Personal AI agents
Copilot Cowork: how a Microsoft 365 business can use it
Copilot Cowork is Microsoft's agent for long, multi-step work inside Microsoft 365. You describe the outcome; it drafts documents, builds spreadsheets and decks, sends emails, posts in Teams and manages your calendar, and you approve each action.
It has been generally available worldwide since 16 June 2026. It needs a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence, then charges per task in Copilot Credits.
The facts that matter
| What | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Generally available worldwide from 16 June 2026 for work or school accounts. | Microsoft: Copilot Cowork is generally available |
| Licence and billing | Requires the Microsoft 365 Copilot user licence, then usage-based billing in Copilot Credits. | Microsoft: Copilot Cowork is generally available |
| Built-in skills | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, email, scheduling, meetings, daily briefing, enterprise search and deep research. | Microsoft Learn: Copilot Cowork overview |
Not yet confirmed by official sources: UK pricing per Copilot Credit for small businesses.
How a team can use it
Board and client packs
Pull figures from spreadsheets and build the deck for review.
Meeting follow-up
Draft actions, emails and calendar changes after meetings.
Research briefs
Search company files and the web to prepare a brief.
Data and safety
Cowork follows your Microsoft 365 permissions, so fix oversharing in SharePoint and Teams first. Budget for usage charges by estimating light, medium and heavy tasks per person.
Get started
- Check licences and fix file permissions.
- Pick three people and three repeat tasks.
- Track Copilot Credit use and hours saved for a month.
Common questions
What is Copilot Cowork?
Microsoft's agent that plans and carries out multi-step work across Microsoft 365 apps, with your approval.
How much does Copilot Cowork cost?
It needs a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence, then charges per task in Copilot Credits.
Copilot Cowork or Claude Cowork?
If your work lives in Microsoft 365, Copilot Cowork fits naturally. Claude Cowork suits teams working across many tools and local files.
Is Copilot Cowork safe?
It respects Microsoft 365 permissions and asks before actions. Fix oversharing before rollout.