Microsoft Copilot is quickly becoming one of the most useful productivity tools available to Microsoft 365 business users — but with multiple “Copilot” options available, it’s not always obvious where to start or which version is right for business use.

In this Tech Tips guide, we cover the basics of Microsoft Copilot: what versions exist, how to install and access it, how it integrates with Microsoft 365 apps, how to use it effectively, and what business users need to understand about privacy and client data.

This article is written specifically for organisations using Microsoft 365 business tenants.

 Understanding Microsoft Copilot: Free vs Paid 

Before diving into setup and usage, it’s important to clarify which version of Copilot you’re using, as not all Copilot experiences are designed for business or client data.

Microsoft currently offers three common Copilot experiences, and only one is fully intended for business use.

 Free Copilot (Web, Windows & Edge)

This is the Copilot many users encounter first.

Where you’ll see it:

• In a web browser (copilot.microsoft.com)
• Built into Microsoft Edge
• Included with Windows 11
• Often tied to personal Microsoft accounts

What it’s useful for:

• General questions and research
• Brainstorming ideas
• Writing draft content
• Summarising public information

Limitations for businesses:

• Does not connect to your Microsoft 365 tenant
• Cannot see your emails, documents, Teams chats or SharePoint files
• Not designed for handling sensitive business or client data

This version should be treated like other public AI tools — helpful, but not appropriate for confidential or client‑specific work.

 
Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat (Free with Microsoft 365)

Many businesses already have access to this and don’t realise it.

What it is:

• A secure AI chat tool included with most Microsoft 365 business subscriptions
• Accessed using your work Microsoft 365 account

Why this matters:

• Covered by Microsoft’s enterprise-grade security and compliance
• Prompts and responses are not used to train public AI models
• Managed under Microsoft 365 admin controls

Key limitation:

• Copilot Chat does not access your organisation’s emails, documents, meetings or Teams data

This makes Copilot Chat a safe entry point for businesses wanting to explore AI, but it’s not yet connected to your actual work content.

 

Paid Microsoft 365 Copilot (Built for Business)

This is the full Copilot experience most businesses mean when they talk about Copilot.

What makes it different:

• Fully integrated into Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, OneNote, and more
• Connects securely to your Microsoft 365 tenant
• Uses Microsoft Graph to reference emails, files, chats and meetings you already have permission to access
• Designed specifically for business productivity

From a privacy and security perspective:

• Your data stays inside your Microsoft 365 tenant
• Microsoft does not use your data to train public AI models
• Existing permissions, security groups and compliance policies are respected
• If a user doesn’t have access manually, Copilot can’t see it either

This is the only Copilot version intended for day‑to‑day business use with client or sensitive data.

 

Installing and Accessing Microsoft Copilot

For users licensed with Microsoft 365 Copilot, access is typically straightforward.

Most users will find Copilot:

• Built into Microsoft 365 desktop apps
• Available via the Microsoft 365 Copilot app
• Integrated into Outlook and Teams automatically

Copilot signs in using your work account and operates within your existing Microsoft 365 environment — no separate AI login is required.

 

How Copilot Integrates with Microsoft 365 Apps

One of Copilot’s biggest strengths is that it works inside the tools your team already uses.

Microsoft Outlook

Copilot can:

• Draft and rewrite emails
• Summarise long email chains
• Suggest replies based on context

 

Microsoft Word

Use Copilot to:

• Create first drafts
• Rewrite or shorten documents
• Summarise long files for managers or clients

 

Microsoft Excel

Copilot can:

• Explain spreadsheets in plain English
• Create formulas based on what you want to achieve
• Help identify trends and insights in data

 

Microsoft Teams

In Teams, Copilot can:

• Summarise meetings
• Highlight decisions and actions
• Help users catch up if they join late

📸 Screenshot suggestion: Teams meeting recap

How to Use Copilot Effectively

Copilot works best when you treat it like a junior assistant, not a mind reader.

Clear instructions lead to better results.

Instead of short prompts, try:

• “Summarise this document for a non‑technical business owner.”
• “Rewrite this email to sound professional but friendly.”
• “Create a checklist based on the attached document.”

Providing context — such as a file, email or meeting — dramatically improves accuracy.

👉 These principles are the same ones we covered in our earlier blog on writing effective prompts for ChatGPT, and they apply just as strongly to Microsoft Copilot.

 

Privacy, Client Data and Business Responsibility

A common concern we hear is whether Copilot is safe to use with client information.

For paid Microsoft 365 Copilot, the key point is:

• Copilot operates entirely within your Microsoft 365 tenant
• It follows the same privacy, security and compliance rules as the rest of Microsoft 365
• Data is not shared publicly or used to train general AI models

However, Copilot will surface anything a user already has access to — which means good permission hygiene still matters.

Before enabling Copilot widely, businesses should review:

• SharePoint and OneDrive sharing settings
• Team and mailbox permissions
• Access levels across users and departments

Copilot doesn’t introduce new access — it simply makes existing access more visible and usable.

 

Final Thoughts

Microsoft Copilot can deliver huge productivity gains for businesses when it’s deployed correctly and used with the right expectations.

The key takeaway is understanding the difference between:

• Free Copilot tools (not suitable for business data)
• Secure Copilot Chat (useful but limited)
• Full Microsoft 365 Copilot (designed for real business workloads)

If you’re unsure which version your organisation has, or whether Copilot is configured securely within your Microsoft 365 tenant, FortiTech can help.