Using Microsoft Copilot Chat Safely

Copilot Chat is available across Microsoft 365 apps to help you write, analyze, summarize, and create content more efficiently—while also protecting University data. Always sign in with your NU Microsoft 365 account and confirm you see the green shield checkmark icon, which indicates Enterprise Data Protection (EDP).

Where to Access Copilot

  • Microsoft Edge (Copilot Chat): 
    • Click the Copilot icon (upper-right), press Ctrl + Shift + . (period), or use the Copilot key on NU-issued Dell devices
    • Or type @Copilot in the address bar and press Tab
  • Other Web Browsers: visit hppts://m365.cloud.microsoft/
  • Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook: click the Copilot icon on the Home ribbon
  • Teams: copy chat text, notes, or agendas into Copilot Chat (click the Apps icon on the left sidebar to add)

What Copilot Can Do for You

  • Draft, rewrite, or simplify content
  • Summarize documents, emails, PDFs, or webpages
  • Generate outlines, checklists, rubrics, and guides
  • Analyze data and turn it into insights or visuals
  • Improve clarity, tone, and formatting

Quick Examples

  • Word: “Rewrite this policy in plain language for college students.”
  • Excel: “Identify trends in this dataset and summarize key insights.”
  • PowerPoint: “Create a 10-slide lecture deck from this outline.”
  • Outlook: “Draft a friendly reminder email about upcoming deadlines.”
  • Teams: “Turn these meeting notes into a short action-item list.”
  • Edge: “Create a bulleted list of deadlines from this webpage.”

Best Practices

  • Use Copilot only when signed in with your Northwest University account
  • Confirm (the green shield) before sharing University data
  • Review AI-generated content for accuracy, tone, and context
  • Avoid entering student, personnel, or confidential data into prompts that rely on external web content
  • Keep sensitive data within Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook Copilot use cases

It may also be helpful to review the Artificial Intelligence Guidelines section of the Employee Manual.

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