By: Luca Valadares.
Effective and efficient communication is key when managing your workday. Whether they’re collaborating with colleagues, discussing project details, or just sharing in a chat, the way they convey their thoughts changes depending on who they’re talking to. The Microsoft Copilot Chat and Channel Compose Box in Teams is a powerful tool that helps take messaging to the next level. In this blog, we’ll cover what this AI-powered tool is, how to access and request it, as well as an exciting new feature: Custom Ringtone.
Rewrite your messages with Copilot in Teams chat and channels
Copilot can help you create more polished and coherent messages, right from the compose text box in chat and channels. It goes beyond spelling and grammar correction; Copilot also suggests improvements, rewrites, and adjustments to improve the clarity, tone, and impact of your messages. Whether they’re quickly responding to their coworker or sharing a detailed project update with a VP, Copilot has your back. If they have a Copilot license for Microsoft 365, they can navigate to the message compose box anywhere in Teams and start creating the message. To start retyping, click the Copilot icon in your chat box, press “Rewrite,” and watch your message transform instantly.
Get more specific rewrites with “Adjust”
With just a couple of clicks, I was able to improve my message before sending it to my team, all thanks to Copilot. But this is just the beginning. Next to the “Rewrite” button is the “Adjust” option, which allows you to specify how you want your message to be modified. This allows them to tailor that message to whatever audience they’re targeting, from a coworker to a friend, their larger team, or even their manager. Just choose from the range of options in the “Adjust” menu and change the length (concise or longer) or tone (casual, professional, confident or enthusiastic) of your message.
Not only is it an easy way to perfect your messages, but it does so without requiring you to type any prompts. You just have to choose how you want to modify your message and Copilot will do the work for you. If they need more edits, they can always refine their message by stacking different shades and lengths. “Rewrite” is available for times when you don’t have any specific requests in mind for Copilot and want to use it more as a proofreader, and “Adjust” is there to give you specificity about what you want to change in your message. And remember, Copilot is the foundation of your message, but it’s always important to review and confirm any generated content before hitting send.
Now available: Custom ringtone
While having Copilot do the work with those preset options is a great way to rewrite your messages quickly and efficiently, there’s a new feature that lets you tell Copilot just how you want to turn your writing into the best version of itself: Tone. personalized.
The custom ringtone takes everything you touch with the “Adjust” feature and gives you the freedom to choose how Copilot can rewrite a message for you through an open message. With that comes the freedom to request multiple changes to be made, which Copilot will complete simultaneously in your rewrite. Do you want to add persuasive language to make your message more compelling? Or add additional context to your tone to give the right impression? Or turn a long sentence into a bulleted list before sharing it with your team? With a personalized tone, asking how to change your message gives them the reins to make Copilot work just the way they want.
The personalized tone even allows them to overcome language barriers among global coworkers! Simply ask Copilot to translate your message into a specific language. For example, they can indicate that they want Copilot to make their message “longer, happier, and in Spanish,” and Copilot can apply those changes while translating instantly in the compose box, without needing to leave their workflow. Now, Copilot in Teams lets you reach global audiences like never before, making it easier to compose and receive messages tailored to you.
Teams Messages: Your Next Superpower
Much of our workday is spent responding to messages in Teams. That can mean they’re inundated with messages waiting to be answered, some that are actually urgent and buried by all their other unread chats and channels. With Copilot, they can respond more quickly and effectively to drive collaboration. It helps reduce complexity for you as writers, making it easier to get your message to each audience, faster. And you also benefit as the recipient of the message: a message that is easier to understand allows you to act on it more deliberately. Thanks to Copilot, writing messages in Teams has never been easier, and all thanks to an AI feature, powered by you.
Additional Resources
To see more examples of prompts that Copilot can help you with, check out Copilot Lab. Filter by specific Microsoft 365 apps to learn which prompts to use for meetings, in chats, and get tips to better optimize your prompts with Copilot.
What’s coming
If you already use Copilot in Teams, share your favorite prompts in the comments for a chance to be featured in a future “Prompt Like a Pro” blog highlighting some community favorites. And be sure to follow the Teams MTC site so you never miss upcoming blogs. Before you know it, you’ll be writing prompts like a pro too!
Copilot in Teams is constantly evolving and improving thanks to your contributions and comments. If a Copilot prompt doesn’t work as expected, let us know how with the thumbs down button that appears after a reply.
