Copilot Pro delivers the facility of the AI chat device Chat-GPT on to your Microsoft Office purposes and the Windows sidebar. The device summarizes texts, replies to emails, creates new texts, analyzes Excel spreadsheets, and creates displays.
A miracle machine that does all of your Office duties for you mechanically? We took a take a look at the device.
Further studying: 5 Windows 11 settings worth changing immediately
Prerequisite: You must get it up and operating
To be capable of use Copilot Pro, just a few necessities should be met. First, you want a paid subscription to Microsoft 365 Single or Family (from $7 per month).
Then you must take out a subscription to Copilot Pro with the identical Microsoft account for $20 per 30 days. Both subscriptions may be cancelled month-to-month. You additionally want Windows 10 or 11 — we examined on Windows 11.
Copilot Pro will seem in Microsoft 365 (previously Microsoft Office) packages, together with Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point, and OneNote. However, it’s not put in immediately; there is no such thing as a set up file to obtain and run.
Instead, after buying the Copilot Pro license, you should go to File > Account > Update license in any Office software. Copilot ought to then mechanically seem in this system after restarting the applying.
In the net variations of the Office packages, Copilot seems instantly after the subscription has been accomplished. This signifies that additionally it is obtainable to Mac and Linux customers. However, the net variations of Office are to not everybody’s style, as they generally supply considerably fewer capabilities than the domestically put in instruments.
In the net variations of the Office packages, Copilot seems instantly after the subscription has been accomplished. This signifies that additionally it is obtainable to Mac and Linux customers. However, the net variations of Office are to not everybody’s style, as they generally supply considerably fewer capabilities than the domestically put in instruments.
Microsoft
In the net variations of the Office packages, Copilot seems instantly after the subscription has been accomplished. This signifies that additionally it is obtainable to Mac and Linux customers. However, the net variations of Office are to not everybody’s style, as they generally supply considerably fewer capabilities than the domestically put in instruments.
Microsoft
Microsoft
On our check computer systems, nonetheless, there have been huge issues, which had been primarily associated to the truth that our Office purposes additionally got here into contact with a Microsoft 365 enterprise license.
In instances of working from dwelling, many PC customers will in all probability really feel the identical method. Of course, there’s additionally a Copilot for enterprise customers, however it’s dearer ($30 per 30 days) and requires a minimal variety of at the least 300 licenses.
Immediately after buy, Copilot Pro appeared within the on-line variations of the Office purposes with none issues.
Outside of the Office apps, the Copilot Pro license improves the Windows Copilot within the sidebar on the desktop, on the net at www.copilot.microsoft.com, and within the Android and iOS apps. There it gives sooner entry to the AI chatbot with Chat-GPT 4 and 4 Turbo.
Copilot Pro can also be obtainable as a cell app for Android and iOS. Compared to the free model, nonetheless, you solely get your solutions a little bit sooner. A subscription is subsequently solely worthwhile for the apps to a restricted extent.
Copilot Pro can also be obtainable as a cell app for Android and iOS. Compared to the free model, nonetheless, you solely get your solutions a little bit sooner. A subscription is subsequently solely worthwhile for the apps to a restricted extent.
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Copilot Pro can also be obtainable as a cell app for Android and iOS. Compared to the free model, nonetheless, you solely get your solutions a little bit sooner. A subscription is subsequently solely worthwhile for the apps to a restricted extent.
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IDG
Word: Full velocity forward for the AI chatbot
Copilot can actually showcase its strengths in Word. After all, it’s primarily an AI chatbot that may simply create texts on any subject, in addition to summarize or revise the content material of present texts.
How it really works: Copilot seems in two locations in Word. First, it seems as a sidebar after clicking on the Copilot icon within the menu bar. All Copilot output stays on this sidebar and should be copied and pasted into the textual content space of the doc as required.
