder
Building presentations just got easier with the Narrative Builder in PowerPoint, now generally available. You can work with Copilot to create a great first draft of your presentation by generating outlines and refining them collaboratively. Soon, you’ll also be able to add files and company-branded templates, making your presentations polished and on-brand.
Microsoft Outlook
Prioritise My Inbox
Struggling with email overload? Copilot in Outlook introduces a new feature—Prioritise My Inbox—which helps you cut through the clutter. Copilot will analyse your inbox, taking into account your role, priorities, and past responsiveness to automatically surface the most important emails. You’ll also receive concise summaries for lengthy emails. This feature will be in public preview by late 2024, but it’s already proving to be a game-changer for busy professionals.
Microsoft Word
Copilot in Word
Coming later in September 2024, Copilot in Word will improve your writing workflow by seamlessly integrating content from web data, work documents, and even encrypted files. The updated Copilot offers a new on-canvas start experience, providing suggested prompts and real-time collaboration features. With Copilot, creating a solid first draft has never been faster or more efficient.
Microsoft OneDrive
Copilot in OneDrive
OneDrive users will now benefit from Copilot in OneDrive, which can reason over your files to extract insights and summaries without the need to open them. This feature is especially useful when comparing multiple documents or pulling key details from large files. Copilot in OneDrive will be generally available by the end of September 2024.
Copilot Agents
Scaling Business Processes with Copilot Agents
One of the biggest highlights this month is the introduction of Copilot agents, now generally available. These AI-powered agents are designed to automate and execute repetitive business processes, freeing up your team for higher-value work. From automating simple tasks to handling more advanced, autonomous operations, Copilot agents scale with your organisation’s needs., Copilot agents scale with your organisation’s needs, seamlessly integrating into your daily workflow in BizChat or SharePoint.
Along with agent builder, businesses can now create and customise their own AI agents right in the flow of work, making it simpler to leverage the power of AI for specific business tasks. Agent builder will roll out in general availability in the coming weeks, with additional features in SharePoint entering preview in early October.
And Finally
If you’d like to learn more about Microsoft 365, Azure, or how these updates can benefit your business, we’re here to help. Feel free to contact us by phone or email—we’d be happy to assist you.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01789 636799
