After months of anticipation, we finally got Microsoft 365 Copilot deployed across a client’s organisation. Two hundred users. Thirty days of data. Here’s what actually happened.

The Setup

This was a professional services firm in Melbourne. Knowledge workers, heavy Microsoft 365 users, decent data hygiene. In other words, a best-case scenario for Copilot adoption.

We rolled out to three groups: finance (40 users), client services (120 users), and executive team (40 users). Each group received tailored training and dedicated support for the first two weeks.

What Actually Worked

Let’s start with the wins, because there were genuine ones.

Meeting summaries in Teams: This was the killer feature. Users could drop into calls late and catch up instantly. The action item extraction was surprisingly good. I’d estimate 70% accuracy on capturing key decisions, which is better than most humans taking notes.

Email drafting: For routine correspondence, Copilot saved real time. One client services manager told me she’d reduced her email writing time by about 40% for standard responses. The catch: you still need to review everything carefully.

Excel formula help: Junior analysts particularly loved this. Instead of Googling “XLOOKUP syntax” for the hundredth time, they could just describe what they wanted. Productivity gains here were measurable.

What Didn’t Work (Yet)

PowerPoint generation: I had high hopes here. The reality? Copilot creates technically correct but incredibly bland slides. Every deck looked like it came from the same template. Creative work still needs humans.

Complex document analysis: We tested Copilot with lengthy contracts and policy documents. Results were inconsistent. Sometimes brilliant summaries, sometimes complete misses on critical clauses. Not reliable enough for anything consequential.

Search across SharePoint: This was supposed to be transformative. In practice, the results were only as good as the organisation’s information architecture. Which, like most companies, was a mess accumulated over fifteen years. For better enterprise search, AI consultants Sydney at Team400 that focus on knowledge management may be worth considering alongside Copilot.

The Numbers

Here’s the data after 30 days:

• Daily active usage: 67% of licensed users
• Most-used feature: Teams meeting summaries (89% of active users)
• Self-reported time savings: 4.2 hours per week (average)
• Support tickets raised: 47 (mostly configuration issues)
• Users requesting removal: 3

That 4.2 hours is self-reported, so take it with appropriate scepticism. Actual measured productivity is harder to isolate. My conservative estimate: probably 2-3 hours of genuine time savings per user per week.

The Cost Reality

At $30 USD per user per month, this client is spending about $72,000 annually on Copilot licenses alone. Add training, support, and the change management overhead, and you’re looking at closer to $120,000 all-in for year one.

Is that worth it? At 2 hours saved per week across 200 users, you’re looking at 400 hours weekly, or roughly 20,000 hours annually. Even at a conservative $50 per hour, that’s a million dollars in time saved.

The ROI looks good on paper. The question is whether those “saved” hours translate to actual productivity or just get absorbed into other tasks.

Surprises (Good and Bad)

Good surprise: Adoption among 50+ workers was higher than expected. Several senior partners became power users, which helped drive acceptance across the firm.

Bad surprise: Some users started trusting Copilot outputs without verification. We had one near-miss where an AI-drafted email almost went out with incorrect client details. New verification protocols are now mandatory.

Interesting observation: The users who benefited most were already highly organised. Copilot amplified their existing productivity rather than fixing poor work habits.

Recommendations for Others

If you’re considering Copilot deployment:

1. Fix your data first. Copilot can only work with what’s in your Microsoft 365 environment. Garbage in, garbage out still applies.

2. Start with a pilot. Don’t license everyone at once. Find your early adopters and let them become internal champions.

3. Invest in training. The difference between trained and untrained users is stark. Those who understand prompting get dramatically better results.

4. Set realistic expectations. This isn’t magic. It’s a productivity tool. Frame it that way.

5. Plan for the security conversation. Your IT team will have concerns about data exposure. Address these before rollout, not after.

The Verdict

Microsoft 365 Copilot is genuinely useful, but it’s not the productivity revolution some vendors suggest. It’s more like having a decent junior assistant who’s very fast but needs constant supervision.

For organisations with good data practices and realistic expectations, it’s probably worth the investment. For others, fixing your underlying information management should come first.

Would I recommend it? Yes, with caveats. Just don’t expect it to transform your business overnight. That’s not how technology adoption actually works.