Learn how Copilot extensions enhance collaboration within your team on Microsoft Teams

Summary:

Microsoft brings you the goodness of Copilot across app extensions that you use with Teams. Several of the apps available to you are meant to enhance your productivity. Some of these are now Copilot enabled. What does that mean? They can be used with Microsoft 365 Copilot chat. You can easily invoke these apps on the Copilot chat, use it seamlessly across M365 products and enhance your productivity. This integration of Copilot with some of these apps is going to make searching, querying, and getting prompt support on next steps super intuitive. These will be available to all our users with Copilot license, starting from mid-September. More details are shared below in the form of examples in the subsequent sections.

Benefits of using Copilot extensions

Using Copilot extensions can significantly enhance your overall Teams experience. They help automate routine tasks, improve efficiency, and foster a more collaborative environment. Best practices include regular updates, leveraging analytics for insights, and encouraging user feedback to refine functionalities. To further enhance your Teams experience, we’ve curated a selection of innovative Copilot extensions that address various business needs. These extensions are designed to streamline processes, foster collaboration, and provide valuable insights, helping your organization run more smoothly and efficiently. Below, we introduce four transformative Copilot extensions that can elevate your team’s productivity and engagement.

Identifying Copilot extensions in Teams Store

To maximize the capabilities of Teams, it is essential to incorporate the right Copilot extensions tailored to your business needs. Teams Store is the gateway to accessing these powerful tools. Here’s how you can identify and select the most beneficial Copilot extensions:

Teams Store navigation:

Open your Teams application and navigate to the App Store by clicking on the "Apps" icon located on the left sidebar. This will take you to the main interface where you can browse through a wide range of applications, including the Copilot extensions. Every Copilot extension contains a Copilot logo, making it easy to spot them among other apps in the app store. This logo serves as a visual indicator that the extension is powered by Copilot’s advanced capabilities.

Copilot extensions category:

From the app store landing page, you can go directly to the Copilot extensions page from the left tray. This dedicated page provides a curated list of all available Copilot extensions. Here, you can explore detailed descriptions, and installation instructions to find the right tools for your organization.

Installation and permissions

Once you have identified a suitable Copilot extension, select ‘Add’ on its description page to start the installation. In case the app is unavailable to you, it might show ‘Request’. Trigger the flow and request your admin to enable the app. Your admin can review the permissions requested by the extension, as this will outline the data it will access and the functionalities it will integrate within your Teams environment.

Enabling and using Copilot extensions

1. Enable Copilot extensions via Plugins
After you have installed, some of the Copilot extensions might not be auto-enabled for usage. You may have to go to the Microsoft 365 Copilot chat and enable them through a toggle. You can find this on the bottom right of the Copilot chat. The chat is present on the top of all your chats page on Teams. Once you open the plugin page on this chat from the bottom right as show in the image below – you will see a curated list of plugins. To enable or disable an extension, click on the toggle button next to the respective plugin. You can acquire more plugins through the side panel.

2. From the Right menu on Copilot chat

Not all apps can be enabled through command invocation and Copilot extensions chat. You can find these distinct types of extensions in the right menu on the Copilot chat. You can access the right menu on the Copilot chat to find available extensions directly from the menu. This method offers a centralized location to manage all your Copilot extensions, allowing for streamlined configuration and oversight.

3. Invoking by command

After installing and enabling the extension, you can use it with a command. Users who like command-line interactions can activate Copilot extensions by typing ‘@’ and the extension name on the Copilot chat. This approach is particularly helpful for experienced users who know the specific tools they require.

4. From the Extension’s chat

Open the chat area within Teams and navigate to the installed Copilot extension tab. Simply click on the desired extension to enable it. This method provides a quick and efficient way to activate necessary tools without leaving the chat interface, ensuring seamless integration into your daily workflow. Refer the image below to know about this.

5. From the command-line on the Copilot chat
Some Copilot extensions can be invoked from the command-line on the Copilot chat. After accessing the Copilot chat, type ‘@’ followed by the extension name in the input field. Once the extension is activated, you can then type in specific prompts to trigger the desired actions.

Four Copilot extensions and practical case studies

To further illustrate the ability and versatility of Copilot extensions, let’s delve into four prominent apps: Microsoft Meetup, Proximity Matrix, Viva Goals, and Mural. Each of these extensions offers unique functionalities that can be enhanced through targeted prompts. Below, we examine individual case studies demonstrating how these prompts can be effectively utilized.

Microsoft Meetup

Overview: Microsoft Meetup is designed to simplify the process of organizing and managing meetings, ensuring seamless coordination among team members.

Case Study: Knowing guests for the today

Jane, a project manager, uses Microsoft Meetup to keep track of her guests for the day. She has previously invited and scheduled several meetings with different stakeholders using the extension. To see who all the guests for the day are, she types ‘@Microsoft Meetup’ into the Copilot chat, which activates the extension and shows the view prompts option. She clicks on ‘View prompts’ to see the sample prompts. She then clicks on ‘List my guests for the day,’ which triggers the extension to display a list of all the guests she has invited, along with their names, roles, and meeting times.

Priority Matrix

Overview: Priority Matrix is a smart tool for managing high-impact work, improving team productivity and focus. Track personal tasks, balance workloads, and align team goals easily.

Case Study: Managing personal and team tasks

John, a team leader, seeks better management of personal and team tasks. On the chat page of Priority Matrix in Teams, he activates the extension, views the prompts, and clicks ‘Open PM’ to see the integrated projects in his workflow. He can use the 1-on-1 view to access Outlook emails, calendar events, OneDrive files, and Planner tasks all together.

Viva Goals

Overview: Viva Goals is a powerful tool for setting, tracking, and achieving organizational goals, aligning team efforts with strategic objectives.

Case Study: Seeing snapshot of goals

Sarah, who leads the marketing team, used Viva Goals to set ambitious quarterly objectives. She wanted to track the progress and alignment of her goals with the company’s vision. She goes to the chat page of the Viva Goals extension and selects the option ‘Show me snapshot of my goals.’ The extension shows a dashboard with the status, completion rate, and impact of her goals, and feedback from her team members.

Creately

Overview: Creately Teams is a collaborative diagramming tool that allows teams to create and share diagrams, flowcharts, and mind maps with ease.

Case Study: Checking project management templates

David, a product manager, needs to set up a project timeline using the available templates for a new feature launch. He selects ‘Show Project Management Templates’ from the given options. The extension provides numerous templates, shapes, and icons, allowing him to create a concise and professional timeline. Additionally, he can invite his team members to collaborate and give feedback on the diagram, ensuring everyone stays aligned.

These case studies highlight how Copilot extensions can be harnessed to streamline tasks and enhance productivity through targeted prompts.

Date: 2024-09-09 15:00:00Z
Link: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams-blog/learn-how-copilot-extensions-enhance-collaboration-within-your/ba-p/4236921