Using ChatGPT and Copilot in everyday work

Start with assistance, not autonomy

ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are most useful when they prepare a first draft, organise information or reduce blank-page work. A person should still check facts, tone, commitments and sensitive details before anything is used.

Five useful daily workflows

1. Email draftingProvide the purpose, audience, key facts and desired tone. Ask for a concise draft, then verify every commitment.
2. Meeting follow-upTurn approved notes into decisions, owners and due dates. Do not upload confidential transcripts unless your business has approved the tool and settings.
3. Document summariesAsk for the key points, risks, unanswered questions and actions—not merely a shorter version.
4. First-pass researchUse AI to frame questions and compare options, then verify important claims against authoritative sources.
5. Template creationCreate reusable checklists, agendas, intake questions and standard responses from your approved process.

A prompt structure that works

• Context: what the business does and why this task matters.
• Task: the exact output you want.
• Constraints: length, tone, format, facts that must not change.
• Reference: approved examples or source material.
• Review: ask the model to flag assumptions and missing information.

Never paste passwords, payment details, health information, confidential client data or protected business information into an unapproved AI tool.

A good first-week test

Choose one repeated, low-risk task. Record the normal time for five examples, use AI on the next five, and compare time, corrections and output quality. Keep the workflow only if it produces a measurable improvement.