Editor’s note: This is the fourth video in our ongoing series that showcases our in-house experts using real-world scenarios to explore the transformative capabilities of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

For Robert Epstein, the key to a successful Microsoft 365 Copilot demo is relevance. It’s about showing your audience something that resonates with their daily tasks and makes them think.

He wants them to walk away thinking, “this could really improve my workday,” Epstein says.

Press play to hear Epstein, a partner account manager in the Global Partner Solutions organization, share his tips for getting your employees to start using Copilot at your company.

Epstein says it’s key to research your audience before you begin.

Whether you’re addressing internal teams, partners, or customers, this will allow you to understand their specific needs and pain points is crucial. What are their roles? How familiar are they with Copilot and what it can do?

Tailoring your demo to their level of expertise and interests ensures that your message will have impact. Epstein highlights the importance of setting the right expectations and adjusting your approach based on who you’re presenting to.

Tell an engaging story

Epstein advises keeping your demo focused. Instead of trying to cover every feature, home in on one or two key aspects that will leave your audience with a “wow” moment. This could be a feature that saves them significant time, improves the quality of their work, or helps them accomplish a task they previously found challenging.

In one of Epstein’s demos, he used a real-world scenario about a time he presented Copilot to HP salespeople. He demonstrated how Copilot could quickly summarize a lengthy document from a government website, identify suitable HP products, and draft a formal tender response—all within minutes. This kind of practical, relatable example helps the audience see the immediate benefits of Copilot.

Digging deeper

Epstein’s goal in any demo is to create that one unforgettable moment, using real-world examples, where the audience realizes how transformative Copilot can be. He once showed how Copilot could generate a PowerPoint presentation from a simple Word document in seconds—complete with speaker notes and relevant images.

“It’s important to create a jaw-dropping wow moment for the audience. It can significantly change their perspective or behavior toward a product or solution,” says Epstein.

Epstein also recommends ending your demo with a call to action, encouraging your audience to explore and experiment with Copilot on their own.

Before you demo Copilot

Epstein suggests that anyone preparing a Copilot demo always starts with three key considerations:

• Know your audience. Their familiarity with Copilot, their roles, and their interests
• Focus on one or two aspects, such as a feature that saves your audience time or improves the quality of their work
• Use a real-world scenario to demonstrate the value of Copilot

Thank you for watching Epstein’s presentation! We hope it helps you get started with your Copilot demoes efforts at your company.

• Check out Microsoft 365 Copilot.
• Interested in becoming a Copilot Champ?

• Watch the first video in our Copilot Champs series: Showcasing how our product managers are using Microsoft Copilot.
• Watch the second video in our Copilot Champs series: Using Microsoft Copilot as a trusted advisor for your Six Sigma projects.
• Watch the third video in our Copilot Champs series: Getting your Microsoft 365 Copilot training right
• Learn more about how our Copilot Champs Community is helping drive Copilot for Microsoft 365 adoption here at Microsoft.

• Want more information? Email us and include a link to this story and we’ll get back to you.
• Please share your feedback with us—take our survey and let us know what kind of content is most useful to you.

The post How we’re delivering demos in Microsoft 365 Copilot at Microsoft appeared first on Inside Track Blog.

As organizations grow and transform their IT infrastructures, maintaining consistency in patch management across various environments and cloud architectures has become a priority here at Microsoft and at companies elsewhere.

A recent shift from Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA) to Microsoft Azure Arc and Microsoft Azure Update Manager (AUM) offers us and others a unified solution for both on-premises and cloud resources. This transition is improving our patch orchestration while offering our IT leaders more robust control of our diverse systems internally here in Microsoft Digital, the company’s IT organization.  

Moving to Azure Arc

Using MMA and shifting to AUM with Microsoft Azure Arc integration requires using Azure Arc as a bridge, enabling management of both on-premises and cloud-based resources under a single source.

Historically, the MMA allowed for “dual homing,” where IT teams could connect machines to multiple Microsoft Azure subscriptions with ease. This flexibility streamlined patch management and reporting across different environments.

