Ask questions about your notes using Microsoft 365 Copilot in OneNote

  • 4 minutes

Copilot in OneNote supercharges your note taking and helps you understand, create, and recall information. With Copilot in OneNote, you’re never limited by a set of predetermined prompts. You can freely chat with Copilot to complete a wide variety of complex tasks to transform OneNote into an invaluable assistant.

Chatting with Copilot can help you:

  • Find information in your notes.

  • Get tips and recommendations to improve your notes.

  • Learn new information to add to your notes.

To chat with Copilot in OneNote, follow these steps:

  1. Select Copilot in the ribbon to open the Copilot pane.

  2. In the Copilot compose box, enter a prompt to ask Copilot to complete a task or ask Copilot a question.

  3. Select the Send arrow.

Let's get crafting

To get started, copy and paste the following text into a new OneNote page:

    Q1 Webinars
        1. AI in Business
    
            Date: January 15, 2024
            Total Attendees: 450
            Engagement Rate: 72% (Active participation in Q&A, polls, and chat)
            Key Takeaways:
            - AI is reshaping customer service with automated chatbots.
            - Predictive analytics help businesses forecast trends.
            - Ethical AI considerations are becoming a priority.
        
        2. Cloud Security Best Practices
        
            Date: February 10, 2024
            Total Attendees: 385
            Engagement Rate: 65%
            Key Takeaways:
            - Zero Trust security models are on the rise.
            - Multi-factor authentication reduces data breaches.
            - Compliance requirements for cloud security continue to evolve.
        
        3. Future of Remote Work
    
            Date: March 5, 2024
            Total Attendees: 500
            Engagement Rate: 80%
            Key Takeaways:
            - Hybrid work models are now the standard for many companies.
            - Virtual collaboration tools are improving productivity.
            - Employees expect flexibility but still value in-person interaction.

Note

Starting prompt:

Which webinar had the most attendees and participation?

In this simple prompt, you start with the basic Goal: to find out which webinar had the most attendees and participation. However, you could provide even more information so Copilot can generate a useful response.

Element Example
Basic prompt:
Start with a Goal		 Which webinar had the most attendees and participation?
Good prompt:
Add Context		 Adding Context can help Copilot understand what you need the information for.

"...for our quarterly business review."
Better prompt:
Specify Source(s)		 The Source for this prompt is assumed to be the notebook in OneNote, but you can get even more specific by referencing specific pages or topics.

"Please refer to the attendance data from the notes for the last quarter."
Best prompt:
Set clear Expectations		 Lastly, adding Expectations can help Copilot understand how you fine tune your results.

"Please calculate the total number of attendees and average participation rate for each webinar. Please identify the webinar with the highest attendance and participation rate and provide a brief summary of its topic and key takeaways."

Note

Crafted prompt:

Which webinar had the most attendees and participation for our quarterly business review? Please refer to the attendance data from the notes for the last quarter. Please calculate the total number of attendees and average participation rate for each webinar. Please identify the webinar with the highest attendance and participation rate and provide a brief summary of its topic and key takeaways.

Copilot has all the info it needs to give you a solid answer, thanks to the Goal, Context, Source, and Expectations in this prompt.

Important

This feature is available to customers with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license or Copilot Pro license. For more information, see Chat with Copilot about your notes and research questions.