What Is Prompting?

Prompting is the way you give instructions to an AI system to generate a useful response.

Think of it this way:
AI is incredibly capable — but it still needs direction.

A vague request produces a vague result.
A structured prompt produces a strategic outcome.

What Makes a Good AI Prompt?

A good prompt includes:

Action – What do you want it to do?
Role – Who should it act as?
Clear outcome – What result are you expecting?
Constraints – Format, tone, length, audience?

Without structure, AI becomes a novelty.
With structure, it becomes a productivity engine.

A Simple Formula for Better Prompts

If your team is unsure where to start, use this framework:

Action + Context + Task + Format

Example:

“Act as a CFO of a mid-sized manufacturing company. Review this financial summary and identify three cost-saving opportunities. Present your response in bullet points.”

Notice what’s happening here:

A clear role
A defined task
Specific expectations
A structured output format

This dramatically improves response quality — and reduces editing time.

Where Do I Even Start?

One of the biggest challenges with AI tools is hesitation.

Teams often ask:
“Where do I even start?”

That’s where Microsoft’s Copilot Prompt Gallery comes in.

What Is the Microsoft Copilot Prompt Gallery?

The Copilot Prompt Gallery is a collection of Microsoft-created prompts, videos, and articles designed to help users get the most out of Microsoft Copilot.

It’s available within: