How to Use Microsoft Copilot in Word

Ever used Microsoft Word and wondered if it could write your content for you? You can actually do this with Microsoft’s AI tool, Copilot!

Microsoft Copilot features really shine when the tool is paired with Word. The AI assistant built on large language models can write your content, fine-tune it, translate it, generate summaries, and even convert your information into tables and charts! It manages to do all of this with just a few natural language prompts. The tool can be really helpful in streamlining your creative process.

However, the Microsoft Copilot and Word pairing can have a bit of a learning curve to overcome. We’ve got a couple of ways you can easily get started with Copilot on your Word documents.

How to Use Microsoft Copilot in Word and Achieve More with AI

Using Microsoft Copilot in Word: Step-by-Step Guide

There are three ways to enable Copilot in Word, the easiest of which is a simple keyboard shortcut.

Step 1: To start using Microsoft Copilot in Word, log in to your Microsoft account and look for the Copilot icon on the ribbon or toolbar at the top right of your Word window

Step 2: Click this button to activate Copilot
Step 3: Once activated, Copilot offers assistance and suggestions as needed

Note: While this method is incredibly simple and saves time, it may not be available with older versions of Microsoft Word.

Method 2: Right-click access to Copilot

Step 1: Start by opening a Word document
Step 2: Right-click anywhere in the document to display the Options menu
Step 3: Look for a ‘Copilot Suggestions’ or similar option within the menu
Step 4: Click the option to start using Copilot

Method 3: Keyboard shortcut for quick access

Step 1: Activate Copilot in a flash using a keyboard shortcut. First, start with any Word document
Step 2: Press the Win + C keys simultaneously on your keyboard

Step 3: Your writing assistant is ready to write

Limitations of Using Copilot in Word

You now know how to use Microsoft Copilot in Word.

But here’s the problem: It’s possible that you’re missing the Microsoft Copilot icon in Word. If you’re wondering why, your Microsoft 365 license might be the culprit.

To access Copilot in Word, you’ll need an existing licensed plan associated with your Microsoft account, such as Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, or others. If you’re unsure about your plan or need to enable Copilot in Word, contact your organization’s IT department or Microsoft 365 administrator.

But a couple of other things can hold you back, even after you get the green light on the license.

Data dependency: The biggest challenge with Copilot is this—You have to manually feed it everything since it cannot access external documents. Imagine trying to write a report on industry trends without access to the latest news articles or research papers. That ends up taking a lot of your time and effort
Complex document challenges: Copilot can sometimes get lost in the complexity of documents. For instance, trying to get Copilot to summarize a complex financial report filled with numbers, graphs, and intricate visuals can take a long while
Language barrier: While Copilot is getting better at understanding and responding in different languages, it’s still not fluent in all of them
Chat history amnesia: The best AI tools can keep up with multiple interactions. However, Copilot has a short memory. It can’t remember previous conversations, which can be frustrating when you have to repeat the same information over and over again
Errors and load times: The more complex the tasks, the slower the response and the higher the possibility of errors. Imagine trying to summarize a lengthy legal document, only to have Copilot time out before it’s finished

If you find these issues frustrating, you should look to use alternatives to Microsoft Word and Copilot.

ClickUp Brain: The Advanced Alternative to MS Copilot and Word

Copilot might be a step in the right direction for your team to work alongside AI, especially if you use other Microsoft applications. However, it has its limitations.

You can consider using more efficient AI tools as a Copilot alternative. There are solutions available that are easy to use, loaded with features, and help you collaborate with your team in real time.

Meet ClickUp Docs and ClickUp Brain—the only two tools you will need to collaborate efficiently on documents within your team.

Document and share important files with your team members with ClickUp Docs

Imagine a world where your team can create, edit, and share documents in real time without having to wait for another person to complete their edits. ClickUp Docs brings this vision to life.

With features like real-time editing, collaboration detection, and author attribution, every team member stays in the loop.

Here are the key features of ClickUp Docs

Real-time editing: Jump into a document and edit it live with your team members
Collaboration detection: Instantly see who’s viewing, commenting on, or editing your document
Author attribution: Easily spot who contributed what to your document
Real-time syncing: Watch your updates appear instantly across all your devices
Nesting: Organize your document content with a clear hierarchy
Relationships: Link documents to tasks and other relevant content seamlessly
Annotation and proofing: Add feedback directly to images and PDFs without a hassle
Assigned comments: Add comments anywhere in the doc and assign them to relevant persons. Share images, links, and videos right within your comments
Import/Export: Effortlessly transfer documents from Evernote, Google Docs, or Word
Google indexing: Make your publicly shared documents easily discoverable through Google search
AI writing assistant: Let AI help you generate text, summarize documents, paraphrase, and reformat content
Content creation: Get assistance writing everything from briefs to marketing copy, product descriptions, and blog posts
Customizable templates: Save time and effort with an ever-growing set of pre-built Docs templates for everything from contracts and performance reviews to wikis and PRDs
Project management integration: Keep everything organized by connecting documents to your projects

Now, to help you fully understand the weight of these features, let’s see how ClickUp Docs and Clickup Brain can help you in certain situations.

Scenario 1: Mastering meeting notes

As a project manager juggling multiple projects and back-to-back meetings, you face the challenge of keeping track of all the discussions and action items from each meeting.