This feature is particularly useful for us and other large organizations with multiple Azure environments, says Cory Granata, a senior site reliability engineer on the Microsoft Digital Security and Compliance team in Microsoft Digital. However, the newer Azure Arc-based AUM only allows machines to report into one subscription and resource group at a time.

This limitation required some coaching for teams accustomed to MMA’s dual-homing capabilities.

“It wasn’t really an issue or a challenge—just coaching and getting other teams in the mindset that this is how the product was developed,” Granata says.

Azure Arc’s streamlined approach offers an efficient path for IT teams like ours looking to centralize patch management, especially for diverse infrastructures that include cloud and on-premises assets.

Centralizing patch orchestration

One of the standout advantages of Azure Update Manager with Azure Arc is its ability to support patch orchestration across a wide range of environments.

“You have the ability to patch on-premises, off-premises, Azure IaaS, and other resources,” Granata says. “This flexibility extends beyond Azure to cover machines hosted on other platforms, and on-premises Hyper-V servers.”

For organizations with complex infrastructures like ours, this unified approach simplifies operations, reducing the need for multiple tools and platforms to handle updates. Whether managing physical servers in data centers, virtual machines across different cloud providers, or edge computing devices, Azure Arc ensures that patch management is consistent and reliable.

These changes have been very helpful internally here at Microsoft.

“The AUM is our one-stop solution for patching all these different inventories of devices, regardless of where they reside—on-premises, in the cloud, or in hybrid environments,” says Humberto Arias, a senior product manager in Microsoft Digital.

This multi-cloud and edge computing capability offers IT leaders here and elsewhere the flexibility to scale their patch management efforts without being tied to a specific platform.

Migration challenges

While the transition to Azure Arc and AUM has brought us significant benefits, there have been some challenges, particularly around managing expectations for dual-homing capabilities.

The key thing we had to work through was that Azure Arc could only connect to one Azure subscription and resource group at a time. This required additional training for us—we needed to shift our mindset and adopt new workflows. However, after our people understood this limitation, the migration process was smooth.

“Fortunately, it only phones into one subscription and one resource group,” Granata says. “So, wherever it phones in is where all of your patch orchestration logs and everything must go as well, and it can’t connect into another subscription. This centralized approach simplifies reporting and patch management, but it did require some initial adjustments for teams accustomed to multi-subscription environments.”

Through coaching and training, our teams were able to adapt, and the long-term benefits of a more streamlined system quickly became apparent.

Azure Arc and AUM benefits

Following our migration, our teams began to realize the true benefits of using Azure Arc and AUM for their patch orchestration needs.

“The neat thing about using AUM with patch management and patch orchestration is the centralized control it provides,” Granata says.

For IT teams managing both internal IT assets and lab environments, the ability to oversee patching across a diverse range of systems from one location was a game-changer.

Additionally, the new system provided enhanced reporting and visibility.

While MMA offered flexibility in terms of connecting to multiple subscriptions, Azure Arc’s centralized model makes it easier to manage logs, reports, and patch statuses from a single dashboard.

“We’ve really enjoyed the increased visibility and ease of use that this has given us,” Arias says. “This is particularly valuable for large organizations like ours with distributed environments, where maintaining visibility across multiple systems can be a challenge.”

The integration with Azure Arc also extends your platform’s reach to non-Azure environments, including AWS and other cloud providers. This means that organizations running multi-cloud or hybrid cloud strategies can benefit from a unified patch management system, regardless of where their machines are hosted.

For IT leaders here and elsewhere, these improvements represent a significant step forward in our operational efficiency and security. By centralizing patch management under Azure Arc and AUM, we can ensure that our systems are up-to-date, secure, and compliant, without the need for multiple tools or platforms. We hope sharing our story helps you do the same at your company.

Here are some tips for getting started at your company:

• Azure Arc allows for a centralized management approach, providing IT leaders with a comprehensive view of their infrastructure.
• Azure Update Manager offers improved patch orchestration and update management, leveraging the latest Azure technologies.
• While the transition to Azure Arc brings numerous benefits, it also necessitates adjustments, particularly for teams accustomed to dual homing with the Microsoft Monitoring Agent.
• With some light coaching, teams can easily learn the new system’s capabilities and limitations.

