Porte Communities · AI Quick Start

GUIDE

Getting Started with Copilot

1. Start here

Why Copilot? It knows your work, your email, files and meetings, and it stays inside Porte's protection. Personal ChatGPT doesn't.

  1. 1.

    Sign in: Use your porte.ca work account at m365.cloud.microsoft. Look for the green shield at the top right: your data is protected and isn't used to train the AI.

  2. 2.

    Open Chat: Stay in Chat, not Cowork. Click New chat for each new task. Leave the model picker on Auto.

  3. 3.

    Set context: Use Chat when the answer is across your work. Use Copilot inside the app when it's one file, inbox or meeting.

2. Find your way around

Select a feature to see what it does, where to find it and what to try.

The features you see depend on your account and Porte's settings.

3. Build a prompt

Specific prompts produce more useful first drafts.

GOAL

What should Copilot do?

CONTEXT

Why, for whom, and when?

SOURCE

Which file, email, chat, or data?

EXPECTATIONS

Format, length, tone, constraints

Try both: quick ask vs full prompt

Attach the sample bid, run the quick ask, then the full prompt in a new chat. Compare the answers.

Quick ask

1. Quick ask

Summarize this.

Full prompt

2. Full prompt

Goal: Give me a one-page summary of this bid that I can use to brief my manager.

Context: I'm reviewing a site servicing bid for a 32-unit townhome project.

Source: Use only the attached PDF. If something isn't in the document, say "not stated."

Expectations: A short table of price, schedule, exclusions and payment terms, then the three biggest risks.

Cite the page for each point, and flag anything you're unsure about.

Then ask:

What in your answer isn't supported by my sources?

Prompt builder

Full prompt

Use only my sources, say if you don't know, and tell me where each fact came from.

Ask Copilot to coach you

Quick ask

How should I prompt you to get this right the first time next time? What did you need from me that I didn't give you?

Ground it, check it

  1. 1

    Ground it: Point Copilot at the source, and add:

    Use only my sources, say if you don't know, and tell me where each fact came from.

  2. 2

    Check it: Ask:

    What in your answer isn't supported by my sources?

    Then confirm the numbers, names and dates yourself. You own the result.

porte.ca account + green shield = protected. Rule 2 of Porte's AI Use Policy still decides what goes in. Cowork and adding agents: stop and ask first.

Feature access and labels depend on your licence, rollout and organization settings. Always review sources.