Runsheet · presenter reference
Optional practice: finance and handover
Two jobs, the same inputs, no predetermined winner. Exact files, numbered prompts, control answers and recovery steps for a finance review and a supplier handover.
≈35 min planned 35 min of core sections 15 sections 11 anchors Business users, finance, operations and technical decision-makers verified 2026-09-23
Optional practice, parked from the main Cowork story. Source-checked 23 Sep 2026. Live product rehearsal is still pending.
↯Pivot map — read the room, not the script
First rehearsal: where do I start?
Use the setup sequence and timing map. Copy prompts in numbered order.
Only 15 minutes available
Give the opening from section 1, then run sections 7-10 with the three handover files. Do not claim you also tested finance.
They say Copilot cannot analyse or build files
Show native Excel authoring in sections 2-3, then give Copilot the complete pack request in section 4.
The Copilot pack needs separate native agents
Use the missing-output prompts only as needed. Record the hand-offs rather than forcing them.
They ask about Analyst or deeper analysis
Use the optional Analyst prompt. Multifile analysis is not exclusive to Cowork.
They ask whether only Cowork can run later
Show Copilot's Schedule this prompt without saving a schedule.
They ask where the delegated work lives
Inspect progress and outputs, soft pause, resume, leave the view and reopen the same task.
They ask how to judge the result
Use a blank scorecard and the actual delivered files. No winner is filled in.
You need a clean second attempt
Start fresh copies and new tasks without deleting your evidence.
AWhat you need open
1
Download first. Contains four source files and a presenter-only answer key. Extract it; never attach the whole ZIP to either product.
Save outside your corporate OneDrive sync folder, then upload only the four source files to the demo persona's OneDrive.
2
Scenario A. Read me, Sales, Budget and Costs. Eight actual sales rows, four budget sales rows and six operating-cost rows. All raw values; the analysis is the task.
Demo OneDrive > Copilot-Cowork comparison > Inputs. Sections 2-6. This is a NEW small pack, not the earlier Harbourline monthly finance pack.
3
Scenario B. Eight actions in tblActions. An earlier snapshot with two missing owners and two stale statuses.
Demo OneDrive > Copilot-Cowork comparison > Inputs. Attach with the two text files in sections 7-10.
4
Scenario B. Newer evidence for A01 and A08, two confirmed decisions and one unapproved proposal.
Same Inputs folder. Fictional meeting notes, not a real meeting transcript.
5
Scenario B. Defines overdue, missing owner, the fixed review date and the three required deliverables.
Same Inputs folder. Attach with the action log and meeting notes.
6
Your answer key. Finance totals, reconciliation traps, the editable-formula test and a rehearsal scorecard.
Keep on the presenter screen only. Do not upload it to Inputs, attach it or paste its answers into the initial prompts.
BPre-flight
- Use the agreed Colin demo persona in a dedicated browser profile for both products. Confirm the actual signed-in account on screen. No corporate mailbox or real customer data is needed.
- Confirm paid Microsoft 365 Copilot access and the native Excel modes. Confirm Cowork opens and the persona is included in an appropriate Cowork spending policy. Do not change licences, billing or policy during the demo.
- Download and extract the ZIP. Upload only the four source files to a new Copilot-Cowork comparison / Inputs folder in the demo OneDrive. The page provides downloads; it has not uploaded these files into the tenant.
- Open both workbooks in the demo persona's Excel. Confirm four sheets in Finance source, two sheets in Action log and eight action IDs. Files must be readable, with no protection or access error. Do not remove labels to bypass an error.
- Make Finance - Copilot working.xlsx from the finance source. Use only this copy for the Excel authoring demo. Keep the original Inputs folder unchanged.
- Open four tabs: this runsheet on the presenter screen, the Excel working copy, licensed Copilot Chat and Cowork. Use a fresh conversation/task for each scenario.
- Rehearse P01-P08. Open every generated workbook, document and slide file. Save dated outputs from each product separately, plus their chat/task links. There are no prerecorded product outputs in this download.
- For both products record the visible model/mode, platform, prompts, elapsed time, manual hand-offs and corrections. Match model choice where available; otherwise record the difference. This is a workflow comparison, not a controlled model benchmark.
