Getting Started with Microsoft Copilot

Interested in AI, but don't know where to start? You can use your Stonehill account to safely and securely access Microsoft CoPilot.

Copilot is an AI-powered tool part of Microsoft 365 that can help with productivity tasks like drafting emails, summarizing documents, and creating images. 

Sign in to Copilot

  1. Click on the Search Icon [1] in your Taskbar, and type "copilot" into the search bar [2] at the top of the window. 
    Screensho of the Windows Search box with Copilot selected.
     
  2. Click the Copilot icon [3] from the list when it appears.
  3. When the Copilt app launches, click on the Sign in button [4] in the top right corner, and then click the Sign in button [5] in the drop-down menu. 
    Screeenshot of the Copilot sign in menu.
     
  4. You will be prompted to select your Stonehill account to sign into Copilot. If you access multiple accounts, such as shared mailboxes, you may have multiple accounts listed. Choose your individual Stonehill account.
    Screenshot of the Copilot account selection screen.
     
  5. When prompted to choose the Copilot experience you're looking for, select your individual Stonehill account [6] listed in the Work box [7]. 
    Screenshoot of the Copilot Work or Personal account selection screen.
     
  6. A web page will open, displaying your Copilot in Microsoft 365 online. 
  7. Locate the Copilot icon [8] in the left-hand column of the browser window, right-click on it, and select Pin [9] from the menu to pin the icon to your Microsoft 365 sidebar.  
    Screenshot of the Copilot web interface with the Icon and Pin menu option highlighted.

  8. To keep the Copilot App in your Windows Taskbar, right-click on the Copilot icon [10] in the Taskbar and select Pin to taskbar [11] from the sub-menu that displays. 
    Screenshot of the Pinning process to the Taskbar for Copilot App.
     
  9. If you'd like the Copilot to auto-start on login, click on the Turn on button [12] in the top-right corner of the window. 
    Screenshot of the the Copilt App with annotation on the taskbar icon and Pin to taskbar option, along with annotated "Turn on" button.

 

Accessing Copilot

To access Copilot, you have two options:

Access Copilot from the Desktop App

  1. Click on the pinned Copilot icon in your taskbar.
  2. When prompted to choose the Copilot experience you're looking for, select your individual Stonehill account [1] listed in the Work box [2]. 
    Screenshot of the Copilot launcher with the Work option selected.
  3. A web page will open, displaying your Copilot in Microsoft 365 online. 

Access Copilot from the Web

  1. Open a web browser and navigate to myhill.stonehill.edu
  2. Click on the App Launcher [1] in the top left corner of the window, and then select Copilot [2] from the menu.
     Screenshot of the )ffice 365 App Launcher
    1. If Copilot does not display in this menu, click on the More apps icon [3] 
       
  3. If you had the Copilot icon [2], you will be brought to the Copilot app. 
  4. If you clicked the More apps icon [3], you will be brought to the Microsoft 365 Home Page. Locate and click on the Copilot icon in the left-hand column [4] to launch Copilot, or click on the Copilot icon along the top of the screen [5].
    Screenshot of the Microsoft 365 main page with the Copilot app icons highlighted.
     

Copilot Features

Copilot grants you access to Microsoft’s standard generative AI license. With Microsoft Copilot, we get:

  • Real-Time Results
    Copilot uses advanced AI grounding to provide up-to-date information
  • Access on Multiple Devices and Platforms
    Use Copilot on the web, in the mobile app, and in Windows and Microsoft Edge
  • Image Creation with AI 
    Transform your imagination into AI-generated images 

Using Copilot

  1. Use Copilot hat by selecting a built-in prompt [1], choosing additional frompts from the View prompts button [2], or entering your own query into the prompt textbox [3] and clicking the Send button [4].
    Screenshot of the Microsoft Copilot interface.
     
