For managers and team leaders
Managers sit between user need and admin enablement. This page helps you translate a real work requirement into a confident, proportionate request for licences, features or access.
Last reviewed 2026-09-05
A practical allocation mindset
| Need | Likely starting point |
|---|---|
| General drafting, summarising and public research | Copilot Chat |
| Frequent work across email, meetings and Office apps | Consider Microsoft 365 Copilot |
| Specialist reusable assistance | Agent |
| Defined multi-step jobs that save meaningful time | Consider Cowork with spend controls |
| Predictable repetitive process | Power Automate |
| Governed organisational agent with actions/channels | Copilot Studio |
Questions managers should ask before approval
Will this touch sensitive AO information? Could the same outcome be achieved with existing access? Does usage incur additional cost? Does the user need permanent access? Who owns the resulting agent, flow or workspace? What happens if the user leaves or the project closes?
Measure value, not enthusiasm
For pilots, record the task, time saved, quality improvement, review burden, cost and any risks or failures. Use that evidence to decide whether to expand, change or retire the capability.
Useful manager guidance
Sources
- Microsoft 365 Copilot documentation — checked 2026-09-05
- Microsoft 365 Copilot enterprise pricing — checked 2026-09-05
- Power Automate UK pricing — checked 2026-09-05
- Microsoft Agent 365 UK pricing — checked 2026-09-05