- Confirm the finance figures and handover IDs against the answer key. Keep a dated, genuinely completed run ready as a fallback. Label it as a previous run when showing it.
- Treat 23 September 2026 as the fixed handover review date, even on a later rehearsal day. A task due on that date is due today, not overdue.
- Use cloud file operations only. Do not approve email, Teams, meeting, shared-system or local-browser actions. Do not create a recurring schedule.
!Things that will bite you
Copilot already does substantial work
Excel can author editable formulas, charts and dashboards. Copilot's Word, Excel and PowerPoint agents can create files. Analyst can work across files. Do not manufacture a gap by asking Copilot for less, or by comparing Cowork with unlicensed chat.
This guide is ready to rehearse, not a claim of a successful live run
The control answers come from the fictional input data. Product results, timing, UI availability and the pause/resume path must still be observed in the demo account.
Keep the answer key out of the input set
The ZIP includes presenter controls for your convenience. Extract it and choose the specific files named in each step. Attaching the ZIP or the whole parent folder would leak the answers into the task.
A prompt naming a file does not attach it
Use the file picker and wait for attachment chips to finish loading. In Excel, the open workbook supplies context. In a new agent or chat, reattach the approved source or output file instead of assuming context carried over.
Paste one block and check its final sentence
Every prompt on this page copies as one block. Check the composer and sent bubble. In Excel, Auto is the model picker; Chat only, Plan and Allow editing are separate mode choices.
A completed task cannot demonstrate a mid-task pause
Try soft pause while work is actually running. If the job finishes too quickly, say so and demonstrate reopening it. Never describe a completed result as paused work.
Cloud continuation and local browser work have different requirements
Leaving a cloud task view is the planned test. It does not prove a laptop-off claim. Cowork's local Edge tasks pause when the device sleeps or the browser is interrupted. Do not add local browser steps to this comparison.
Do not promise a price or an unlimited memory
Cowork has usage-based billing and spending-policy access. Report observed usage only when available. Reopening the same conversation is not evidence of unlimited memory across unrelated tasks.
0 Set up once, then follow this order
What exists, and what you still need to do
The download contains the actual synthetic inputs and your answer key. The tenant upload, sign-in, product runs and saved fallback outputs are still preparation tasks. Keep this runsheet off the audience display.
Prepare in this order
- Download the ZIP from What you need open above. Extract the five files and keep Presenter controls separate.
- Sign in as the agreed demo persona. Create Copilot-Cowork comparison / Inputs in that persona's OneDrive. Upload the finance workbook, action workbook and two text files only.
- Open the finance source and save a separate Finance - Copilot working.xlsx. Keep it outside Inputs. Open Copilot and select Chat only.
- Open licensed Copilot Chat and Cowork in adjacent tabs. Do not start from a task with unrelated history.
- Run both scenarios once. Save real completed outputs in separate Copilot and Cowork rehearsal folders, with the run date. Keep the task links.
- For the live session, restore a fresh Excel working copy and create fresh chat/task conversations. Use the order below.
35 minutes of presenter time; generation latency may extend the session
| Order | What you do | Prompt | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Set the fair comparison | No prompt | 2 min |
| 2 | Read finance in Excel Chat only | P01 | 3 min |
| 3 | Plan, then build the editable analysis in Excel | P02; P03 only if needed | 5 min |
| 4 | Ask licensed Copilot for the complete review pack | P04 | 4 min |
| 5 | Ask Cowork for the identical review pack | The same P04 | 4 min |
| 6 | Open and reconcile both products' outputs | P05 | 3 min |
| 7 | Ask both for the handover answer now | P06 in each fresh conversation | 4 min |
| 8 | Delegate the same handover deliverables to both | P07 in each existing conversation | 3 min |
| 9 | Inspect Cowork's task lifecycle | UI actions, no repeat of P07 | 4 min |
| 10 | Check the handover files and compare actual effort | P08 | 3 min |
How to copy
Click a prompt block to copy it as one paragraph. Labels and presenter notes are not copied. P04 appears twice deliberately: the body is identical. P06-P08 are copied once into each product. F1 and P1 are optional branches, not required extra prompts.
