Microsoft Copilot is everywhere right now – and for good reason. It’s transforming the way we draft, summarise, search and collaborate across Microsoft 365. But as powerful as Copilot is, there’s a big question every organisation needs to ask:
Are you absolutely, 100% sure Copilot won’t surface the wrong thing?
In this post, we’ll explore what Copilot can and can’t access, why security isn’t as simple as “set and forget,” and why this AI assistant might be the best mirror your organisation has ever had. Then, we’ll look at why you should still be excited about Copilot – because the features rolling out right now are nothing short of incredible. Finally, you’ll get five practical steps to make sure your Copilot experience is safe, smart and game-changing.
Copilot and Security: The Reality Check
Let’s start with the truth that too many people get wrong:
Copilot does NOT override permissions
If a user doesn’t have access to a document or folder, Copilot won’t magically unlock it. It doesn’t bypass your security model. It works within the permissions framework you already have in SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams. Sounds safe enough, right? Here’s the twist:
If someone does have access – even accidentally – Copilot can and will use that content
Think about those old sharing links that were sent out years ago and never expired. Or that SharePoint library someone set to “Everyone in the organisation” because it was easier at the time. Or those drafts sitting in the same folder as your final documents, marked “current” even though they’re not.
Copilot doesn’t discriminate. It will crawl, summarise and surface whatever a user technically has access to – even if that access was never intended.
Here’s what that could look like:
- A junior staff member asks Copilot for the “company policy on performance reviews,” and gets a draft version you didn’t mean to share.
- A new starter asks for “best practices for client proposals,” and Copilot serves up a mix of polished templates and half-baked notes from years ago.
- Someone pulls an outdated pricing sheet because Copilot thought it was “current.”
Copilot isn’t breaking your security – it’s reflecting it
It’s holding up a mirror to your environment, showing just how clean (or messy) your permissions, metadata and content governance really are.
Why You Should Still Be Excited About Copilot
Before you slam the brakes and get nervous, here’s the other side of the story: Copilot is extraordinary when your environment is set up well.
This isn’t just hype – Copilot is already delivering real-world magic.
- Draft emails straight from meeting notes. Finished a strategy session? Ask Copilot to “draft an email summarising key decisions from today’s meeting using my OneNote notes and the Q3 slides.” In seconds, you’ve got a ready-to-send draft.
- Turn messy brainstorms into clean tasks. Dump your unstructured ideas into a doc, and Copilot will transform them into clear action items, ready for Planner or To Do.
- Summarise 50-page reports in seconds. Instead of hours slogging through dense documents, ask Copilot for five bullet points – or even a rewrite in plain English.
- Search SharePoint intelligently. Forget folder diving. Ask Copilot, “Find all Q2 reports with expenses over $20,000 for marketing,” and it understands the context, not just the keywords.
- Help new starters onboard instantly. New hires can ask Copilot for policies, processes, and answers instead of drowning in links.
- Rewrite clunky documents for clarity. Those 10-page IT policies nobody reads? Copilot can turn them into something people will actually read.
And then there are the next-level features rolling out now:
- Copilot Notebooks: A focused AI workspace that only draws from selected files – perfect for projects and security-conscious tasks.
- Audio overviews and podcast-style summaries: Copilot can now turn documents and meeting transcripts into audio you can listen to on your commute.
You can read more about Copilot Notebooks in my previous blog post.
When your SharePoint and Microsoft 365 setup is clean, these features don’t just save time – they change the way you work.
Five Steps to Make Copilot Secure and Smart
If you want the magic without the mayhem, here are five steps you can start this week:
1. Audit permissions – like your AI depends on it.
Identify who has access to what. Kill old sharing links. Review guest access. If it’s messy, Copilot will show you.
2. Separate drafts from final documents.
Drafts and sensitive work-in-progress files belong in restricted spaces. Only move them into shared libraries when they’re approved.
3. Use metadata – it’s Copilot’s secret weapon.
Tag your files: Draft, Approved, Archived, Confidential. Copilot will use those tags to understand what’s current and relevant.
4. Rein in “everyone in the org” access.
If your SharePoint is wide open, ask why. Tighten permissions wherever you can.
5. Educate your team.
Help users understand that one casual “anyone with the link” share could mean Copilot surfaces something unintended. Make responsible sharing part of your culture.
The Bottom Line: Copilot Isn’t the Risk – Your Environment Might Be
Copilot won’t break your security model. What it will do is shine a bright light on every dusty corner of your SharePoint.
If your permissions are clean, metadata is in place, and your content is current? Copilot will be the most powerful assistant you’ve ever had.
If your environment is cluttered and full of old, over-shared documents? Copilot might surface things you’d rather keep buried.
The takeaway is simple: get your SharePoint house in order – now.
Fix the Mess™: Complete Copilot Readiness System
Copilot can’t perform magic on disorganized content. The Fix the Mess™ system gives you everything you need to prepare SharePoint for AI success — combining the Preparing Your SharePoint for Microsoft Copilot course and the AI Readiness Toolkit into one complete solution to clean up, structure, and future-proof your workspace.
Part of the Fix the Mess™ trademark series by Simply SharePoint.
