Microsoft Copilot for Sales introduces enhancements

Microsoft Copilot for Sales introduced several enhancements in September 2024 aimed at improving user experience across Outlook, Teams, and Copilot Studio. These updates leverage generative AI and customer data to streamline sales processes and help sellers focus more on customer interactions.

Key Features Released

1. Actionable Message Banners in Outlook

New email banners have been integrated into Outlook, allowing users to update CRM data directly from their inbox. These banners provide contextual prompts when reading emails from external customers, facilitating actions such as adding contacts or saving emails to the CRM. Each banner is tailored to the specific email, ensuring that only relevant actions are suggested. Users can interact with up to two external emails per day using this feature.

2. Improved Sign-In Experience in Teams

First-time users of Copilot for Sales can now connect to their CRM directly from the Teams Personal App, eliminating the previous requirement to sign in via Outlook first. This enhancement allows Dynamics users to be automatically signed into their environment and enables Salesforce users to access their environments directly within Teams.

3. Sample Certified Connector Plugin in Copilot Studio

To simplify the process of extending Copilot for Sales functionalities, a sample certified connector plugin is now available within Copilot Studio. This allows users to easily discover and enable certified connection actions without the need for multiple steps previously required for setup.

4. Zero-Click Sign-In for Connector Plugins

A new zero-click sign-in feature has been introduced for extensions using Microsoft Entra ID. This means that if a copilot administrator has enabled a connector plugin, users will not need to sign in again to access data and insights from non-CRM applications, thereby saving time.

These updates are part of Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to enhance productivity tools within its ecosystem, making it easier for sales professionals to manage customer relationships effectively while minimizing manual tasks. As these features roll out, they may take time to become available across all user environments.