☕ Tech Tips & Tales from The MS Office Maestro

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

☕ A quick note from me

Hello Reader

This week has been one of those weeks where several pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked into place.

I've been putting the finishing touches to my new Excel with Copilot workshop and completed a full rehearsal run-through over the weekend. It's always interesting to see what happens when you deliver a session from start to finish. What looks perfect on paper often needs a little tweaking in practice.

The biggest surprise? The webinar naturally evolved from a one-hour session into a 90-minute workshop. Instead of rushing through key concepts, I've added more practical demonstrations and real-world examples to help people understand not only what Copilot can do in Excel but also where good spreadsheet skills still matter.

Alongside that, I've been doing a lot of thinking about AI and the role it will play in our working lives. The more I use tools like Copilot, the more I realise that the real value doesn't come from asking AI to do the work for us. It comes from using it as a thinking partner to help us analyse information, challenge assumptions and make better decisions.

That thinking sits right at the heart of my newly refreshed programme, Microsoft 365 with Copilot: The Human Advantage.

As always, I'd love to hear how you're getting on with Microsoft 365 and Copilot. Simply hit reply and let me know what's working well, what you're experimenting with, or where you're getting stuck.

Enjoy this week's tips.

✨ This week's Copilot Moment

Five talking points for a stakeholder update

You know when you’ve got a catch‑up coming up and you want to sound prepared but not over‑rehearsed? You don’t need a script, just a clear set of talking points you can rely on.

This is a quick way to turn recent activity into a short, confident update you can deliver comfortably.

Try this in Copilot:

Role: Acting as my briefing assistant

Goal: Create 5 talking points for stakeholder/topic update

Context: Use recent emails and files related to this work

Steps: Cover goals, current status, risks, decisions needed and the next milestone

Expectations: 5 bullets only: no extra commentary

Why this helps at work

You stay focused, surface issues early and make the conversation more productive, without overloading the detail.

Quick win: Run this before your next catch-up and keep the bullets open while you're talking

📌 A tiny Microsoft tip

Copy link to paragraph in OneNote

If you've ever sent someone a long OneNote page and then had to explain where they should look, this small feature can help.

You can link directly to a specific paragraph instead of the whole page.

Where to find it:

In OneNote, right-click on the paragraph you want to share and choose Copy link to paragraph.

Why this helps

It sends people to the exact line you're referring to, which saves time and avoids confusion.

Try this today: Copy a link to one action item in a shared notebook and send that instead of the full page.

🎙 Behind the scenes

When AI becomes more than just a tool

One of the most interesting things I've been exploring recently is how AI changes the way we think about work.

Most of us begin by using Copilot to save time. We ask it to summarise a document, draft an email, explain a spreadsheet formula or pull together a meeting summary.

Those are useful wins, but they're only the beginning.

Over the last few weeks, while planning new courses, reviewing webinar content and reorganising my growing library of training materials, I've found myself using AI very differently.

Instead of asking it to create content, I'm increasingly using it to challenge my thinking.

I might ask:

• What am I missing?
• What's the simplest way to explain this concept?
• How could an Executive Assistant apply this in the real world?
• Is there a better way to structure this course?
• What questions should I be asking?

The result isn't that AI replaces expertise. It's that it helps us think more clearly and work more deliberately.

The organisations that benefit most from AI won't be the ones that simply automate tasks. They'll be the ones who combine strong human judgement with the ability to work effectively alongside AI.

That's what I call building your Human Advantage.

What's Coming Up

📊 Special Subscriber Offer: Excel with Copilot

I'm delighted to announce that my first standalone Excel with Copilot workshop takes place on 18 August.

If you've ever looked at a spreadsheet and wondered:

• Where do I start?
• Can Copilot help me analyse this data?
• What story is this spreadsheet actually telling me?
• What should I be asking about these numbers?

Then this session is for you.

We'll work through practical, real-world examples and explore exactly where Copilot can support analysis, reporting and decision-making, while also understanding the Excel skills that remain essential.

🎁 Exclusive subscriber discount

As a thank you for being part of the Tech Tips & Tales community, newsletter subscribers can save £30 on the standard workshop price.

Standard Price: £97

Your Price: £67

Coupon Code: NEWSLETTER30

Workshop Date: 18 August
​Format: Live online workshop
​Duration: 90 minutes

Whether you're reasonably confident with Excel or still finding your feet, you'll leave with practical techniques you can start using immediately.

🎓 Microsoft 365 with Copilot: The Human Advantage

I'm excited to be launching Cohort 5 of my flagship programme this September.

The course has been refreshed with a new name and a new format designed to fit more easily into busy schedules.

Course dates:

• 8 September
• 15 September
• 22 September
• 29 September

New format: Four live sessions of 90 minutes each.

We'll explore how Microsoft 365 and Copilot work together in the real world, helping you build confidence, improve productivity and develop practical skills you can use immediately.

Early Bird pricing is available until 25 August.

📊 Excel with Copilot

Excel is now becoming its own standalone module.

The first Excel with Copilot session takes place on 18 August and is designed to help you build confidence with Excel while understanding where Copilot can genuinely support your work.

Format: One focused 90-minute live workshop. Price £127 as a stand-alone module, or £77 if purchased alongside the Microsoft 365 with Copilot -The Human Advantage course.

Ready to Build Your Human Advantage?

If you've ever wondered how to make better use of Microsoft 365, where Copilot fits into your workflows, or how to prepare yourself and your organisation for an AI-enabled future, then Microsoft 365 with Copilot: The Human Advantage was created for you.

We'll focus on practical, real-world workflows, not tech jargon or unrealistic promises.

You'll leave with a clearer understanding of how to use Microsoft 365 effectively, where Copilot can add value, and why good information practices remain one of the most important workplace skills of all.

🕒 Early Bird pricing ends on 25 August.

👉 Microsoft 365 with Copilot - The Human Advantage ​

I'd love to welcome you to the next cohort.

Until next time,

✍️ Shelley Fishel

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