AI at Work

Practice files

Four files for the hands-on part. Download one, follow the steps, then try the prompt.

All people and figures are invented for practice. The files are about Bibliotheek Westland, but every person, email, figure and decision in them is made up.

Trainer tip

Before the session, forward practice file 1 to the participants as a real email. Then they can practise Summarise and Reply in their own Outlook.

Practice 1 Outlook

Answer a request from the municipality

Practice file 1: the email thread "Input for 2026 subsidy report + questions about Maasdijk"

  1. Open the email thread and click Summarise at the top.
  2. Click Reply, open Copilot, and type the prompt below.
  3. Ask for one change, such as "make it shorter" or "make it more formal".
  4. Check the figures, dates and times. Don't send it!

Prompt to try

Write a reply to Sandra Koppenol at Gemeente Westland. Use what Marieke and Jeroen agreed in this thread: when we send which figures, how we explain Maasdijk, and the meeting time. Formal but friendly, under 200 words, no promises about Maasdijk.

Check: Does it promise figures we don't have yet? Does it present anything about Maasdijk as decided? Is the meeting time right?

Download practice file 1 1_Email_thread_municipality_request.docx · Word document · 37 KB

Practice 2 Word

Turn the MT meeting into actions

Practice file 2: transcript of the management team (MT) meeting

  1. Open the file and click Copilot on the Home tab.
  2. Type the prompt below in the Copilot pane.
  3. Then ask: "Write a short staff update about the decisions."

Prompt to try

Summarise this MT meeting for the director, who missed it. Give me: the decisions made, a table of actions with who and by when, and the open questions for 1 December. Keep it to one page.

Check: Did Copilot find every action and deadline? Would you send the staff update as it is, or does it share things the MT isn't ready to share?

Download practice file 2 2_MT_meeting_transcript.docx · Word document · 37 KB

Practice 3 Excel

Ask questions about the branch figures

Practice file 3: Westland figures 2026 (sheets: Branch figures, Budget 2026, Staff)

  1. Save the file to OneDrive and make sure AutoSave is on.
  2. Click Copilot on the Home tab and ask these questions one by one:
    • Which of our eight branches had the most visitors, and which the fewest?
    • Show visitors per month for each branch as a line chart.
    • Which branch is growing and which is shrinking? Explain in three plain sentences for the Supervisory Board.
  3. Extra: "Which budget lines have spent more than 80% so far?" (Budget 2026 sheet) and "Which teams have vacancies, and where is sickness absence above 5%?" (Staff sheet)

Check: Look at the table yourself to confirm one of Copilot's numbers.

Download practice file 3 3_Westland_figures_2026.xlsx · Excel workbook · 12 KB

Practice 4 Word or Copilot Chat

From rough notes to a project proposal

Practice file 4: rough notes for "Digitaal Westland", help with the digital government in every village

  1. Open the file and Copilot, and type the prompt below.
  2. Then ask for a short press release for the local newspaper.
  3. Then ask for a LinkedIn post for our partners.
  4. Extra: "Shorten the proposal to half a page for the Supervisory Board" or "Add a short section on risks."

Prompt to try

Using these notes, write a one-page project proposal for Gemeente Westland. Include: the need in our villages, what we will do, the results so far, the budget, partners, and how we measure success. Clear headings, convincing but factual.

Check: Is the budget still €48,000, and does the breakdown add up? Did Copilot add partners or results that aren't in the notes?

Download practice file 4 4_Project_notes_Digitaal_Westland.docx · Word document · 36 KB