1 Set the comparison before touching the tools
Copilot can already analyse data, build editable files and help us work across apps. We will give both products the same job. I want to see what I need to guide, what gets delegated, and whether the finished outputs agree.
| Use case | Business question | Done means |
|---|---|---|
| A: monthly finance review | Sales rose. Why did profit fall, and what should the review discuss? | An editable analysis workbook, a one-page decision brief and a three-slide review pack with matching figures. |
| B: supplier handover | What was decided, what is overdue and can we hand this work over? | An evidence-updated action workbook, a one-page handover brief and an unsent stakeholder message. |
Keep the distinction honest
The analysis is available on both sides. The comparison is how the task is carried through, what progress and review controls you see, and how many hand-offs or corrections you actually make.
2 A1. Read the finance pack with Copilot
Which file?
Open Finance - Copilot working.xlsx, copied from Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx. It must contain Read me, Sales, Budget and Costs. No other attachment is needed.
- Open the Sales sheet and the Copilot pane. Select Chat only, not the Auto model selector.
- Paste P01, confirm its final sentence is present and send.
- Check the cited sheet/table values against the controls below. The workbook should remain unchanged.
P01. Copy into Excel Chat onlycopies as one block
Use only this workbook. Read Read me, Sales, Budget and Costs. All amounts are NZD for the month of August, not year-to-date. Explain why August 2026 revenue increased versus August 2025 while EBITDA fell. Calculate revenue, cost of sales, gross profit, gross margin, operating costs and EBITDA for August 2025 actual, August 2026 budget and August 2026 actual. Show the year-on-year EBITDA bridge and the actual-versus-budget EBITDA bridge. Cite the sheets, tables and source values you use. Distinguish numerical contributions from business causes the workbook cannot prove. Do not change the workbook.
Presenter controls, not a prediction of the generated wording
| Metric, NZD | 2025 actual | 2026 budget | 2026 actual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 3,000,000 | 3,300,000 | 3,400,000 |
| Cost of sales | 1,940,000 | 2,112,000 | 2,297,000 |
| Gross profit | 1,060,000 | 1,188,000 | 1,103,000 |
| Gross margin | 35.33% | 36.00% | 32.44% |
| Operating costs | 700,000 | 760,000 | 810,000 |
| EBITDA | 360,000 | 428,000 | 293,000 |
Revenue is up 13.33 per cent. EBITDA is down 67,000 dollars. Gross profit improved by 43,000, but operating costs rose by 110,000. That is a useful answer before we delegate anything.
What a good answer must avoid
The source shows departmental cost movements and channel margins. It does not say that freight prices rose or contractors were hired. If Copilot invents an operational cause, challenge it and log the correction.
3 A2. Let Copilot build the editable analysis
Which file?
Stay in Finance - Copilot working.xlsx. Leave the original finance source untouched. The new Analysis and Dashboard sheets belong in the working copy.
- Switch to Plan. Paste P02. Read the proposed method before allowing edits.
- If asked, specify August only, NZD, no tax adjustments, and keep all source tabs unchanged.
- Approve using the plan's visible execution control, such as Proceed. Plan can execute after confirmation; do not claim it is read-only.
- If this surface needs a separate instruction, use P03 after reviewing the plan. If Plan is unavailable but Allow editing is present, disclose that and use Allow editing with the same reviewed scope.
- Open the resulting Analysis and Dashboard sheets. Select a calculated cell and a chart. Show the formula bar and native chart controls.
P02. Copy after selecting Plancopies as one block
Plan an editable monthly review in this working copy using only Read me, Sales, Budget and Costs. Add an Analysis sheet with formula-linked revenue, cost of sales, gross profit, gross margin, operating costs and EBITDA for August 2025 actual, August 2026 budget and August 2026 actual. Add formula-linked year-on-year and budget EBITDA bridges. Add a Dashboard with a native editable EBITDA comparison chart and an actual-versus-budget gross-margin chart by channel. Link chart data to calculations, not typed totals or screenshots. Keep source sheets unchanged. Include source references and a check that each bridge reconciles to actual EBITDA. Explain the method and wait for my confirmation before editing.
P03. Only if an execution message is neededcopies as one block
Proceed with the plan I reviewed. Make the changes only in this working copy. Keep the original source sheets unchanged. Create native editable formulas and charts, then report the reconciliation checks and any unfinished items.
Skip this if the plan's Proceed control already started the work. Do not send a second build request.