Discover more about Azure Arc from the Microsoft Azure product group, including About Azure Arc, Azure Arc for servers, and Azure’s Cloud Adoption Framework.

• Learn more about management and monitoring for Azure Arc-enabled servers.
• Find out how we’re optimizing our shadow IT efforts with Microsoft Azure best practices.
• Check out how we’re running our customer service and support contact centers on Microsoft Azure.

• Want more information? Email us and include a link to this story and we’ll get back to you.
• Please share your feedback with us—take our survey and let us know what kind of content is most useful to you.

The post Migrating from Microsoft Monitoring Agent to Azure Arc and Azure Update Manager at Microsoft appeared first on Inside Track Blog.

Editor’s note: This is the third video in our ongoing series that showcases our in-house experts using real-world scenarios to explore the transformative capabilities of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Kai Cheng is among our first employees to train her colleagues on how to use Microsoft 365 Copilot—she was there when we at Microsoft became the first enterprise to fully deploy it. She learned a lot during those early days, findings and insights that she is now happy to share with customers in this video.

Press play to hear Cheng share her best tips for getting your employees to start using Copilot at your company.

Kai Cheng gives examples of ways you can use Microsoft 365 Copilot to make your day more productive and improve the quality of your work.

Cheng says you should always start with the “why.” She also suggests you communicate how Copilot improves productivity and efficiency. For example, while most know that Copilot can summarize documents and recap meetings, she reminds us that these capabilities are just the beginning.

Digging deeper

According to Cheng, showing off the capabilities of Copilot is not just about saving time. Its true power lies in its ability to improve the quality of deliverables and help users build new skills. For instance, Cheng demonstrates how users can use Copilot to ask questions about a document, leading to a deeper understanding and more informed decision-making.

This approach transforms passive reading into active learning, enabling users to grasp complex information and apply it effectively.

Learning with Business Chat in Microsoft 365 Copilot

Cheng also highlights the potential of Business Chat as a powerful learning tool. Instead of relying on traditional search engines, users can ask Copilot to explain concepts in a way that’s tailored to their level of understanding. For example, a user from a non-technical background can ask Copilot to simplify explanations or provide relevant examples, making learning more personalized and accessible. This feature turns Copilot into a personal tutor, capable of adapting to individual learning styles.

Another significant benefit Cheng discusses is using Copilot to improve the quality of work deliverables. Beyond just drafting and editing documents, Copilot can suggest improvements such as adding visualizations or refining content to make it more compelling. This ensures that users not only complete tasks efficiently but also produce higher-quality outcomes that stand out.

Cheng encourages users to focus on how Copilot can unlock new productivity levels. For example, Copilot can automate routine tasks like meeting summaries and task prioritization, allowing users to spend more time on strategic, high-impact activities. By freeing up time, Copilot enables users to focus on what truly matters.

Before you demo Copilot

Cheng suggests that anyone preparing a Copilot demo always starts with three key considerations:

• First, how would you complete the task without Copilot?
• Second, how can Copilot improve the process?
• Finally, compare the two approaches to identify and communicate the specific benefits that Copilot offers.

This method ensures that your audience fully grasps the value of Copilot, making your training sessions more effective and impactful.

Thank you for watching Cheng’s presentation! We hope it helps you get started with your Copilot training and adoption efforts at your company.

• Check out Microsoft 365 Copilot.
• Interested in becoming a Copilot Champ? Sign up for our program. Make a difference. Become a Champion.

• Watch the first video in our Copilot Champs series: Showcasing how our product managers are using Microsoft Copilot.
• Watch the second video in our Copilot Champs series: Using Microsoft 365 Copilot as a trusted advisor for your Six Sigma projects.
• Learn more about how our Copilot Champs Community is helping drive Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption here at Microsoft.

• Want more information? Email us and include a link to this story and we’ll get back to you.
• Please share your feedback with us—take our survey and let us know what kind of content is most useful to you.

