The problem
A Microsoft 365 migration or office move for a client runs for weeks, and the decisions end up spread across email threads with the client's office manager, Teams chats between technicians and a project folder. Before each weekly client update, someone pieces together what was agreed: the cutover date, which users move first, license numbers, who orders the new switch. With 6 live projects that's about 26 updates a month (6 times 4.3), and at 25 minutes each it's nearly 11 hours a month, with the risk of missing the one email where the client changed their mind.
What the AI does
With a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, Copilot answers questions across the emails, Teams chats, meetings and work files the person asking can already see. Before each update, the project lead asks Copilot something like 'For the Harbour Dental migration, list everything agreed with the client in the last two weeks: dates, user numbers, kit to order and open questions, and say where each point came from.' The lead opens the emails and chats behind each point, corrects the list and sends the update. Copilot doesn't see tickets in the PSA or notes in the documentation tool, so those are checked there as usual. Prompts and responses stay within the Microsoft 365 service boundary and aren't used to train the models.
A worked example
A four-person IT support company in Gloucester already pays for Microsoft 365 Business Standard and runs about 6 client projects at a time: Microsoft 365 migrations, office moves and server replacements. The owner and the senior technician, who lead the projects, add the Copilot Business license.
Before
25 minutes gathering the facts for each of about 26 weekly project updates: nearly 11 hours a month
After
About 10 minutes checking Copilot's list for each update: about 4.3 hours a month
What it's worth
About $386£290€345A$557C$545 a month in time saved, against $43£32€38A$61C$60 for two Copilot Business licenses paid yearly. 15 minutes saved on each of about 26 updates is 6.5 hours, at an assumed $60£45€54A$86C$85 an hour.
How to set it up
- Check the company's Microsoft 365 plan is eligible (Business Basic, Standard or Premium) and buy Copilot Business for the two project leads: $21.41£16.10€19.16A$30.91C$30.27 per user a month paid yearly, or $25.70£19.32€22.99A$37.09C$36.32 monthly, excluding VAT.
- Keep each project's emails, Teams chat and files under one clear name, such as the client's name and 'migration', so both Copilot and people can find them.
- Before each weekly update, ask Copilot for everything agreed with the client on that project in a set period: dates, user numbers, kit to order and open questions, and where each point came from.
- Open the emails, chats and files behind each point, correct anything wrong, and check the PSA tickets and client documentation for anything Copilot can't see.
- Send the update to the client yourself and save it to the project folder, so the next answer starts from a checked record.
What goes wrong
- Copilot only searches Microsoft 365: emails, Teams chats and meetings, and files in OneDrive and SharePoint. Tickets in Syncro or another PSA, Hudu notes and phone calls aren't included.
- It can miss the one email where the client moved a date, or treat a suggestion as agreed. Nothing goes to the client until the project lead has checked the sources.
- Copilot draws on whatever the person asking can see, so a technician with access to every client's shared mailbox gets answers from all of them. Review mailbox and SharePoint permissions first, and keep client passwords in the password vault, not in emails or chats.
- The free Copilot Chat included with Microsoft 365 gives only limited answers across the inbox, calendar, meetings and chats in Outlook. Full answers across Teams and work files need the Copilot license, charged per user.