Summarize your inbox and email threads

One of the primary ways Copilot can assist with email management is by providing summaries of your inbox. With simple voice or text commands, you can ask Copilot to give you an overview of your unread emails. For instance, you can say, “Summarize my unread emails,” and Copilot will generate a concise summary of the key points from each message. This feature is particularly useful when you have a large number of unread emails and need to quickly identify which ones require immediate attention. By summarizing the content, Copilot helps you prioritize your responses and manage your time more effectively.

In addition to summarizing unread emails, Copilot can also provide summaries of specific email threads. If you have an ongoing conversation with a colleague or client, you can ask Copilot to “Summarize the email thread with [contact name].” This will give you a quick recap of the entire conversation, highlighting the main points and any action items. This feature is especially beneficial for catching up on lengthy email exchanges without having to read through every message in detail. By providing a clear and concise summary, Copilot ensures that you are always up-to-date on important discussions.

Sorting and filtering

Copilot’s ability to filter and categorize emails is another significant advantage. You can use commands like “Show me important emails” or “Find emails from [contact name]” to quickly locate specific messages. Once you have identified the emails you need to focus on, you can ask Copilot to summarize them, allowing you to quickly grasp the essential information. This feature helps you stay organized and ensures that you can easily access the most relevant emails without getting overwhelmed by the volume of messages in your inbox.

Giving context

Another valuable feature of Copilot is its ability to provide context for your emails. By analyzing your previous emails and communication patterns, Copilot can offer insights into the background of a conversation. For example, if you receive an email from a client regarding a project, you can ask Copilot to “Provide context for this email,” and it will summarize previous interactions and relevant details. This feature is particularly useful for understanding the full scope of a conversation and ensuring that your responses are informed and accurate.

Follow-ups and reminders

Copilot can also assist with managing follow-up actions and reminders. After summarizing your emails, you can set reminders for any tasks or responses that need to be addressed. For instance, you can say, “Remind me to follow up on [email subject] in [time frame],” and Copilot will notify you at the specified time. This proactive approach to email management helps you stay on top of your responsibilities and ensures that important tasks are not overlooked. By integrating reminders with email summaries, Copilot provides a comprehensive solution for managing your inbox and staying organized.

Prioritization

For professionals who receive a high volume of emails, Copilot’s ability to prioritize messages is incredibly beneficial. You can ask Copilot to “Show me high-priority emails,” and it will filter your inbox to display the most important messages first. This feature helps you focus on the emails that require immediate attention and ensures that critical information is not missed. Additionally, Copilot can provide summaries of these high-priority emails, allowing you to quickly understand the key points and take appropriate action.

Multi-lingual translation

Copilot’s translation capabilities can also be a valuable asset for global teams or when communicating with international clients. If you receive an email in a different language, you can ask Copilot to “Translate and summarize this email,” and it will provide a translated summary of the message. This feature ensures that language barriers do not hinder your ability to stay informed and respond promptly. By providing accurate translations and summaries, Copilot helps you maintain clear and effective communication across different languages.

Insights and analytics

Another aspect of Copilot’s email summarization capabilities is its ability to provide insights and analytics about your email habits. By asking questions like “How many emails did I receive last week?” or “What are my busiest email days?” you can gain valuable insights into your email patterns. This information can help you identify trends and make informed decisions about how to manage your inbox more effectively. For instance, if you notice that you receive a high volume of emails on certain days, you might decide to allocate specific times for checking and responding to emails, ensuring that you can stay focused on other tasks.

Your own tech support bot

In addition to these practical features, Copilot can also assist with troubleshooting email-related issues. If you encounter problems such as emails not sending or receiving, you can ask Copilot for help. Commands like “Why can’t I send emails?” or “Why am I not receiving emails?” can provide guidance and solutions to common problems. This ensures that any disruptions to your email communication are minimized, allowing you to stay productive and focused on your tasks.

Using Copilot to summarize emails and stay updated in Outlook can significantly enhance your productivity and streamline your workflow. By automating the summarization process, providing quick access to key information, and offering personalized recommendations, Copilot helps you manage your inbox more effectively. Whether you need to catch up on unread emails, understand the context of a conversation, or prioritize high-priority messages, Copilot offers a comprehensive solution to meet your needs.