If the co-pilot has created a textual content suggestion in Word, this seems with a blue background and may be additional edited utilizing the device by getting into correction directions (“write in more detail,” “formulate more loosely”). After clicking on “Apply”, the textual content turns into a standard a part of the doc.
If the co-pilot has created a textual content suggestion in Word, this seems with a blue background and may be additional edited utilizing the device by getting into correction directions (“write in more detail,” “formulate more loosely”). After clicking on “Apply”, the textual content turns into a standard a part of the doc.
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If the co-pilot has created a textual content suggestion in Word, this seems with a blue background and may be additional edited utilizing the device by getting into correction directions (“write in more detail,” “formulate more loosely”). After clicking on “Apply”, the textual content turns into a standard a part of the doc.
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IDG
On the opposite hand, a Copilot image all the time seems within the textual content space when the cursor is in an empty line or textual content is chosen. Clicking on the image opens a movable chat window. The solutions seem immediately within the doc. However, they’re initially highlighted in gentle blue in order that the brand new textual content stands out clearly from the prevailing textual content and may be checked.
The Copilot enter area has modified and now shows 4 capabilities: “Accept,” “Generate new” to obtain a brand new reply from the Copilot to the identical query, an enter area to optimize the advised textual content, and the “Delete” perform.
Summarize texts: Copilot carried out this process very nicely in our exams and may subsequently be an actual labor-saving function. Copilot additionally summarizes the important thing concepts in longer paperwork and lists them with references to the related textual content passages.
However, small errors do creep in right here too. We wouldn’t suggest this perform as the only real preparation for the Abitur, the Master’s diploma, the grasp craftsman’s examination, or an essential presentation to colleagues. But as a fallback for an unprepared-for lesson or assembly, Copilot’s summarizing perform is helpful.
Summarizing texts labored better of all of the duties in our check. The end result was not all the time error-free, nevertheless it was usually enough for a lot of functions and actually made our work simpler.
Summarizing texts labored better of all of the duties in our check. The end result was not all the time error-free, nevertheless it was usually enough for a lot of functions and actually made our work simpler.
Microsoft
Summarizing texts labored better of all of the duties in our check. The end result was not all the time error-free, nevertheless it was usually enough for a lot of functions and actually made our work simpler.
Microsoft
Microsoft
Creating texts: This is the AI chatbot’s specialty. It masters it accordingly nicely and helps customers to jot down homework, time period papers, letters to the constructing administration, or poems for birthday events. Of course, there’s additionally criticism of this means.
Making texts higher: The Copilot ought to truly additionally be capable of enhance texts, for instance when it comes to construction, writing fashion, or content material. A process that Chat-GPT from Open AI fulfills with ease. However, the Copilot in Word usually solely offered common ideas for higher texts as a substitute of textual content enhancements. Presumably a malfunction that Microsoft remains to be engaged on.
Copilot Pro: Fixing set up issues
Copilot Pro ought to seem in Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams and OneNote. To do that, you should choose File > Account > Update license in an Office app after buying Copilot.
The Copilot ought to then seem mechanically in this system after restarting the applying. In truth, there are generally huge issues with this step. The following ideas can assist.
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
1. Check the necessities rigorously
- You first want a paid subscription to Microsoft 365 Single or Family.
- You additionally want the paid subscription to Copilot Pro, which you should buy with the identical Microsoft account as on your Microsoft 365.
- You should have the right packages put in, i.e. the Office apps from the Microsoft 365 suite. A “OneNote for Windows 10,” for instance, is unlikely to get Copilot within the close to future.
2. Check the Office license
Your put in Office packages should be logged in along with your non-public Microsoft account, which you could have additionally used to subscribe to Copilot. Start Word, for instance, and choose File > Account, then “Subscription product for [email protected] – Microsoft 365” should be displayed on the right-hand facet.
If “Microsoft 365 Apps for Business” seems right here, Copilot professional won’t be seen. Not even when your non-public Microsoft account is displayed on the similar time on the left-hand facet below “User information.”
