Use Copilot in Outlook to catch up on a vendor email thread and draft a reply
For Learning & Development Managers ·
What This Does
A vendor thread that ran for two weeks and thirty messages is hard to rejoin. Copilot in Outlook can summarize the conversation at the top of the thread, with links back to the messages it drew from, and help you draft a reply. You catch up faster, and you still own what you send.
Before You Start
- Copilot in Outlook needs a Microsoft 365 Copilot license that your company may not have. Microsoft's pages say to check with your IT admin if you cannot get to Copilot. Check Microsoft's Copilot pages for licensing details.
- Look for Summary by Copilot (it might say Summarize) at the top of an open conversation, or a Copilot icon in the compose toolbar. If neither shows, ask IT.
- You are ready to read the original messages for anything contractual.
Steps
1. Summarize the thread
Open the conversation. Microsoft's page says to select Summary by Copilot (or Summarize) at the top of the thread. The summary appears at the top of the email and may include numbered citations that take you to the matching message. On Outlook for iOS and Android you select the Copilot icon in the toolbar instead. In new Outlook, a Summarize a file option can summarize PDF, PowerPoint or Word attachments.
2. Follow the citations
Click the citations for every point you plan to act on. Check who said it and when.
3. Draft the reply
Microsoft's drafting page describes selecting the Copilot icon in the compose toolbar and choosing Draft in new Outlook or Draft with Copilot in classic Outlook. It also describes "Help me reply" inside a message. Type your prompt and select Generate. Then adjust tone or length from the options. In new Outlook and on the web, drafting does not work with plain-text messages. If it is unavailable, check your compose format under Settings, Mail, Compose and reply. Try a prompt like:
Reply to the vendor. Thank them for the revised proposal, confirm we are still comparing options through the end of the month, ask them to send the implementation timeline in writing, and do not commit to any date or price.
4. Read the original for anything contractual
Before you send, read the original messages for dates, prices, renewal terms, notice periods and anything the vendor described as included or excluded. A summary may drop a condition. Do not rely on it for these details.
5. Edit and send
Microsoft says to edit the draft as needed and then send. Make it sound like you.
Real Example
Scenario: You return from a week off to a long thread between procurement, your LMS vendor and IT about a renewal.
What you type: Open the thread and select Summary by Copilot. Then use the drafting prompt above.
What you get: A summary of who asked what, an open question about the integration timeline, and a short polite reply. You follow the citation for the pricing message, notice the vendor's offer applied only to a multi-year term, and add a sentence asking them to confirm the term in writing.
Tips
- Ask for a reply that asks questions instead of stating positions when you are not sure of the facts.
- Keep negotiation moves out of the prompt when you have not decided them.
- Check the recipients line. Drafting does not change who is on the thread.
A Note on Your Data
Vendor threads often hold proposals, pricing and terms marked confidential or covered by an NDA. Your company's AI policy and contract terms decide whether an assistant may process them. If you are unsure, ask procurement or legal before you summarize a thread that contains contract terms.
Tool interfaces change. If a button has moved, look for similar AI, Copilot or Gemini options in the same menu area.