Project managers don’t need “more tools”, we need less admin. If you’re using Microsoft 365 Copilot, the biggest win is getting the busywork done (summaries, action lists, status updates, risk signals) so you can focus on decisions, people, and delivery.

Here are 10 high impact prompts you can copy/paste today, each one is designed to produce something usable in seconds, not “AI fluff”.

Author’s note: With over 1 000 blogs published, there’s simply not enough time (or wine 🍷) to retroactively update older posts every time features change. I always try to clearly state which version I’m using, so you can easily research what may be new or different from the images or videos I’ve shared. All Copilot‑related blogs I write are based on the Microsoft 365 Copilot for Business add‑on license that I currently use. Where applicable, it will state whether the action / prompt is possible with the Copilot Chat included in your standard Microsoft 365 license.

1) Meeting → Actions (no more re-listening)

Prompt:
“Summarize this meeting for [Project]. Create:

  1. decisions made, 2) action items (owner + due date), 3) risks/issues raised, 4) open questions.
    Format as a table.”

Best in: Teams meeting recap / transcript / notes
Outcome: Clean minutes + actions you can send immediately.

2) Write my weekly status update (RAG-style, not vibes)

Prompt:
“Using the latest updates from emails, chats, and documents for [Project], draft a weekly status update for stakeholders.
Include: progress, plan next week, RAID highlights, decisions needed, and blockers.
Tone: crisp, exec-friendly. Max 180 words.”

Best in: Copilot Chat (work-grounded)
Outcome: Paste-ready stakeholder update.

3) Turn chaos into a Risk & Issue Register (starter log)

Prompt:
“Act as a project manager. Based on the information in [notes/email thread/doc], create a Risk & Issue Register.
Include columns: ID, Type (Risk/Issue), Description, Impact, Likelihood, Severity, Owner, Mitigation/Next step, Due date, Status.
Return as a table.”

Best in: Word/Loop/Lists planning
Outcome: Instant RAID structure (and it matches your PM blog theme).

4) Make my RAID log actionable (not a parking lot)

Prompt:
“Review this Risk & Issue Register and produce:

  • Top 5 items by severity (with why)
  • Suggested next actions for each
  • Items that are stale or missing owners
  • A short ‘what I need from leadership’ section (3 bullets).”

Best in: Copilot with a List export / table / Excel
Outcome: Turns tracking into movement (your “actionable insights” angle).

5) Stakeholder comms: draft the uncomfortable email

Prompt:
“Draft an email to [Stakeholder] explaining [delay/change] on [Project].
Be transparent, calm, and solutions-focused.
Include: what changed, why, impact, options, and the decision/approval needed.
Keep it under 150 words.”

Best in: Outlook
Outcome: A professional message without overthinking.

6) Decision log from scattered conversations

Prompt:
“From these emails/chats/notes, extract all decisions related to [Project].
Create a Decision Log with: date, decision, decision owner, rationale, impacted areas, follow-ups.”

Best in: Copilot Chat or Word
Outcome: “What did we decide again?” solved.

7) Scope change impact assessment (in plain English)

Prompt:
“Assess the impact of this scope change: [paste scope change].
Return: impact on timeline, cost/effort, resourcing, risks, dependencies, and quality.
Also provide 3 options: accept, defer, or split into phases, with pros/cons.”

Best in: Word / Copilot Chat
Outcome: A structured response for governance and steering meetings.

8) Project plan from milestones (quick first draft)

Prompt:
“Create a draft project plan for [Project] using these milestones: [paste milestones].
Include phases, key tasks, owners/roles, dependencies, and a realistic timeline.
Output as a table with Week-by-week view.”

Best in: Word/Excel
Outcome: A workable first cut you can refine.

9) Prep me for my next meeting (like a mini project brief)

Prompt:
“I have a meeting with [Person/Team] about [Project].
Summarize the latest context from emails/docs, list what’s unresolved, and propose an agenda.
End with 5 questions I should ask to unblock progress.”

Best in: Copilot Chat (grounded across M365)
Outcome: You walk in prepared—even if your day exploded.

10) Build a simple project dashboard (from what I already have)

Prompt:
“Based on this project status content [paste/link], propose a one-page dashboard layout.
Include KPIs, delivery progress, RAID summary, timeline snapshot, and decisions needed.
Format as: section headings + suggested visuals + sample text.”

Best in: PowerPoint / Word / SharePoint page planning
Outcome: Dashboard blueprint in minutes.

Next up


As soon as teams start asking Copilot to work directly with Microsoft Lists, especially when they want filtered, grouped, or prioritized insights, the conversation naturally shifts toward Copilot Studio, custom agents, and cost. That topic deserves more than a passing paragraph. In a follow‑up post, I’ll explore what building agents actually means from a licensing, consumption, and governance perspective, so you can make informed decisions before moving beyond experimentation.

I’ll also create follow-up, more detailed blogs with custom videos on how to create the Project Management Team & Channels plus preferred configuration and settings and then how to create that Microsoft List for your Risk & Issue Register (and include some cool rules you setup to get notified on certain statuses).

Microsoft Resources:

Other Copilot related blogs I’ve written:

Copilot Adoption, Tech Readiness & Licensing:

Copilot Prompts and Learning:

Project Management:

“Build confidence, boost creativity, and let Copilot do the heavy lifting. Your journey from beginner to brilliant starts with one good prompt. SuperZero to SuperHero in no time!”

Spoiler Alert!! I use Copilot to create my Blog Thumbnails and help fact check my articles / shorten / summarise paragraphs where needed. I also use Napkin.AI to create any infographics I use. Of course I can create my own images, and I ROCK at PowerPoint, but with Copilot I can do SO MUCH MORE, SO MUCH FASTER! I’ve always wanted an assistant, now I do. #WinningAtLife

Contact me:

Do you need help with your #Microsoft365 #Copilot journey? Contact me.

Please DO NOT contact me to publish blogs on your behalf, advertise on my site, endorse your product or solve a problem you have (that could have been solved by posting on an online forum). As part of the #Micosoft365 #Copilot #Community, we work really hard on content and support that we give back to you, for free – because we really do care. You are always welcome to leave (relevant) comments on my blogs / videos, and I’ll respond, as this way, others also get value from it. 

Stay awesome, keep learning, help others.