YNSPIRACopilot Notebooks
Microsoft
Copilot Notebook fits people working on a topic or project over time who need a more focused workspace than a regular Copilot chat. You can gather documents, pages, meeting notes and other relevant sources in one place, so Copilot has a clearer foundation to work from. That makes it easier to get good summaries, see how things connect, build drafts and get more relevant answers tied to the specific project or topic you're working on.
What it's best at
The big strength is being able to give Copilot a clear working base. If you gather the right documents, notes and references in a notebook, it becomes easier to get good summaries, find themes, draft content and ask questions that are actually grounded in your project. This is especially useful when you're working on something that runs over time and involves many sources.
Copilot Notebook is therefore less suited to quick production and more suited to work where you have to understand, structure and pull the threads together before moving on. It fits well when you're working on a project or topic over time and want a better picture of relevant files and content, see connections across sources and build a shared foundation before you create something new.
What doesn't work so well
It's also important to know what a notebook doesn't do. Copilot answers based on the sources and references you've put into the notebook, not all of OneDrive, Teams, email or the web. That gives you more control, but also a narrower scope.
It can't produce images, graphs or other data visualisations directly inside the notebook, and some features are still rolling out. Microsoft says a notebook can use up to 300 files as its foundation, so this is mainly a focused workspace for a specific project or topic, not a tool that searches freely across everything.
Who it's for
Copilot Notebook fits project work, research, strategy, planning and other tasks where you need to keep track of many sources over time. If you just want to ask a quick question, regular Copilot is enough. If you want to build a more focused workspace around a specific topic, project or task, Notebook is a very good choice.
How to use it
Open Microsoft 365 Copilot in the browser by going to microsoft365.com.
Heads up:
- Notebook in Copilot isn't available from every Copilot surface, for example Copilot in Teams or Outlook. The safest bet is to find it in Copilot in the browser.
- Notebook in Copilot shouldn't be confused with OneNote. They are two separate tools with different interfaces and different features.
Go to the Notebooks section in the Copilot menu on the left. Under All Notebooks you'll see all the Copilot notebooks you already have access to, your own and any shared ones.
To create a new notebook, click the plus sign next to Notebooks. Give it a name, then add relevant sources like documents, presentations, PDFs, meeting notes or other content. You can also add your own instructions for tone, language and format.
Relevant guides and articles
Features
Project context
Copilot answers based on the files and sources you've added to the notebook, so the answers are more relevant to the specific project or topic you're working on.
Three-column layout
You have references, content and a linked Copilot conversation in the same workspace. The updated version uses a three-column view that makes it easier to work with sources and Copilot answers side by side.
Audio Overview
A podcast-style summary of the notebook content for listening on the go. You can pick format, style, voice and length.
Custom instructions per notebook
You can add specific instructions to shape how Copilot answers inside that particular notebook, for example tone, language, format and focus.
Sharing
Can be shared with others. Keep in mind that sharing the notebook can also give others access to files inside it.
Not sure how your team should use Copilot?
We help you work out how Copilot fits into the work you do.
Tips for good use
- Add the most relevant files and references, not necessarily the most. The better and tidier your source material, the more useful and relevant the answers.
- Use instructions to tailor how Copilot behaves, the tone, the answer format and so on inside that particular notebook.
- Share the notebook with your team when you need a shared workspace for a specific project or topic, so everyone can ask Copilot questions based on the files in the notebook.
- Try Audio Overview to catch up on project updates while you're on the move. Pick the format, style, voice and length you want.
- Create separate notebooks for different projects so Copilot keeps the context apart.
Available on
Links and pricing
Included in Microsoft 365 Copilot ($30/user/month)
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