The post Getting your Microsoft 365 Copilot training right appeared first on Inside Track Blog.

Editor’s note: This is the second video in our ongoing series that showcases our in-house experts using real-world scenarios to explore the transformative capabilities of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

You can use Microsoft 365 Copilot as your trusted advisor throughout continuous improvement projects like those that use the Six Sigma DMAIC phases of Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Jan Aaare will show you how—watch his video to see how he does it.

“Copilot will give you ideas on what direction to take your Six Sigma projects,” says Aarre, a continuous improvement consultant on the Service Improvement Centre of Excellence team at Microsoft. “It can also help you structure and be more efficient with them.”

The first step in any Six Sigma project is to create a project charter. The charter outlines the project’s objectives, scope, timeline, and team structure.

By providing a detailed prompt to Copilot, Aarre was able to quickly draft a comprehensive project charter. His prompt included the project’s context, objectives, scope, and expected outcomes.

Measurement phase: Defining the process and identifying key metrics is crucial. Copilot can help create a SIPOC (suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, customers) diagram. In Aarre‘s case, Copilot used the project details from the prompt to generate a SIPOC diagram that outlined the high-level process steps, providing a solid foundation for further analysis.

Analyze phase: Understanding the voice of the customer critical. Aarre asked Copilot to draft 15 VoC statements regarding dissatisfaction with query resolution times. These samples helped translate customer feedback into critical to quality (CTQ) metrics, facilitating a focused analysis.

Improve phase: In the Improve phase, identifying root causes and brainstorming solutions are key activities. Copilot assists in creating fishbone (Ishikawa) diagrams and conducting “5 Whys” analysis. By feeding project-specific data into Copilot, Aarre received structured diagrams and analyses that could be further refined in team brainstorming sessions. Suggestions from Copilot provided a head start, enabling more productive discussions.

Control phase: Copilot can help outline statistical process control (SPC) techniques, such as control charts and other methods to monitor and prevent process deviations. Although Copilot doesn’t generate control charts, it offers a clear structure and explanation of SPC, aiding in the development of control plans.

If you want to go deeper on this topic, Aaare has recorded this series of videos on these Six Sigma phases:

• Video 1: Overview
• Video 2: Measurement
• Video 3: Analyze
• Video 4: Improve
• Video 5: Control

Here are some tips for using Microsoft 365 Copilot as part of your Six Sigma processes: 

• Precision in prompting: The quality of outputs from Copilot depends heavily on the clarity and specificity of the prompts. Crafting detailed and prescriptive prompts ensures accurate and useful results.
• Contextual integration: By providing comprehensive project context, Copilot can generate more relevant and actionable insights. Repeatedly incorporating the project’s details into prompts helps maintain continuity and relevance.
• Iterative feedback loop: Continuously refining prompts based on outputs from Copilot enhances the usefulness and quality of outputs. Providing feedback helps Copilot improve over time, ensuring ongoing enhancement of its capabilities.
• High data quality: Clear and concise data is essential. Well-defined project information leads to more accurate and useful outputs from Copilot.
• Collaborative brainstorming: Using Copilot to generate initial ideas and structures can significantly boost team brainstorming sessions. Combining suggestions from Copilot with team input leads to more comprehensive solutions.

Check out Microsoft 365 Copilot.

• Watch the first video in our Copilot Champs series: Showcasing how our product managers are using Microsoft 365 Copilot.
• Watch the third blog post in our Copilot Champs series: Getting your Microsoft 365 Copilot training right.
• Learn more about how our Copilot Champs Community is helping is drive Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption here at Microsoft.
• Interested in becoming a Copilot Champ? Sign up for our program. 

• Want more information? Email us and include a link to this story and we’ll get back to you.
• Please share your feedback with us—take our survey and let us know what kind of content is most useful to you.

The post Using Microsoft 365 Copilot as a trusted advisor for your Six Sigma projects appeared first on Inside Track Blog.

To help them, Microsoft is turning to an equally unique source—a bot.

