☕ Tech Tips & Tales from The MS Office Maestro

Your weekly guided mini lesson on Microsoft, Copilot & smart working

☕ A quick note from me

This is my first full week back in the office after four weeks away… and I won’t lie, the jet lag has been horrid.

With a seven-hour time difference, I always say it takes about a week at one hour a day to feel human again. I’m nearly there but it's definitely been a slow return to full speed!

That said, it’s been a productive week behind the scenes here at Maestro HQ.

☕ A quick update from Maestro HQ

There’s a lot of planning happening at the moment.

I’m getting everything ready for the Excel with Copilot Webinar in August, which I’m really looking forward to. It’s shaping up to be a very practical session, exactly the kind of real-world use that makes a difference.

I’ve also just booked a new client to deliver Microsoft 365 with Copilot – The Human Advantage in-house over four weeks in September.

And the good news is…you can join me too.

✅ Enrolment is now open for the next public cohort running in September.

​Microsoft 365 with Copilot - The Human Advantage​

A gentle nudge: if you’ve been thinking about building your confidence with Copilot in your day-to-day work, this is a great time to get involved. The Early Bird price expires on August 25th.

✨ This week's Copilot Moment

Tone‑tune a sensitive email

You know when you need to send a message that’s important… but you’re very aware that tone really matters?

The content is fine but you don’t want it to sound abrupt, defensive, or more direct than you intend.

This is a perfect moment to use Copilot as a tone coach, not a writer.

Try this in Copilot (GCSE Prompt):

Role: Acting as my tone coach
​Goal: Rewrite this draft to sound calm, clear and forward-looking
​Context: Keep my voice, avoid blame, include one constructive next step
​Steps: Rewrite the message with warmth and clarity
​Expectations: Final version only, no more than 120 words

Why this helps at work:

It protects relationships, reduces the risk of escalation and helps move things forward more quickly.

👉 Try this: tone-tune one tricky reply before you hit send.

📌 A tiny Microsoft tip

Delay Delivery in Outlook

If you’re working early, late, or across time zones, Delay Delivery lets you write an email now but send it at a more appropriate time.

It’s a small feature but it makes a big difference to how your communication is received.

Where to find it:

In Outlook, open a new message, go to Options → Delay Delivery, then set your date and time before clicking Send.

Why this helps:

Clear steps in one short paragraph.

Why it helps:

You keep your momentum without sending emails at awkward hours and it helps maintain healthy boundaries with colleagues.

Try this today:

Schedule one non‑urgent email to send tomorrow at 9:00am.

💛 Before I go...

If Excel is part of your world and you’re curious about how Copilot can actually support you in real tasks:

✅ Enrolment is open for the Excel with Copilot Webinar in August

​Excel with Copilot ​

“As always, thank you for reading, here’s to calmer inboxes, clearer prompts and small wins you can feel.”

✍️ Shelley Fishel

The MS Office Maestro​
Expert-led, human-centered Microsoft 365 training