Use Outlook Copilot to Draft Benefits Emails Faster

What This Does

Outlook Copilot can draft emails for you based on a brief description. For benefits administrators who spend 40%+ of their day on email — answering employee questions, following up with carriers, notifying employees of plan changes — Copilot turns a 10-minute email into a 2-minute review-and-send.

Before You Start

• You have Microsoft Outlook (Microsoft 365 subscription)
• Copilot is enabled in your Microsoft 365 account
• Time needed: 10 minutes to learn; 2 minutes per email after that
• Cost: Included with Microsoft 365 (requires Copilot add-on for Business plans — $30/user/month — or included in Microsoft 365 Personal/Family)

Steps

1. Find the AI feature

Open Outlook and click New Email to start a new message. In the compose window, look for the Copilot button in the toolbar — it's usually in the top ribbon of the compose window, showing a small sparkle or the Copilot icon. Click it and select Draft with Copilot.

What you should see: A text box appears within the compose window with a prompt: "What do you want this email to say?" A tone selector (Formal, Casual, etc.) may also appear.

Troubleshooting: If you don't see the Copilot button in the compose window, check that your Microsoft 365 account has Copilot enabled — your IT administrator may need to turn it on at the tenant level.

2. Describe the email you need

Type a brief description of what the email should say. Be specific about the context:

For an employee inquiry response: "Write a professional response explaining that [employee name]'s open enrollment election for the PPO plan has been confirmed. Coverage starts January 1. They'll see the correct deduction on their next paycheck after January 1."

For a carrier follow-up: "Write a follow-up email to our Aetna account manager requesting a status update on case number [case #] opened 2 weeks ago for employee [name] eligibility correction."

3. Select tone and adjust length

After the draft appears, use the tone selector to set the appropriate register — "Formal" for carrier and vendor communication, "Informative" for employee-facing messages. You can also ask Copilot to "make this shorter" or "add more detail about the enrollment deadline."

What you should see: A complete draft email in the compose window, ready to edit. The draft will be more polished than most people write in a hurry — proper opening, clear body, professional closing.

4. Review and send

Read the draft carefully. Copilot sometimes adds generic language ("please don't hesitate to reach out") — replace with your specific contact information. Add the employee's name and any plan-specific details that Copilot couldn't know. Send.

Real Example

Scenario: An employee emailed asking why their paycheck shows a different health insurance deduction than they expected after open enrollment.

What you type: "Write a professional email to [employee name] explaining that their health insurance deduction changed because they switched from the HMO to the PPO during open enrollment. The new deduction is $[amount] bi-weekly. If they believe this is an error, they should contact HR at [phone/email] by [date]."

What you get: A clear, professional explanation email that addresses the employee's concern without being defensive, with the right information and a clear next step.

Tips

• For complex regulatory or compliance emails, always review Copilot drafts carefully — the tone is good but the legal specifics need your verification
• Create a personal "template library" by saving your best Copilot prompts as drafts you can reuse seasonally (open enrollment season, ACA season, new hire cohort starts)
• Use Copilot to "make this more empathetic" for messages about denied claims or coverage terminations — it handles the tone well

Tool interfaces change — if a button has moved, look for similar AI/magic/smart options in the same menu area.