Show this on screen
The workbook is editable Excel, not just a prose response. As an optional test on a disposable OUTPUT copy, reduce Operations Actual from 300,000 to 290,000. Operating costs should become 800,000 and EBITDA 303,000, with linked visuals updating. Undo the change immediately. Never do this in the original input.
We can stay with Copilot and build the analysis interactively. Now I will ask for the whole review pack and see how much coordination I need to do.
4 A3. Give Copilot the complete deliverable brief
Which file?
Attach only Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx, the unchanged original. Do not attach the finished Excel working copy or presenter controls. This gives both products the same starting input.
- Start a new licensed Copilot Chat conversation. Attach the original finance source and wait for it to load.
- Send P04 once. Let Copilot attempt the complete request through the native capabilities available to this account.
- If it produces all three files in that flow, accept and assess them. Do not force app switches to make the comparison look better for Cowork.
- If it needs separate agents, use F1 for only the missing outputs. Record each hand-off, reattachment and correction.
P04. Shared finance brief: Copilot firstcopies as one block
Use only the attached Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx. Build a monthly finance review for August 2026 in NZD, with August 2025 actual and August 2026 budget as comparators. First show a short plan, then carry it out. Produce three new files: Review analysis.xlsx, an editable workbook with source data, formula-linked revenue, cost of sales, gross profit, gross margin, operating costs, EBITDA, two reconciled EBITDA bridges and native editable comparison charts; Decision brief.docx, a one-page brief explaining the revenue-growth and profit-decline pattern, the budget gap, evidence-supported contributors and two questions for the review; and Review pack.pptx, exactly three slides covering performance, contributors and decisions needed. Use one consistent set of figures across all outputs, include source sheet/table references, distinguish evidence from hypotheses, and show a cross-file consistency check. Keep source files unchanged. Use cloud file tools only, no local-browser actions. Do not send, post, share, schedule or update any other system. Report anything you could not complete.
What to observe
Record whether all files arrived, whether Excel formulas and charts remain editable, and which actions you took to get there. Do not start scoring until you open the files.
5 A4. Give Cowork exactly the same brief
Which file?
Attach only the unchanged Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx through the cloud file picker. Use the same original that Copilot received.
- Open Cowork and start a new task. Confirm the same demo persona and record the displayed model.
- Attach the finance source. Send P04 below once; its text is identical to section 4.
- Open the side panel. Point out the plan or progress updates, Input folder, Output folder and any loaded skills actually shown.
- Wait for an output or move on while the cloud task works. If it requests a consequential action beyond creating private output files, cancel that action.
P04. Shared finance brief: the identical Cowork requestcopies as one block
Use only the attached Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx. Build a monthly finance review for August 2026 in NZD, with August 2025 actual and August 2026 budget as comparators. First show a short plan, then carry it out. Produce three new files: Review analysis.xlsx, an editable workbook with source data, formula-linked revenue, cost of sales, gross profit, gross margin, operating costs, EBITDA, two reconciled EBITDA bridges and native editable comparison charts; Decision brief.docx, a one-page brief explaining the revenue-growth and profit-decline pattern, the budget gap, evidence-supported contributors and two questions for the review; and Review pack.pptx, exactly three slides covering performance, contributors and decisions needed. Use one consistent set of figures across all outputs, include source sheet/table references, distinguish evidence from hypotheses, and show a cross-file consistency check. Keep source files unchanged. Use cloud file tools only, no local-browser actions. Do not send, post, share, schedule or update any other system. Report anything you could not complete.
The job and source are the same. I am looking at how the work is organised and handed back, then I will check the files themselves.
Expected experience, still to rehearse
Microsoft documents task progress and output files in the side panel. The exact plan, timing, skill chips and layout may vary. Do not narrate a control or file that has not appeared.
6 A5. Inspect the files, not just the final chat answer
Which files?
For each product open Review analysis.xlsx, Decision brief.docx and Review pack.pptx. Keep the two sets separate. In Cowork use Output folder previews; Download All is optional.
- Open the workbook. Check the actuals, budget and prior-year totals from section 2. Inspect formulas and native charts.
- Open the brief and all three slides. Check actual EBITDA 293,000, the year-on-year decline 67,000 and the budget shortfall 135,000.
