Review prompting best practices

  • 5 minutes

You have been introduced to the four key elements essential for structuring a prompt to achieve optimal results. Now, let us discuss how to maximize the benefits of using Copilot Chat (Basic) by following best practices and avoiding common mistakes when crafting prompts.

Prompting do's and don'ts

✔️ Do ❌ Don't
Be clear and specific Be vague
Provide instructions on topic, purpose, tone, and required length Avoid unclear language; be as specific as possible
Keep it conversational Request inappropriate content
Frame prompts as a conversation; give feedback to Copilot based on response quality Don't ask for unethical or illegal content
Give examples Use slang or jargon
Use clear keywords or phrases when asking Copilot to write text Avoid informal language that may cause low-quality responses
Ask for feedback Give conflicting instructions
Request feedback to help Copilot understand your needs Don't include multiple or conflicting pieces of information in one prompt
Write legibly Interrupt or change topics abruptly
Use correct punctuation, capitalization, and grammar Finish one task before starting a new one
Check for accuracy
Review Copilot's responses for accuracy, grammar, and style
Provide details
Give contextual details (for example, the genre, characters, and plot for a story)
Be polite
Use kind and respectful language
Iterate and refine
Refine your prompt and try again if the output isn't perfect

For more tips on creating an effective prompt, please view Cooking up a great prompt: Getting the most from Copilot - Microsoft Support.

Examples of effective prompts

The following list contains examples of prompts that can help you complete various tasks:

  • Revise content:

    • Can you help me rewrite this paragraph to make it clearer and more concise?

  • Start your research:

    • How have world literacy rates changed in the past 30 years?​

  • Generate ideas:

    • List ideas for a fun remote team building event.

  • Code faster:

    • Help me analyze the data from my experiment using this: [upload file] or /file.

  • Draw conclusions:

    • Analyze the attached data [upload file] and draw a conclusion about [a topic]. Present your reasoning step-by-step.

  • Draft content:

    • Suggest 10 compelling titles for this file: [upload file] or /file.

  • Forecast trends:

    • Generate a visual forecast of next year's sales using the historical sales data in this file, highlighting seasonal patterns, growth projections, and potential anomalies: [upload file] or /file.

  • Visualize insights:

    • Analyze this spreadsheet to identify the top insights and trends. Create a visualization that highlights key patterns, outliers, and actionable takeaways: [upload file] or /file.

When you find yourself wanting to ask Copilot about your own emails, meetings, or team conversations and web results aren't enough, that's a clear sign you're ready to advance. With a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, you can prompt Copilot regarding your work-related data. The following list contains examples of prompts that can help you complete various tasks:

  • Find your next check-in:

    • When is my next one-on-one meeting with /person?

  • Decode acronyms:

    • What does [company acronym] stand for?

  • Stay on top of email:

    • What should be on my radar from emails last week?

  • Catch up on a meeting:

    • Recap /meeting