3. Troubleshooting license points
The Office purposes react very sensitively to license issues. If you could have all the time been logged into an Office software with knowledgeable Microsoft account, there’s a good probability {that a} enterprise license (see level 2) will probably be displayed on the suitable below File > Account. Change this through “Change license.”
You will then be requested to log in with a unique Microsoft account. Use the non-public Microsoft account that you simply used for the Microsoft 365 subscription and the Copilot subscription.
4. Error code 29
When updating the Office license, error code 29 might seem. Sources on the web point out that it will probably take as much as 72 hours for the Microsoft license server to replace after you could have modified a license.
5. OneDrive
Check in an Office app below File > Account whether or not the skilled OneDrive account is saved below “Connected services.” Although this could not forestall using Copilot Pro, it did so repeatedly in our case. Also, don’t open any paperwork from the native folders of the work OneCloud.
6. Restart
What additionally helps in some circumstances are the outdated normal tips. Sign out in Office below File > Account and check in once more. Restart the Office apps and even restart Windows. Classic troubleshooting, however nonetheless useful.
Excel: The co-pilot crash-lands in spreadsheet land
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
We truly assume we’re the proper goal group for the Excel Copilot. Although we all know greater than the essential arithmetic operations in Excel, we’re a good distance from with the ability to use Excel professionally. The AI assist for analyzing and displaying our information is simply what we’d like.
However, we’re downright dissatisfied. Firstly, Copilot in Excel solely understands English. Given the technical phrases utilized in a spreadsheet, that’s fairly a hurdle. Secondly, our figures and our evaluation requests don’t appear to match Copilot’s expertise.
Examples: The command “Create a pie chart using this data” for chosen cells didn’t all the time use the information we meant. “Show data insights” returned the reply, “Sorry, I’m having trouble working on…” for many of our tables. We usually noticed this response.
But there are additionally issues that work. Above all, the information evaluation duties that Copilot itself suggests present insights — at the least often, for instance with the duty: “Bold the top 10 values in ‘X’,” the place X stands for a desk column.
We estimate that you need to make investments a variety of time and brainpower in utilizing the co-pilot in Excel earlier than you get actually helpful outcomes. The query is whether or not you need to. It’s in all probability faster in the event you Google the formulation or evaluation kind you want and purchase the Excel information from the search hits.
Outlook: Copilot solutions emails – and never in a foul method
With one click on, Copilot summarizes the content material of an e-mail. This usually works nicely, though not completely. It is best to learn essential emails in full, however some much less essential messages may be summarized. Copilot solely works with a Microsoft mail account.
With one click on, Copilot summarizes the content material of an e-mail. This usually works nicely, though not completely. It is best to learn essential emails in full, however some much less essential messages may be summarized. Copilot solely works with a Microsoft mail account.
Microsoft
With one click on, Copilot summarizes the content material of an e-mail. This usually works nicely, though not completely. It is best to learn essential emails in full, however some much less essential messages may be summarized. Copilot solely works with a Microsoft mail account.
Microsoft
Microsoft
Until the top of our testing, Copilot for Outlook was solely seen in the mail program’s online app and within the “The new Outlook” program. In addition, Copilot solely labored for the e-mail tackle of the Microsoft account with which we had subscribed to Copilot; it didn’t seem for different accounts saved on this program. A shortcoming that’s prone to annoy many.
The helpful summarization perform for incoming emails seems within the message window immediately above the e-mail.
Fun truth: In the case of a brief e-mail, the abstract was even barely longer than the unique. However, it was a little bit simpler to grasp than the shorter authentic.
Further studying: How to fight the new Windows Outlook app and keep Mail…for now
Copilot on the net: Only just a few benefits of the Pro model
Copilot on the net is the successor to Bing Chat. According to Microsoft, the most recent language fashions (Chat-GPT 4 and 4 Turbo) and the brand new picture generator Dall-E 3 are available to paid Pro customers, even when the server load is excessive and free customers have to attend.
