Exploring Microsoft Whiteboard's Copilot Function
Tags: githubcopilot, microsoft365, workplace
Published: 2024-04-09 06:30:00

Remember the good old days? Crowded around a whiteboard, everyone throwing out ideas as fast as they could write. Brainstorming in person is fun, but it's tough to do when you're working from home.

Microsoft Whiteboard brings that energy online. It's like a giant digital notepad where you and your team can scribble ideas, add sticky notes, and work together – all at the same time, no matter where you are.

![Brainstorm ideas for everyday things](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F235ebd0a-59e7-4be3-8425-10049af993c3_1200x600.png)

Here's the coolest part! Microsoft Whiteboard just added Copilot, your brainstorming buddy with superpowers. Think of Copilot as a magic helper for your whiteboard. It can turn your messy ideas into clear plans and even suggest new ones to keep the creativity flowing!

Ready to see Copilot's awesome tricks? Let's check out its three main features: Suggest, Categorize, and Summarize.


## Suggest: Brainstorming on Rocket Fuel

Copilot has two ways to give you new ideas: from the bottom bar or by right-clicking anywhere. Just pick "*Suggest*" and type in what you want to brainstorm about. Presto! Copilot gives you a bunch of cards with info based on your idea.

**The best part? You can fine-tune the results!** See something interesting? Get more cards on that topic. Not feeling a suggestion? Toss it out before adding it to your board. Copilot can even use your existing ideas to spark even more, like a never-ending idea machine!

![Copilot menu in Microsoft Whiteboard](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae4b5349-65cc-4fdd-8b31-ceebefc6f4f8_1200x1200.png)

Here are some ideas to get you started:
- **Think Different!**: Brainstorm new ways to use everyday things. 
- **Story Time!**: Work together on a cool story, poem, or anything you can write. 
- **Fuel Up!**: Design a healthy meal plan just for you.
- **Dream Backyard!**: Sketch out your perfect garden space.
- **Help Out!**: Plan a volunteer project to make a difference.


## Categorize: Organize the Fun!

The second feature is a game-changer. "*Categorize*" lets you group your ideas together. Imagine your brainstorm – all the ideas Copilot gave you and the ones your team came up with – neatly organized! Just pick the ideas you want to group and choose "Sort" from the right-click menu.

![Brainstorm ideas categorization by Copilot](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fadc57845-ab12-4180-8144-70d4441e567e_1200x600.png)


## Summary: Share Your Masterpiece

The last feature is perfect for finishing your brainstorm and keeping everyone in the loop. "*Summarize*" tells Copilot to make a summary of your session, including who was there, the date, and all the ideas on the board. But that's not all! Copilot also takes a picture of your whiteboard for extra clarity.

**Here's the kicker:** The summary comes as a Loop component, which means it's super easy to share and keep working on it with your team.

![Brainstorming ideas summary by Copilot](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0601b9fa-8073-468a-b77d-edb6a20a8489_1200x600.png)


## Conclusion

Just imagine your team using Whiteboard and Copilot to brainstorm new ideas. You can start with a simple question. Copilot will surprise you with a bunch of different ideas, from how to be more productive to how to revamp your intranet. "*Categorize*" will help you group similar ideas together, which show you what topics you might want to dive into. Finally, "*Summarize*" will make a clear and easy-to-read document that you could share with everyone.

The whole thing will be not only fast but also a lot of fun. Copilot's ideas will get all of you talking and thinking about things you wouldn't have on your own.


## References

- *Copilot in Whiteboard: [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot-whiteboard](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot-whiteboard)*
- *Discover new ideas in Whiteboard with Copilot for Microsoft 365: [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/discover-new-ideas-in-whiteboard-with-copilot-for-microsoft-365-798b4694-4eab-4928-b4cc-33952231c234](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/discover-new-ideas-in-whiteboard-with-copilot-for-microsoft-365-798b4694-4eab-4928-b4cc-33952231c234)*
- *Organize your ideas in Whiteboard with Copilot for Microsoft 365: [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/organize-your-ideas-in-whiteboard-with-copilot-for-microsoft-365-e537c81d-8f7e-4bbb-b97c-614a34d0849a](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/organize-your-ideas-in-whiteboard-with-copilot-for-microsoft-365-e537c81d-8f7e-4bbb-b97c-614a34d0849a)*
- *Summarize ideas in Whiteboard with Copilot for Microsoft 365: [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/summarize-ideas-in-whiteboard-with-copilot-for-microsoft-365-eb7f9b66-64f2-4050-b213-06d5da90735b](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/summarize-ideas-in-whiteboard-with-copilot-for-microsoft-365-eb7f9b66-64f2-4050-b213-06d5da90735b)*