10 Outlook tasks Copilot automates today (+ copy-paste prompts)

Why this matters

If your inbox sets the pace of your day, Copilot can do the boring pieces: summarize threads, draft replies in your voice, extract tasks, and prep follow-ups.

What you’ll learn

• Summarize long threads, pull dates and to-dos
• Draft replies with tone control
• Auto-file messages + schedule reminders
• Create follow-ups and tasks in To Do/Planner

Prerequisites

• Copilot for M365 enabled by your tenant admin
• Outlook connected to the same M365 account

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Step-by-step

1) TL;DR a long thread
Open the thread → Copilot → Summarize.

Prompt:
“Summarize key decisions, dates, and owner names. Output bullets under Decisions, Dates, Owners.”

2) Draft a reply in your voice
Reply → Copilot → Draft with Copilot.

Prompt:
“Reply briefly, supportive tone. Confirm we’ll send the cost estimate by Friday 5pm. Ask if they need a redlined version.”

3) Extract action items

Prompt:
“From this conversation, list action items with owners and due dates. Format as a table I can paste into Planner.”

4) Create a follow-up reminder
After sending, click Follow-up → Add Reminder (or flag) → choose date/time.
Pair with To Do: Message → More → Create task.

5) Re-write for tone

Prompt:
“Rewrite this draft more concise and confident, 120 words max, keep the commitment and date.”

6) Summarize attachments (Word/PowerPoint)
Open file in the preview → Copilot → Summarize. Ask for slides to keep/merge.

7) Turn an email into a meeting brief

Prompt:
“Create a 5-bullet meeting brief: goal, agenda, decision needed, open risks, attendees.”

8) Create a status update

Prompt:
“From the last 10 emails from <client>, draft a weekly status: wins, blockers, next steps.”

9) Auto-file routine emails
Rules → Create rule: move newsletters/alerts into folders; review weekly.

10) Save prompt snippets
Pin your best prompts in Outlook MyDay / Sticky Notes for reuse.

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QA / Gotchas

• Copilot sometimes invents due dates. Always verify against the thread.
• Keep replies under ~150 words for best clarity.
• Don’t include confidential client info when you don’t need to.

What to do next

Use the same prompts in Teams to recap meetings and push tasks to Planner automatically.