Microsoft Copilot Projects and Workspaces explained

Key insights

• Projects group references, chats, and Cowork tasks in a continuing work context.
• Copilot Notebooks are becoming Workspaces, which are intended for shared work.
• The show describes Projects as tied to Cowork; Workspaces are not shown running Cowork tasks.
• The presenters said rollout was staged, with different experiences visible to each of them.
• Copilot Search for SharePoint and OneDrive is announced, but the transcript gives few implementation details.

Microsoft Copilot Projects provide a place to keep related references and conversations together for Cowork tasks, while Copilot Notebooks are becoming shared Workspaces. The change matters to people using Copilot for ongoing individual work as well as teams that want to collect material and collaborate in one place. 365 Message Center Show demonstrates the Projects and Workspaces experience and discusses the announced search update for SharePoint and OneDrive.

What's new

Projects and Workspaces organize work around continuing context rather than a single prompt. In the demonstration discussed by the show, a Project holds references and previous chats so Copilot can respond with that project context in mind. Users can chat about the project and its resources, or use Cowork to carry out tasks involving that context.

Workspaces are the next name and experience for Copilot Notebooks. The presenters describe them as a place to collect relevant material and work with invited team members. Existing Notebooks are expected to transfer to Workspaces, with some changes to what users can do. That makes a Workspace the more collaboration-oriented option in the distinction described during the show.

The boundary between the two is not fully clear in the material. The presenters characterize Projects as personal and connected to Cowork, while Workspaces are positioned for sharing with a team. They also say that a Workspace does not appear to offer the same Cowork task experience. Microsoft’s recommendation, as relayed in the show, is for people using personal Notebooks to use Projects instead.

The episode also names an updated Copilot Search experience for SharePoint and OneDrive. The available transcript introduces that change but does not provide the search steps, describe the interface, or explain how it changes search results. Treat it as a separate announced change rather than assuming the details of Projects and Workspaces apply to it.

Who it is for and what you need

Projects are relevant to people who use Cowork and want related references, task requests, and conversations kept in a continuing context. Workspaces are aimed at people who want to collect materials with teammates. The description does not name specific job roles, tenant configurations, or prerequisites for either experience.

The material does not specify a required license or plan for Projects or Workspaces. It does say Projects are tied to Cowork, so access to Cowork is relevant if you want to use Projects for Cowork tasks. Do not assume that every user has the same access or that all parts of the experience appear at the same time.

The presenters describe a staged rollout: standard release was expected to begin in late October, with deferred release in late November. They report that the experience was rolling out in pieces and that what each presenter could see differed. Those statements describe the rollout discussed in the episode; the source material does not establish current availability for a particular tenant, region, or license.

How it works

The demonstration and discussion suggest choosing a container based on whether the work is personal and task-oriented or intended to be shared. The transcript does not provide a complete, verified click-by-click setup, so the steps below describe the practical distinction rather than exact menu instructions.

1. Use a Project when you want to keep related references and conversations together for work with Copilot.
2. Ask Copilot about the Project’s resources or prior chats to continue with that collected context.
3. Use Cowork within a Project when you want Cowork to complete tasks using the Project context, if Cowork is available to you.
4. Use a Workspace when the intent is to work with teammates and share collected material. The show describes Workspaces as the successor to Notebooks.

The presenters note that someone may not know at the outset whether work will later need to be shared. In the experience they discuss, they do not see a direct way to turn a Project into a Workspace. They mention that removing material from a Notebook had been possible, but do not confirm a complete transfer path between the new options.

Limitations and open questions

The key decision is not just where to store context, but whether the work needs Cowork or team sharing. The demonstration presents Projects as the Cowork-linked choice and Workspaces as the shared choice, leaving a potential gap for work that starts privately and later needs collaboration. The presenters themselves say the distinction is still unclear and speculate that the boundary may become easier to understand as the experiences roll out.

The source does not confirm whether Projects can later be shared, whether a Project can be converted into a Workspace, or whether Workspace capabilities will change. It also does not give instructions for migrating existing material beyond saying Notebooks will become Workspaces. Check what is available in your own Copilot experience before moving ongoing work.

For SharePoint and OneDrive, the episode’s title and description identify an updated search experience called Copilot Search. The transcript segment provided does not establish how to open it, what content it searches, what licenses it requires, or its rollout schedule. Those details remain unverified here; this article does not assume a particular search behavior or availability.

Sources

• 365 Message Center Show episode 447
• 365 Message Center Show website

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Copilot Projects and Workspaces?

Projects keep references and conversations together for Copilot work and are tied to Cowork in the described experience. Workspaces replace Notebooks and are presented as the option for sharing work with teammates.

Do I need a specific license to use Copilot Projects or Workspaces?

The source material does not state a required license or plan. Projects are described as tied to Cowork, so access to Cowork matters for using that task experience.

Can I convert a Copilot Project into a Workspace?

The source material does not confirm a conversion or direct sharing path. The presenters specifically raise this as an open question.

When are Copilot Projects and Workspaces available?

The episode described a staged rollout, with standard release beginning in late October and deferred release in late November. Availability may differ between users; the material does not confirm the current status for an individual tenant.