With pure internet entry to the Copilot, a comparability with the unique Chat-GPT from Open AI is clear. After all, Copilot makes use of the identical expertise. In autumn 2023, we nonetheless discovered the Chat-GPT chatbot to be considerably extra highly effective and helpful than Bing Chat (now Copilot). At least when it got here to producing texts or buying background information.
Today, the result’s rather more concise. The output of the 2 bots is analogous as quickly as you utilize Copilot Pro in “Creative” mode. However, Copilot Pro now provides integration into Office purposes. This in flip might entice customers from Chat-GPT Pro to Copilot Pro.
PowerPoint: Copilot might be a assist for freshmen
Copilot can create slides with pictures and textual content in PowerPoint. However, we predict that solely PowerPoint newcomers can profit from it. You often must work intensively on the textual content.
Copilot can create slides with pictures and textual content in PowerPoint. However, we predict that solely PowerPoint newcomers can profit from it. You often must work intensively on the textual content.
Microsoft
Copilot can create slides with pictures and textual content in PowerPoint. However, we predict that solely PowerPoint newcomers can profit from it. You often must work intensively on the textual content.
Microsoft
Microsoft
In PowerPoint, the co-pilot is simply obtainable as a sidebar. Here too, its means to summarize content material nicely is noticeable. However, that is unlikely to be the first objective for presentation slides.
Rather, a assist perform ought to seem right here to create a slide from present (textual content) paperwork. However, the Copilot doesn’t have such entry to recordsdata on the time of testing. And when copying the data into Copilot’s enter area, the quantity of textual content rapidly exceeds the restrict.
However, we additionally acquired the response that Copilot can’t create slides from this enter.
What works: After clicking on an icon within the enter area, Copilot exhibits attainable jobs for it, for instance “Create a holiday presentation about ” or “Create a slide show for a 40th birthday.” Copilot gives additional strategies through an internet site that it hyperlinks to at this level.
Once an acceptable project has been discovered for Copilot, it creates a presentation with pictures and textual content. In some circumstances, this generally is a good place to begin on your personal slides, nevertheless it can be utterly off the mark.
OneNote: We are nonetheless on the lookout for the supposed use
Although we frequently use OneNote for our notes, we haven’t been in a position to think about a wise use for the AI chat. But perhaps that’s simply all the way down to our lack of creativeness. There are definitely OneNote customers who might make good use of the Copilot capabilities.
Conclusion: Fascinating, not for each objective – and infrequently nonetheless insufficient
The set up has its pitfalls, the person steerage exhibits weaknesses, and there are all the time errors within the outcomes. Copilot for Office apps isn’t a completed product.
So why is Microsoft launching it available on the market now?
Presumably as a result of on the plus facet, the device can full a process in minutes that may in any other case take an hour. That’s nice and generally works — however not reliably and definitely not in all Office apps. Paying $20 per 30 days for this feature might be just for expertise fans.
What we like: The summarization of texts in each Word and the brand new Outlook is actually highly effective. Creating new texts in Word generally is a actual assist, for instance as a analysis help or inspiration.
We discover replying to emails in Outlook helpful. And typically, entry to an AI chatbot in Office is an thrilling factor for us as tech-savvy customers.
What we don’t like: Microsoft wants to enhance the set up of Copilot. Spending 4 hours fiddling round till a device works is someway so 1990s. Copilot in Excel does one thing, however nothing that helps us.
An enormous minus is that the device retains making (small) errors. Either Copilot doesn’t do what you need it to do, or it does it with content material errors. This signifies that all the pieces Copilot creates must be meticulously checked by the person.
Generally talking, customers have to speculate a variety of time to seek out out what Copilot can do for them. We imagine that many non-public customers — for whom Copilot Pro is meant -s will search in useless for its supposed use. For others, the device may be useful — even perhaps very useful.
This article was translated from German to English and initially appeared on pcwelt.de.