  2. Copilot will respond with an AI-generated answer.
  3. Click the Copy button [5] to copy just the AI response, click the Share prompt and copy with response button [6] to copy a hyperlinked version of the prompt and the response for sharing, or click the New Chat button [7] to begin a new chat session with Copilot. 
    Screenshot of the Copilot AI generated response window.
     
  4. To continue the "conversation," type another query into the Text Prompt box [8], or choose from your Recent chats [9] to continue a previous AI chat session.

Copilot in Microsoft Edge

Copilot is quickly accessible via the Microsoft Edge web browser. 

  1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
  2. Click the Copilot icon in the Edge toolbar to open Copilot Chat.
    Screenshot of Microsoft Edge with the Copilot icon highlighted.
     
  3. Sign in with your Stonehill College credentials if prompted.
  4. Use Copilot Chat by selecting a built-in prompt [1] or entering a query into the prompt textbox [2]. Copilot will respond with an AI-generated answer.
    Screenshot of Copilot chat in Microsoft Edge with various buttions highlighted.
     
  5. To begin a new session, click the New Chat [3] button.

Crafting AI Prompts

How to craft your prompt for AI

  • Be Specific: Clearly define what you want. Instead of asking, “Tell me about dogs,” you could ask, “What are the top three breeds of dogs for families?”
  • Provide Context: Give background information to guide the AI. For example, “In the context of climate change, explain renewable energy sources.”
  • Use Examples: If you're looking for a specific style or format, provide examples. For instance, “Write a haiku about autumn.”
  • Ask Follow-up Questions: If the initial response isn’t quite right, ask for clarification or expansion. “Can you explain that in simpler terms?”
  • Set Constraints: Limit the scope of the response by specifying word count, tone, or perspective. “In 100 words, summarize the benefits of meditation.”
  • Incorporate Roles: Frame the request by assigning a role to the AI. “As a travel expert, suggest a week-long itinerary for Japan.”
  • Iterate and Refine: Don’t hesitate to adjust your prompt based on the AI’s responses. Learn from what works and what doesn’t.
  • Use Open-Ended Questions: Encourage creativity with questions that allow for expansive answers. “What are some innovative ways to promote sustainability?”
  • Utilize Lists: If you want multiple points, ask for a list. “List five healthy snacks.”
  • Encourage Different Perspectives: Ask the AI to approach a topic from various viewpoints. “What are the pros and cons of electric cars?”

Generative AI Limitations

  • Inaccuracies: AI can generate incorrect or misleading information. It’s important to verify facts, especially in critical contexts.
  • Bias: AI may reflect biases present in its training data, leading to skewed or unfair responses based on race, gender, or other factors.
  • Context Understanding: AI sometimes struggles with nuanced contexts, leading to misunderstandings or irrelevant responses.
  • Lack of Common Sense: AI doesn’t possess real-world knowledge or common-sense reasoning. It may produce logical but impractical suggestions.
  • Limited Memory: Most generative AI systems don’t remember previous interactions, which can lead to repetitive or disconnected conversations.
  • Ambiguity in Prompts: Vague or poorly structured prompts can result in unsatisfactory or unrelated responses.
  • Creativity Constraints: While AI can mimic creativity, it lacks true originality or emotional depth, producing outputs based on patterns rather than genuine inspiration.
  • Dependency on Training Data: AI’s performance heavily relies on the data it was trained on, which can limit its knowledge of niche or emerging topics.
  • Limited Understanding of User Intent: AI may misinterpret user intent, leading to responses that don’t align with what the user actually wants.

More on how to write prompts to get better answers from Microsoft Copilot.

Data and Privacy

When you're signed into Microsoft Copilot with your Stonehill College account, Copilot does not use your data to train foundation models. Enterprise data protection ensures your prompts and responses in Copilot are encrypted when using it with your Stonehill College account. For more details on data protection, please visit Copilot's Privacy and Protections.

To verify that you're using Copilot with data protection, go to Copilot and look for the green "protected" checkmark icon at the top of the window. Hover over the icon to confirm that Enterprise data protection applies to the chat. 

 

Additional Copilot and AI Resources

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