Copilot Workspaces: create and share a workspace

Key insights

• A workspace keeps reference content and instructions together for recurring work; a one-off question can stay in regular chat.
• The demonstration adds files, public web links, emails, meeting recaps, SharePoint content and Teams chats.
• Workspace instructions can guide Copilot's response format, tone, focus and language for all members.
• Pages added to a workspace become shared reference content; chats and generated outputs remain private unless shared.
• The presenter says SharePoint references may be limited to 300 files at the time of recording.

Microsoft Copilot Workspaces lets you keep reference content and reusable instructions together for ongoing work, so Copilot can use that context in workspace conversations. It is aimed at people managing evolving projects or research, including team members who need to work from shared material. Office Skills with Amy demonstrates creating a workspace, adding content and instructions, generating outputs, and inviting a colleague.

What it does

A workspace gives a recurring workstream a place to collect reference material and guide Copilot responses. The demonstration uses a product-launch workspace, but the presenter also suggests projects, leadership updates, customer feedback, market research, client proposals and learning topics as possible uses.

The practical distinction is between ongoing work and a quick one-off question: the presenter recommends regular Copilot chat for the latter. She also cautions against treating a workspace as a company-wide content library, and points to SharePoint for that purpose. Her demonstration describes workspaces as belonging to the person who created them, with the option to invite other members.

Who it is for and what you need

Workspaces may help people who repeatedly upload the same material or restate the same guidance in chat. The demonstration is relevant to project managers, business owners, educators, students and other users handling work that changes over time. It does not establish a complete list of eligible roles or plans.

The presenter says the content options available can differ depending on the Copilot license. In her demonstration, a premium license provides options such as meetings with recaps and notes, emails and SharePoint sites; she says users with a basic license may see fewer options, such as files. The video does not name specific license SKUs or set out eligibility rules, so check what appears in your own Copilot experience.

The demonstration uses Copilot at copilot.cloud.microsoft and finds Workspaces in the left navigation. It does not state a rollout stage, region, or formal availability details. The presenter also says a SharePoint selection may be limited to 300 files at the time of recording; she expects that limit may change, but does not confirm when.

How it works

Start with a clear workstream rather than a broad catch-all. The example creates a workspace for pet-apparel product launches, selects a color and emoji, and adds material to ground its chats. “Grounding” means giving Copilot reference content to use as context for its responses.

1. Open Copilot and choose Workspaces in the left navigation. Create a workspace or reopen an existing one, then give it a name that reflects the work.
2. Add reference material. The demonstration includes files, publicly available web links, OneDrive files and work content such as emails, Teams chats, meeting recaps and SharePoint material. Select specific SharePoint files when you want to avoid leaving Copilot to choose among a large set.
3. Set instructions for responses to people using the workspace. The presenter’s examples cover format, tone, focus, brand colors and language. She tests instructions to put comparisons in a table and summaries in bullets.
4. Start a chat grounded in workspace content, or use the available settings to search the work environment or the web. Use New to start a separate chat, and Recent to return to an earlier conversation.
5. Use New and choose Page to create a page alongside a chat. The demonstration asks Copilot to add brainstormed ideas to the page; it notes that copying and pasting is another option.
6. From New, explore other outputs shown in the demonstration, including documents, presentations, reports, mind maps, infographics and audio overviews. Their availability or specific generation requirements are not detailed.
7. Choose Share to invite a person by name, email or group. The example adds a colleague as an editor; the presenter says the owner can remove a member.

Before inviting people, distinguish between shared workspace material and private activity. The presenter says content added to the workspace is automatically shared, subject to permissions. Chats, infographics, mind maps and audio overviews remain private unless explicitly shared; pages added to the workspace become shared grounding content.

Limitations and open questions

Access to reference types can vary with the license, and underlying permissions can affect what invited members can open. A colleague may not have access to premium content even when it is included in the workspace. The demonstration does not identify the exact license requirements or explain how administrators control access.

For SharePoint content, the presenter advises selecting specific files rather than relying on a broad site selection, because the chat may choose what it considers relevant and the demonstrated limit is 300 files. For a full SharePoint site, she suggests that a Copilot agent may be a better fit, but does not provide setup steps. Generated answers and language output also need judgment: the presenter says she cannot verify the accuracy of the French example.

The interface and some settings may change, according to the presenter, and she notes that adding content to a page did not always behave as expected in her test. The video does not verify current limits, license terms or availability. Treat those details as items to check in your tenant rather than universal guarantees.

Sources

• Office Skills with Amy: Copilot Workspaces tutorial

Frequently asked questions

What is a Copilot Workspace used for?

It keeps reference content and reusable instructions together for ongoing work, such as a project or research topic. The presenter recommends regular chat for a quick one-off answer.

What license do I need for Copilot Workspaces?

The demonstration does not specify license names or exact requirements. It says available content options can differ, with premium access showing more work-content types than a basic license.

What is shared when I invite someone to a Copilot Workspace?

The presenter says content added to the workspace is automatically shared, subject to permissions. Chats and generated infographics, mind maps and audio overviews stay private unless explicitly shared.

Can Copilot Workspaces reference an entire SharePoint site?

The demonstration says SharePoint content can be added, but warns that a limit of up to 300 files applied at the time of recording. It recommends selecting specific files; current limits are not verified.