My Journey with Copilot – From curiosity to building agents

When I first encountered Microsoft Copilot, I was curious but cautious. As a Senior Financial Control Manager in Financial Services, I wasn’t sure how this AI would fit into my daily work. But I decided to explore it, not just as a tool, but as a potential catalyst for change.

Starting small: My first steps with Copilot - Day 1, 21 November 2024

I got my Copilot licence and started experimenting, summarising documents, drafting emails, and generating ideas. It got my creative juices flowing. I quickly realised prompting was key, so, I joined NHS England’s two-day Virtual Prompt-a-thon for Business Operations roles.

Having just joined NHS North East London ICB in October, I noticed issues with our Sales Order process, especially delayed payments from Local Authorities due to missing Purchase Orders (POs). I saw an opportunity for Copilot to help and took small first steps.

Step 1 Rewrite the procedures

I used Copilot in Word to simplify and update the Sales Order policy, adding PO requirements. Shared it with senior management, feedback was positive, and they didn’t realise Copilot had helped.

Step 2 Create a presentation

I then combined the updated procedures with our North East London (NEL) PowerPoint template using Copilot. A task that usually took a day was done in an hour, ready for training sessions.

Step 3 Communicating the changes

Next came drafting a staff email in Outlook using the presentation and policy in my prompt.

What would’ve taken a couple of days was done in less than half a day. Little did I know how much Copilot would change the way I work.

Shared learning: NEL Copilot Café

Inspired by this, I launched the NEL Copilot Café, a relaxed space for colleagues to explore Copilot together. These weren’t formal sessions, just open conversations and shared discoveries.

We discussed what worked, what didn’t, and how Copilot could support different roles. It was energising to see people go from sceptical to excited in just one hour a week.

Shared learning: Copilot Café for Finance

I wanted to share what I’d learnt more widely, so I ran two Copilot Café sessions for NHS England’s 30,000 users, one on Copilot for Finance, the other on Finance Assistant Agents.

Over 700 people joined each session. I showcased real use cases, rewriting procedures, creating presentations, and “vibe coding” with VBA macros. I shared step-by-step guides on building personal agents and demoed the Finance and Contracting Agents I’d built.

The feedback was incredible. I received messages from across the country from people I’d never met. When people see how others use AI in their day-to-day work, it sparks ideas and builds momentum. These sessions proved transformation isn’t just about tools, it’s about people learning together.

Building the ISFE2 Trainer Retrieval Agent on the One NHS Finance Network

On 1 October, the new ISFE2 finance system rolled out across ICBs, without a sandbox for users to practise. I knew this would be a problem, having seen the training gaps since July.

So, I built the ISFE2 Trainer Retrieval Agent a smart support tool for all 14,000 NHS users. I needed a Copilot Studio licence and a website to host it. After trying SBS, NHS England, and NEL ICB, I connected with Richard Sawyer from One NHS Finance, who offered to host it for free.

This agent is like a chatbot but smarter, its trained on 215 system process guides and documents (some of which I built myself), designed to help users quickly access relevant materials, guidance, and support.

This wasn’t just about efficiency. It was about empowering users to solve problems independently, reduce time spent searching for resources and reduce the burden on SBS with all the queries they would get.

It was a practical application of AI that is still making a difference today.

Collaborating with NHS Digital Academy: Microsoft Learning Coach

The next chapter is my work with the NHS Digital Academy to build the Microsoft Learning Coach a personalised, AI-powered learning companion for NHS staff using Microsoft 365.

It’s still evolving, but the goal is clear: to support continuous learning in a way that’s intuitive, accessible, and tailored to individuals.

Microsoft 365 is something we all use in our daily work, but like any tool, its impact depends on how well we use it.

The Microsoft Learning Coach is designed to help NHS staff get the most out of these tools whether it’s writing emails, managing tasks, or collaborating with colleagues. It’s about making everyday work easier.

Reflections and what I’ve learned

This journey has taught me a few key things:

• Start small but think big: My first Copilot experiments were simple, but they opened the door to system-wide innovation
• Create space for curiosity: The Copilot Café showed that people are eager to learn when the environment is safe and supportive
• Build with purpose: The ISFE2 agent and Microsoft Learning Coach are more than tech projects, they’re about enabling people to do their best work
• Share your story: Learning is contagious. By sharing what I’ve learned and learning of others, I’ve helped others start their own journeys

Looking ahead

There’s a lot of hype around AI and productivity. Many organisations rush to adopt tools like Copilot, expecting instant results. But it doesn’t work that way.

Although some may see me as an expert, I’m self-taught. I’ve learned by experimenting, making mistakes, and now I’m working towards Microsoft AI certifications to validate what I’ve picked up.

One thing I’ve noticed is the scale of AI illiteracy across the NHS. The tools are powerful, but without proper training, they’re underused or misused. If senior managers cut staff without first training their teams to use AI effectively, it can backfire, reducing productivity instead of boosting.

Training is the key. Giving people time to learn, experiment, and build confidence unlocks real value. AI isn’t a shortcut, it’s a skillset. And like any skill, it takes time to develop.

I’m excited about what’s next. AI is not just a tool, it’s a partner in transformation. As we continue to explore its potential, I hope to keep learning, sharing, and building alongside others.