The solution? ClickUp’s AI-powered note-taking features.

Convert your meeting notes into different languages with ClickUp Brain

Here’s how it works.

Imagine you’re in a crucial project meeting with various stakeholders. As everyone discusses key points and decisions—ClickUp Clips records everything in real time while ClickUp Brain generates a transcript from the recording using its Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) capabilities.

You no longer have to scramble to write notes or worry about missing vital information. ClickUp Brain even distinguishes between speakers, ensuring accurate attribution of ideas.

Once the meeting ends, ClickUp Brain summarizes the discussion, highlights action items, and provides a concise meeting summary, which you can export as a ClickUp Doc.

Also, just adding this here—it can do all of this for you in multiple languages!

Scenario 2: Streamlining technical documentation

As a developer working on a complex software project, you struggle to create and maintain detailed technical documentation. ClickUp Docs’ AI capabilities for technical documentation can be very helpful here.

Here’s how it works.

Say you need to document a new API you’ve developed. Instead of spending hours manually writing and organizing the technical details, you use ClickUp Docs.

You start by inputting your code snippets and system configurations into a doc in ClickUp. ClickUp Brain, the integrated AI assistant, analyzes your inputs and generates a detailed technical document, including code examples and explanations.

ClickUp Brain ensures consistency and eliminates errors, making your documentation clear and professional. You can also link relevant tasks and project details within the document.

This makes it easy to share your docs with your team, with a choice of a public or private link.

Plus, ClickUp’s version control for documents helps teams track changes and restore previous versions in case of inconsistencies—adding a layer of safety to important documents.

Scenario 3: Creating marketing content

As part of a marketing team launching a new product, you need help quickly crafting engaging and persuasive marketing materials. ClickUp Docs’ AI writing assistant is the perfect partner for such use cases.

Produce high-quality content faster and easier using ClickUp’s AI writing and editing assistant.

Here’s how it works.

Say your team needs to create a series of blog posts, social media content, and product descriptions for your upcoming product launch.

With ClickUp Docs, you start by inputting basic product information and target audience details. The AI writing assistant then generates compelling drafts for each piece of content.

ClickUp Brain suggests alternative phrasings, helps you find the perfect words, and ensures your messaging is consistent and persuasive. You can also easily import and export documents, making collaboration with other team members easier.

Involve team members in ClickUp Docs by assigning comments

This improves your content creation process and ensures the creation of high-quality marketing materials that resonate with your audience.

Scenario 4: Enhancing project proposals

As a consultant preparing a project proposal for a potential client, you must develop a detailed, persuasive proposal that stands out. ClickUp Docs can help with this.

Here’s how it works.

You need to create a project proposal that outlines the objectives, scope, and benefits of your services.

On ClickUp Docs, you start by drafting the proposal. The process is faster with ClickUp’s AI Prompt Templates. Also, ClickUp Brain offers 100+ role-based prompts that cover many frequent use cases.

You then link related tasks, timelines, and resource plans directly within the document, providing a comprehensive view of the project. As you refine the proposal, ClickUp’s AI writing assistant helps enhance your content, making sure it’s polished and professional.

The real-time collaboration feature allows you to gather feedback from your team and incorporate changes instantly. By the time you’re done, you have a detailed, persuasive proposal that effectively communicates your value to the client.

Scenario 5: Onboarding new team members

Imagine you’ve just hired a new team member and want to get them up to speed quickly. You can simplify the onboarding process with ClickUp Docs and ClickUp Clips.

Capture and review screen recordings with meeting attendees using ClickUp Clips

Here’s how it works.

You create a comprehensive onboarding document in ClickUp Docs, outlining everything the new hire needs to know. This document includes company policies, team structure, role expectations, and important contacts.

With ClickUp’s real-time editing, you invite the new team member to the document. As they read through, they can ask questions directly within the doc, and you or other team members can respond immediately.

This eliminates the back-and-forth of emails and ensures they get answers quickly.

The onboarding document also links to other important resources, such as training videos, project briefs, and past meeting notes.

ClickUp’s nesting feature helps you organize these links hierarchically, making it easy for the new hire to navigate through the information.

To ensure nothing is missed, you link tasks to the onboarding document. For example, the new hire’s first tasks, such as setting up their email or completing mandatory training, are listed and linked within the document.

They can mark these tasks as complete directly from the doc, and you can track their progress effortlessly.

Finally, ClickUp’s annotation and proofing tools allow the new hire to provide feedback on the onboarding process. They can add comments or suggestions for improvement, helping you refine the onboarding experience for future hires.

Choose an AI Tool That Helps You Work Smarter

Microsoft Copilot and Word are both excellent tools (especially the time-tested Word) that serve their functions well.

But they can be slow to work with, especially in a team setting where you would want to avoid using too many tools to collaborate with your team.

Then there’s also that problem with many AI models today where they sound… well, robotic (ironic, we know). Their lack of humanized responses can lead to repetitive content.

But not all AI tools have to be that tough to use.

Tools like ClickUp Docs and ClickUp Brain work really well together in tandem with the rest of ClickUp’s features and are a delight to use alongside your team.

You don’t have to take our word for it, though. Get yourself a free ClickUp account today to see this for yourself.