- Check the bridge signs. Year-on-year: 360,000 + 43,000 - 110,000 = 293,000. Budget: 428,000 - 85,000 - 50,000 = 293,000.
- Send P05 in each product's existing conversation. If files were made through separate agents, attach the final three outputs and the original finance source to a comparison chat first; count that hand-off.
- Treat a missing file, wrong total, static chart or unsupported cause as unfinished work. Record the correction rather than hiding it.
P05. Copy into each product after its files existcopies as one block
Check the three review outputs against the original finance source. Compare the workbook, one-page brief and each of the three slides for the same revenue, gross profit, gross margin, operating costs, EBITDA and both EBITDA bridges. Check NZD units, August-only scope, rounding, bridge signs and source references. Confirm that the workbook calculations are formulas and the charts are native editable objects; say plainly if you cannot inspect that. List discrepancies by filename and location. Correct only the generated outputs, leave the original source unchanged, and report any check you could not complete.
| Control | Expected value | What would fail |
|---|---|---|
| Actual minus budget gross profit | -85,000 | Treating the revenue increase as a profit increase |
| Actual minus budget operating costs | +50,000 | Showing higher costs as a positive EBITDA contribution |
| Department cost gap | Operations +40,000; Technology +30,000; Marketing -20,000 | Omitting the Marketing offset |
| Wholesale margin | Actual 17%; budget 22% | Confusing margin percentage with share of revenue |
| Review pack length | Exactly three slides | Counting a cover as an unrequested fourth slide |
Both can produce useful analysis. The difference worth measuring is the work I did between the request and a set of files I could actually use.
7 B1. Ask both for the answer now
Which files?
Attach exactly Harbourline - Action log - Sep 2026.xlsx, Harbourline - Meeting notes - 22 Sep 2026.txt and Harbourline - Handover checklist.txt to each product. No finance workbook and no answer key.
This time the job is a handover. The action log is an old snapshot, and the meeting notes contain newer evidence. First I want an answer, with no changes anywhere.
- Start fresh conversations in both products. Attach all three named inputs and wait for them to load.
- Copy P06 into Copilot, then the identical prompt into Cowork.
- Check that each answer distinguishes the original snapshot from the reconciled current state.
- Keep both conversations open for P07. They must retain these same three inputs.
P06. Copy the same prompt into both productscopies as one block
Use only the three attached handover files. Use 23 September 2026 as the review date, regardless of today's date. Summarise the confirmed decisions, overdue actions, actions due today and missing owners. Reconcile the earlier action-log snapshot with the dated meeting notes. Show the overdue count in the original snapshot separately from the reconciled count and explain each evidence-supported change. Keep suggested owners and unapproved dates separate from confirmed facts. Cite supplied filenames, action IDs and decision IDs. Do not create or change files, send messages, schedule anything or take any other action.
Expected handover answer
| Question | Correct result | Trap |
|---|---|---|
| Overdue in original snapshot | 4: A01, A02, A03, A08 | Reporting these as the current overdue actions |
| Overdue after reconciliation | 2: A02 and A03 | Ignoring dated completion evidence for A01 and A08 |
| Missing owners | 2: A03 and A06 | Assigning A03 to Jess because she proposed asking a team |
| Due today | A04 | Calling a 23 September due date overdue |
| Confirmed decisions | D01 conditional 28 September target; D02 retain current route for week one | Calling the launch approved |
| 30 September proposal | Not approved | Turning a suggestion into a revised launch date |
If either product answers well
Say so. A good cited summary is useful on both sides. The next step is whether the same evidence can be carried through into the handover files.
8 B2. Delegate the same handover package to both
Which files?
Use the three inputs already attached in section 7. If you have changed agent or conversation, reattach the exact files. Do not overwrite the input action workbook.
- Send P07 in the existing Copilot handover conversation. Let it attempt the full package. Use native Excel or Word tools only if the actual response needs them, and count the hand-off.
- Send the identical P07 in the existing Cowork handover task.
- Move straight to section 9 while Cowork is running. Do not wait for the final response before trying the pause control.