Microsoft is committed to improving the onboarding experience of new employees who join the company through acquisitions. Even with the best intentions, onboarding can be frustrating and time consuming both for new employees (who have a lot of questions) and for a small team in Microsoft Digital tasked with answering all those new employee questions.

“Like anyone, employees who join Microsoft when we acquire their companies need help getting started when they get here,” says Ahmad Al Aqqad, principal program manager on Microsoft Digital’s Shared Services Engineering Venture team at Microsoft. “But it goes beyond that—since the cultures at their companies are often quite different than our culture, they often have more questions than regular new employees.”

A desire to answer those questions is what a lead a team of people from across Microsoft Digital to get together to build a bot, and a friendly one at that. “We wanted to build a bot that could participate in a productive conversation in a natural way with minimal complexity,” Al Aqqad says.

Al Aqqad partnered with Darren Lacey and Daisey Wang from Microsoft Digital’s Share Services Engineering Data Science team to build out the machine learning that would drive the bot and to train it on the company’s dataset. He then began working with Corbin Byers, an engineer on Microsoft Digital’s Shared Services Engineering Team, to build the bot and integrate it with Microsoft Azure.

The principles the team used were simple, but important—the bot needed to do the following six things:

• Answer common integration support questions during the pivotal transition period that comes after the new employees finished onboarding
• Use the daily interactions it has with new employees to continuously update the machine learning model
• Successfully hand-off complex or one-off questions to people who can help
• Meet Microsoft accessibility standards
• Use Microsoft Teams for communication
• Show measurable progress at providing complete and helpful answers

The main goal was always to get help answering common questions that get asked all the time.

“We found that, if we used a bot to respond to many of the common questions, we could give them the answers they were looking for right away, and we could give our own team valuable time back,” Byers says.

And the team has plenty to do.

New employees that join Microsoft via an acquisition have to be familiarized with different technologies and services in order to get work done. Having been uprooted from the technological devices and norms from their previous companies, they often come with a lot of questions and need for integration support.

“A common scenario when Microsoft acquires a company is that they operated through Mac computers,” Byers says. “That can be extremely frustrating for employees transitioning to Windows systems.”

To diffuse the stress for everyone involved, the team built the Venture Integration Bot, which is currently in final stages of design and is expected to be made broadly available to employees who join Microsoft through acquisition once testing phase is complete.

This digital agent is prompted to provide assistance by simply typing a question out and selecting send, with the same comfortable feel as texting.

“As the number and size of businesses we acquire increase, it’s harder and harder to have one-to-one interactions to help these new employees onboard successfully,” Byers says. “Our bot is designed to use machine learning to answer the questions new employees have with increasingly accurate integration support over time.”

The bot uses a custom machine learning model designed by Lacey, Wang, and other Microsoft Digital data scientists that distinguishes between similarly worded questions and provides accurate answers, resulting in the bot continuously improving itself.

To jumpstart building the bot, the team turned to two publicly available Microsoft technologies: The Microsoft Bot Framework and Language Understanding Intelligence Service (LUIS). The bot framework is an easy-to-use platform for building bots quickly and in a consistent manner. LUIS allows employees to converse with the bot using natural language. Employees access the bot via Microsoft Teams.

“Our data scientists used unique code to map not just words, but sentences and phrases,” Byers says.

Another unique part of how the bot works is how it progresses through the different states of conversation.

“If you think about a typical human conversation,” Byers explains, “it goes through different states, like the welcome state—’hello, how are you?’ The bot mimics this naturally occurring flow of conversation.”

You can give the bot a greeting, or simply type in a question. After the bot retrieves an answer for you, the user is asked if their question was answered. If more help is necessary, the bot will offer to connect the user to a live agent.

“What isn’t seen by the end user is that the bot uses a dual listening state at this stage,” Byers says. “We wanted the bot to be able to contact our integration team and communicate with both the integration manager and the acquired employee.”

This was tricky to implement.

It’s a two part challenge; the new employee needs to feel supported and the bot needs to get used. One concern was making sure employees didn’t bypass the bot. “This would undo the point of creating a bot,” Byers says.

The post Bot set to help employees who join Microsoft via acquisition appeared first on Inside Track Blog.