Finding the information you are looking for among the documents accumulated in OneDrive sometimes takes longer than preparing the file itself. Copilot makes this job easier with tools to summarize, ask questions, and compare documents without opening files one by one. Microsoft’s new OneDrive features also include tasks such as organizing folders and preparing HTML reports from existing documents. However, the tools you can use are determined by the type of your account and the license you have.
This guide is based on web steps in Microsoft’s current support documentation. The commands below are examples that you can adapt to your own files. Especially as new enterprise features continue to be rolled out, not all of the options on your screen may appear at the same time.
What subscription is required for OneDrive Copilot?
Microsoft’s files ask document lists Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, and Premium subscriptions among the supported individual plans. For a work or school account, a Microsoft 365 Copilot license is required. Just having OneDrive storage doesn’t mean you can use all of these tools.
Family and Premium users also need to pay attention to the subscription owner. Microsoft’s OneDrive description and Premium support page state that AI features are limited to the subscription owner. Joining a family group and taking advantage of storage does not mean you get the same Copilot rights.
For the new experience that organizes folders and creates HTML reports, Microsoft requires the web version of OneDrive for Business and a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Therefore, seeing the summary button in your personal account does not indicate that these new functions have arrived in your account.
How to summarize OneDrive files with Copilot?
To get started, just open OneDrive from the browser. You can work with supported files such as a Word document, Excel table, PowerPoint presentation or PDF. Photos and videos are not included in the file summarization and questioning processes described here.
- Log in to OneDrive with the account your license is linked to and open the relevant folder.
- Select the file you want to summarize. You can also mark up to five files that you want to evaluate together.
- Press the Copilot button at the bottom right of the page and Summarize this file Use the option. For a single file, hover over the file and click on the Copilot menu. In summary You can also choose the command.
- When the summary opens ask a question Specify the details you want.
For example, you can select the notes of a product meeting and say, “Summarize the decisions taken, those responsible and the delivery dates under separate headings. Do not add a date that is not written in the document.” So, instead of a general summary, you want a conclusion that aims to find things to follow up on after the meeting. Comparing the dates and responsible names in the summary with the source document also makes control easier.
Microsoft’s current support documentation also shows Copilot shortcuts for Windows File Explorer. However, the change reported in our news regarding the removal of some Copilot menus in Windows shows that these shortcuts are not permanent. For this reason, it is more convenient to follow the procedures in the guide via the web version.
How to give a command when editing a folder with Copilot?
If the new enterprise experience has arrived in your account, you can ask Copilot to organize your files according to the way you work. However, instead of making the first attempt in a large shared archive, it would be more controlled to start with a small working folder containing copies of a few files. Moving and renaming may also affect the file layout your teammates are used to.
First tell the Copilot about your destination. The example “Propose a folder plan for these project files under the headings Research, Meeting Notes, and Reports. No moving or deleting files yet” embodies your expectation. Once you’ve reviewed the proposal and clarified which document goes where, ask for only the accommodation you find appropriate. These are sample instructions, not a ready-made automation recipe that gives the same result on every account.
After the process, open the folders yourself and check the location of the files. If the content of a file has changed, review its version history, or if it has been deleted, review the recycle bin. Move the file that was moved to the wrong location back to the correct folder. Keep the initial copies until you verify the new layout.
How to prepare a report with Copilot in OneDrive?
In the supported enterprise web experience, Copilot can convert the information in the files into a new presentation, PDF or HTML report. HTML is a format in which you can view the report in the browser. Clearly stating the scope of work and which documents will be used for this process helps prevent irrelevant information from confounding the outcome.
For example, using monthly sales tables and meeting notes, you can prepare the following request: “Create an HTML report for the October evaluation from these files. Show sales results, completed work and next month’s to-do items in separate sections. Specify which file each numerical finding is based on.” Once the output is prepared, you can try changing the headers, table layout, or length of descriptions with new commands.
Before sharing the report, check the source tables, especially the totals, date range, and currencies. Having the same sale in two documents may produce an incorrect total. Instead of having the missing data filled in with guesswork, ask them to mark it as missing on the report. If you are going to open the file outside the team, also review the sharing permissions.
What should you do if the Copilot button is not visible?
First check that you are signed in to the correct account and that your subscription is active. Then try the web version with a supported file. You can verify the license assignment in the work account and the organization’s Copilot settings with your IT administrator. If folder editing does not appear while summarizing is running, the deployment of the new enterprise experience may not have arrived in your account yet. In this case, it makes more sense to check the license scope and deployment status rather than reinstalling the application.