P07. Copy the same follow-up into both productscopies as one block
Using the same three handover files and the fixed review date of 23 September 2026, prepare the handover package. Show a short plan, then carry it out in this order: first create Action log - Updated.xlsx as a new editable workbook preserving all eight IDs, tasks, owners and original due dates, changing statuses only where the meeting notes provide explicit evidence, with an audit sheet of old value, new value, source and completion date; next create Handover brief.docx as a one-page brief; then create Stakeholder message.txt as a short unsent message for human review. Include formula-based summary counts using the fixed review date, not TODAY(), and distinguish original-snapshot counts from reconciled counts. Keep blank owners blank and flag Owner required rather than assigning anyone. State launch conditions and keep the unapproved date proposal separate from decisions. Cross-check action IDs, dates, owners and counts across all three outputs. Keep all source files unchanged. Use cloud file tools only, no local-browser actions. Do not send, post, share, schedule or update any other system. Report any missing output or unresolved issue.
We have moved from understanding the situation to preparing something another person could pick up. I still need to review it before anything goes out.
A message file is the output
This exercise does not need an email send, Teams post, Outlook draft or calendar action. If an approval card asks for one, cancel it and keep the stakeholder message as a text file.
9 B3. Inspect, soft pause, resume and reopen the same task
Which task and file?
Stay in the task where you submitted P07, not the finance task. When available, open Action log - Updated.xlsx from its Output folder. Keep the browser tab or task link so you can identify the same task again.
Use the controls in this exact order
- Open the side panel. Show the three input files, actual progress and any output already created.
- While work is active, select Pause (soft) if available. Wait until the current step finishes and the task visibly reports that it is paused.
- Inspect the intermediate workbook if it exists. Look for eight IDs, A01 and A08 updated to Complete, the two blank owners and an audit trail. If no output exists yet, say that and inspect the progress log instead.
- Select Resume. Wait for a visible status change. Do not select Cancel; that stops the current work rather than pausing it.
- Navigate to My tasks or Tasks without cancelling the task. Leave that view for the other Copilot tab.
- Return to Cowork's task list. Open the same handover task by its title or saved link, confirm the original P07 and input files, then inspect its current state.
- When complete, open the final three outputs. Use Download All only if you want the ZIP. Do not claim an output is complete merely because a filename is listed.
I can inspect a piece of the work, pause before the next step, resume, and return to the same task. The outputs still need a human check.
If it finishes too fast
Show the completed task and reopen it from history. Mark soft pause as not demonstrated. Use a prior captured pause/resume run only if you really rehearsed and recorded one. Do not keep rerunning paid tasks to manufacture a pause.
Keep the laptop-on boundary explicit
This sequence demonstrates leaving and reopening a cloud task view. It is not a device-shutdown test. Local Edge automation depends on the device and is deliberately excluded.
10 B4. Check the handover and compare the effort you observed
Which files?
Open each product's Action log - Updated.xlsx, Handover brief.docx and Stakeholder message.txt. Use that product's handover conversation for P08. If outputs came from separate agents, attach the final files and original three inputs to one audit conversation.
P08. Final handover audit in each productcopies as one block
Audit the handover package against the original three inputs using 23 September 2026 as the fixed review date. Check all eight action IDs, original owners and due dates, evidence-supported status changes, missing owners, overdue actions, actions due today and launch conditions. Check that the workbook, brief and unsent message use the same reconciled counts and distinguish the older snapshot. Confirm the workbook summary uses formulas with the fixed date. Cite any mismatch by filename and action ID, correct only generated outputs, and report anything you could not verify. Do not send, post, share, schedule or alter source files.
Handover pass criteria
| Check | Expected |
|---|---|
| Keep every row | Exactly eight original action IDs, A01-A08 |
| Apply only supported status changes | A01 and A08 become Complete; A07 stays Complete |
| Count the reconciled work | 3 Complete; 5 not Complete; 2 overdue; 2 missing owners; 1 due today |
| Keep owners and dates honest | A03 and A06 owners remain blank; every original due date stays unchanged |
| State the launch correctly | 28 September is conditional; the 30 September suggestion is unapproved |
| Keep outputs consistent | All three files report A02/A03 overdue and A03/A06 missing an owner |
| Preserve safety boundaries | Original inputs unchanged; no send, post, sharing, schedule or shared-system update |
Fill this in from the rehearsal; a blank is not a zero
| Measure | Licensed Copilot | Cowork |
|---|---|---|
| Account, surface, model and run date | Record observed | Record observed |
| Delivered A files / requested | Record observed / 3 | Record observed / 3 |
| Delivered B files / requested | Record observed / 3 | Record observed / 3 |
| Input prompts and follow-up corrections | Record separately | Record separately |
| Manual app/agent hand-offs and reattachments | Record observed | Record observed |
| Elapsed time to usable outputs | Record observed | Record observed |
| Editable formula/chart and cross-file checks | Pass / fail / not checked | Pass / fail / not checked |
| Task progress, pause/resume and reopening | Record what was actually available | Record what was actually demonstrated |
| Usage or cost | Record only if visible; otherwise not measured | Record only if visible; otherwise not measured |
Copilot gave us an interactive way to work through the job. Cowork gave us a way to delegate it and follow its progress. The useful result is the completed, checked work and the effort it took, not which final answer sounded more confident.
