Copilot in Word: the step-by-step guide (summarizing, rewriting, tables)

October 4th 2026October 4th 2026Flavien BessetInformation

Tutorial published on October 4, 2026. All screenshots were taken that day in Word for the web, with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, on a demonstration scoping note (fictitious company and figures).

Copilot in Word allows you to ask in French what you want to do with your document: summarize it, rewrite a section, transform a list into a table, format it, or add a written section from the existing content. Simply open the Copilot pane in a document saved on OneDrive or SharePoint, write a precise instruction, then review and validate each change.

This guide follows a concrete case study: the scoping document of a fictitious company, Atelier Horizon, which is preparing its transition to hybrid work (240 employees across three sites, an internal survey, three quantified scenarios). Each result obtained with Copilot was reviewed and its figures compared to the original text.

What you need to use Copilot in Word

A Microsoft 365 Copilot license assigned to your professional account. This is what allows Copilot to directly modify the document, as in this guide.
A document saved in the cloud, on OneDrive or SharePoint, with automatic saving enabled. Copilot is working on the online version of the file.
A structured document : clear and numbered section titles help Copilot understand which part you are talking about (“section 2”, “section 4”).

Open Copilot in Word

In Word for the web, the Copilot icon appears in the bottom right corner of the document. Clicking it opens the Copilot pane on the right, with the title "Let's edit your document" and an input field "Describe what you want to change".

Copilot pane open in Word for the web with the Describe what you want to edit area — The Copilot panel is open on the right side of the document, and its input area is circled in red.

Two things to look out for before you start:

The selector above the input area ("Allow modification", then "Edit"): it indicates that Copilot can act directly in the document, and not just respond to you in the pane.
The "Summary" banner At the top of the document: Word automatically displays it to provide the essential information in one sentence. It's useful for a first glance, but it doesn't replace a summary requested with specific instructions.

Step 1: Summarize the document in a few points

Before revising a grade, we often start by checking what it actually says. The instructions should also specify the expected number of points.

Summarize this document in 5 key points

5-point summary of a scoping note generated by Copilot in Word — The 5-point summary displayed in the Copilot panel.

Copilot presents the current situation (240 employees, informal remote work since 2024), employee expectations (71% want two days per week), identified problems, three scenarios (from €9,000 to €22,000), and anticipated decisions. The figures are accurate. However, there is one caveat: Copilot states that scenario B "prioritizes a balance between flexibility and cohesion," a phrase not found in the report. This is a plausible interpretation, but it is one nonetheless: it should be noted before sharing the summary.

Step 2: Rewrite a section as a list

The "Observations" section of the report is a dense paragraph. Copilot is asked to make it readable:

Rewrite section 2. Observation as a bulleted list, one bullet point per problem, in short sentences

Copilot rewrites a section of a Word document as a bulleted list, with Done and Cancel buttons. — Section 2 rewritten in four bullet points, and the Done and Cancel buttons circled in red.

Copilot replaces the paragraph with four bullet points (rules vary depending on the team, rooms are full on Tuesdays and Thursdays, newcomers are difficult to integrate, booking tools are used unevenly) and specifies in the sidebar that the other sections remain unchanged. The modified text is highlighted in the document: the "Done" and "Cancel" buttons, at the bottom left, allow you to confirm or revert to the original version.

Step 3: Transform a list into an array

Section 4 describes three scenarios in a list. To compare them at a glance, nothing beats a table:

Transform the list of three scenarios from section 4 into a table with the columns Scenario, Teleworking, Cost, Advantage, Risk

Copilot transforms a list of scenarios into a five-column table in Word — The table created by Copilot, with the change review bar at the bottom.

Copilot builds the dashboard while preserving all the original information. When a request results in multiple changes, a "Review" bar allows you to go through them one by one before accepting them.

The raw table remains difficult to read. A second instruction addresses the formatting issue:

Format this table: bold header row, white text on a dark blue background, thin gray borders, and alternating light gray lines

Copilot formats a Word table with a dark blue header, grey borders, and alternating lines. — Copilot applies the requested formatting and details it in the panel.

Comparative table of the three hybrid work scenarios formatted by Copilot in Word — The final table: three scenarios compared in five columns.

The result can be read in a few seconds: scenario A (two days of your choice, €18,000), scenario B (two days, one of which is common to each team, €22,000) and scenario C (one fixed day for the whole company, €9,000), each with its own advantage and risk.

Step 4: Write a new section based on the document

The final, and most delicate, use: to have Copilot write a text that doesn't yet exist, based on the content of the note. The instructions must specify the length and prohibit invention.

Add a four-sentence section 7 at the end, recommending scenario B, based solely on the rating figures.

Recommendation section drafted by Copilot in Word based on the rating figures — Section 7 added by Copilot at the end of the note.

Copilot drafted a reasoned paragraph: scenario B meets the wishes of 71% of the 198 respondents, costs €4,000 more than scenario A and €13,000 more than scenario C. We recalculated: they are correct. Two adjustments were necessary, however. The added title did not have the same style as the other sections (corrected with the Format Painter tool), and the inserted text was marked in English, which caused correctly worded words to be underlined (corrected by selecting French (France) as the proofing language, by clicking on the language in the status bar).

10 Copilot prompts for Word to copy

Cite as precisely as possible the relevant part of the document: section number or title, paragraph, table.

Summarize this document in 5 points for a management committee.
Rewrite the introduction in a more direct tone, in less than 80 words.
Transform section 3 into a bulleted list, one idea per bullet point.
Correct the spelling and grammar of the entire document without changing the meaning.
Shorten this document by 30% while retaining all the figures.
Add a summary to the beginning of the document.
Create a table that compares the options described in section 4.
Standardizes the formatting of all section titles.
Add at the end a list of actions to be taken, with a person responsible and a deadline to be completed.
List the claims in this document that are not supported by any figures, without changing anything.

Limitations and pitfalls to be aware of

Review each change before submitting. In our test, all the figures were correct, but the summary contained an interpretation absent from the text. Copilot rephrases, and a rephrasing can shift the meaning.
Use the Cancel button. Until you click "Done," the change can be undone. Your OneDrive version history will also remain available.
Check the formatting and language of the added text. An inserted heading may not match the style of the others, and a paragraph may be formatted in a different language. Two clicks are all it takes to correct it, provided you see it.
One request at a time. Separate instructions (create the table, then format it) give results that are easier to control than one long instruction that mixes everything up.
Consider confidentiality. Copilot operates within your Microsoft 365 environment and respects your access rights, but it does utilize the entire document content. Remove any unnecessary sensitive information before analyzing or sharing the document.

Frequently Asked Questions about Copilot in Word

Do I need a license to use Copilot in Word?
Yes. To have Copilot directly modify the document as shown in this guide (rewriting, tables, new sections), you need a Microsoft 365 Copilot enterprise license. Your IT department can confirm the offer assigned to your account.

Can Copilot in Word modify my document without my consent?
No. Each change appears with Done and Cancel buttons: as long as you haven't confirmed it, you can revert to the previous version. The version history in OneDrive or SharePoint remains an additional safety net.

Can Copilot summarize a long Word document?
Yes, that's one of its most useful features. Specify the number of points and the target audience, then reread the summary: Copilot can add an interpretation that isn't in the text.

Does Copilot in Word work in French?
Yes. Instructions can be written in French, and Copilot will respond in French. Just make sure that the proofing language for the added text is set to French; otherwise, Word might underline perfectly correct words.