Do not preselect the conclusion
If Copilot completes the full job with fewer interventions, report that. If Cowork needs repairs or cannot produce a required file, report that too. An unavailable surface and a failed capability are different observations.
F1 Native Copilot hand-offs, only when the full-pack request needs them
Which files?
Start the Excel agent with only Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx. For Word and PowerPoint, attach that original plus the approved Review analysis.xlsx. Reattach explicitly when changing agents.
- Use this branch only for outputs the original P04 flow did not produce. If the workbook already exists and passes its controls, skip the Excel-agent prompt.
- Create and check the workbook first. Then pass that exact approved output, with the source, to the Word and PowerPoint agents.
- If an agent is unavailable, use the corresponding native Office app if available, with the same acceptance criteria. Mark unavailable if neither route is accessible.
- Record the actual hand-offs. Return to section 5 when Copilot has had a fair attempt, then use P05 to reconcile all three outputs.
F1a. Excel agent: missing analysis workbook onlycopies as one block
Using only the attached Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx, create a new Review analysis.xlsx. Include the source tables and formula-linked revenue, cost of sales, gross profit, gross margin, operating costs and EBITDA for August 2025 actual, August 2026 budget and August 2026 actual in NZD. Add reconciled year-on-year and budget EBITDA bridges, native editable EBITDA comparison and channel-margin charts, source references and reconciliation checks. Keep the original source unchanged. Report any requirement you cannot complete.
F1b. Word agent: missing brief onlycopies as one block
Use only the attached approved Review analysis.xlsx and Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx. Create Decision brief.docx as one page for the August 2026 monthly review in NZD. Explain revenue growth alongside the EBITDA decline, the budget gap and the evidence-supported channel and departmental contributors. Include two questions for the review and source sheet/table references. Use the approved workbook's figures consistently and distinguish hypotheses from evidence. Do not change either input or send or share anything.
F1c. PowerPoint agent: missing review pack onlycopies as one block
Use only the attached approved Review analysis.xlsx and Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx. Create Review pack.pptx with exactly three slides total: performance, contributors, and decisions needed. Use NZD and August-only figures for 2026 actual, 2026 budget and 2025 actual. Keep figures consistent with the approved workbook, include source references and distinguish numerical contributors from unproven causes. Do not add a separate cover slide. Do not change either input or send or share anything.
For scenario B
If P07 needs the same native-agent route, use its three ordered deliverable clauses as the acceptance criteria. Attach the original handover inputs in every new context and the approved updated workbook when writing the brief and message. Count the hand-offs; do not loosen the requirements.
P1 Optional: give Analyst a fair turn
Which file?
Attach Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx only. This is a single-workbook test; do not claim it proves a multifile comparison. Microsoft separately documents Analyst's support for multiple supplied files.
Optional Analyst promptcopies as one block
Analyse the attached Harbourline - Finance source - Aug 2026.xlsx. For August 2026 actual versus budget, calculate gross margin and revenue share for each channel. Explain a method that separates the total margin gap into channel mix and within-channel margin effects, state the formula and reconcile the parts to the total. Then reconcile the EBITDA gap using gross profit and operating costs. Cite the source tables, distinguish numerical contributions from unsupported business causes, and make your calculations available for review. Do not change the source.
Keep this optional
Allow extra time. Use it if someone challenges analytical depth or assumes Cowork uniquely reconciles data. It is not a required step in the 35-minute route.
P2 Optional: show that Copilot can schedule a prompt
Which conversation?
Return to Copilot's handover conversation from section 7. No new file or prompt is needed. This is a control demonstration, not an actual schedule.
- Hover over the P06 prompt and look for Schedule this prompt, using the available prompt menu if the UI differs.
- If present, open it and point to the timing and frequency options.
- Close or cancel the scheduling pane. Do not select Save. The fixed-date exercise is not a useful recurring job.
- If the control is absent, record that and refer to the public documentation. Do not change connected-experience policies during the demo.
Copilot can already schedule a useful prompt. For this comparison I am looking at the whole delegated task, its progress and the files it produces. Scheduling alone does not settle the choice.
Policy wording changed
The Learn admin article documents the move from Optional Connected Experiences to Connected Experiences in August 2026. Prefer that newer guidance over older wording in the support article.
Reset Reset without contaminating the next run
- Keep the original four Inputs files unchanged. If unsure, compare with a fresh download before replacing anything.
- Save useful outputs and chat/task links with the actual product, model and run date. Never label an unobserved result as verified.
- Create a fresh Finance - Copilot working.xlsx from the original finance source. Do not reuse an analysed workbook as the starting point.
- Start fresh conversations for both scenarios. Attach only the specified inputs; keep old outputs and the answer key out.
- If a run is still active, decide whether to keep it running or cancel that specific task. Do not clear unrelated history.
- Confirm that no schedule was saved and no message was sent. Stop at review-ready files.
RIf something goes wrong
Colin is not signed in, or a required surface is missing
Stop before the timed comparison. Complete sign-in or record the access/rollout issue. Do not substitute corporate data, use another person's account or interpret missing access as a product limitation.
The product cannot read an attached file
Confirm that the demo persona can open it, then attach that exact file again. If a rights or label restriction blocks it, use a fresh fictional download through an approved path or skip the scenario. Do not strip protection.
Cowork is still running
Show real progress and review an available intermediate file. Do not resend the task. Move to the other scenario or show an honestly labelled previous run if you have one.
A generated number is wrong
Use P05 or P08 once, identify the source mismatch and record the correction. Do not quietly edit only the displayed result while the workbook, brief and slides disagree.
A chart or workbook is a static image
Ask for native editable workbook objects and formula-linked figures. A screenshot is not a pass for the editable-workbook requirement. Log the repair prompt.
Soft pause or Resume is not visible
Record the actual surface and availability. Show the task's status and reopening path instead. A natural-language request to stop at a checkpoint is not evidence that the soft-pause control was used.
A send, post, schedule or shared-system approval appears
Cancel that action. Restate file outputs only, sources unchanged. Do not use Approve All or a don't-ask-again option.
Nothing finishes during the audience slot
Explain the inputs and acceptance criteria, then open a dated completed run only if one genuinely exists. Otherwise finish with the task still pending; do not invent outputs.
✓Truth ledger
- Public documentation checked on 23 September 2026. The new scenarios have not yet been rehearsed in the demo account.
- Excel supports editable native formulas, tables and charts, plus Chat only, Plan and Allow editing modes on supported desktop and web surfaces.
- Licensed Copilot's Word, Excel and PowerPoint agents create files. Analyst supports analysis across multiple supplied files.
- Copilot supports scheduled prompts. The newer Learn guidance documents the move to Connected Experiences in August 2026.
- Cowork documents progress, input/output panels, soft and hard pause, Resume and task-history reopening.
- Cowork documents output previews and Download All as ZIP, up to 50 files and 500 MB.
- Cowork access is governed by a spending policy selecting Cowork, with usage-based billing.
- Local Edge browser tasks are device-dependent and pause on interruption; this runsheet uses cloud file tasks instead.
- All inputs and named people in the downloadable pack are fictional. Control answers are calculated from those inputs, not model-output claims.
Public sources
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/copilot/get-started-with-copilot-in-excel
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/365-copilot-app/get-started-with-word-excel-and-powerpoint-agents-in-microsoft-365-copilot
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/get-started-with-analyst-in-microsoft-365-copilot
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/schedule-your-most-used-copilot-prompts
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/scheduled-prompts
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/use-cowork
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-faq
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-admin-governance
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-local-browser
Last verified 2026-09-23 · re-check by 2026-10-23 · Sush