// LEARNING
Everything to learn AI at TMI, in one place.
Fundamentals, Microsoft Copilot, prompting, a prompt library, training recordings, reference materials, and live sessions. Start anywhere — we're here to help.
Introduction to AI.
New to AI? Start here. Three core ideas to get oriented, plus the terms you'll hear most often — explained the way we'd explain them to a teammate over coffee.
The Big Three
What is AI?
Software that recognizes patterns, generates text or images, and helps with tasks that used to take a person a long time. It's not magic — it's pattern-matching trained on enormous amounts of data, here to help you, not work around you.
At TMI: The recent leap forward came from "large language models" (the brains behind Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT) that can read, write, and reason in plain language — like a very fast research assistant who never gets tired.
Learn more (Microsoft Learn)What is an Agent?
An agent is an AI helper that can DO things for you, not just answer questions. A regular chatbot tells you what to do; an agent goes and does the busywork — sends a draft email, updates a spreadsheet, runs a search — so you can focus on the parts only you can do.
At TMI: Most TMI projects in build (dispatch, forecasting, lead gen) sit in this category — they handle the repetitive steps and hand the judgment back to our team.
Learn more (Microsoft Learn)What is a Workflow?
A workflow is a sequence of steps that gets work done — receive an order, check inventory, assign a crew, bill the customer.
At TMI: AI-powered workflows automate the predictable steps and surface the right information at the right moment, so people focus on judgment, not data shuffling.
Learn more (Microsoft Learn)More Terms to Know
Hit a word you don't recognize? Bring it to a learning session and we'll explain it in TMI terms, no judgment.
Microsoft 365 Copilot, already in the apps you use.
Copilot is Microsoft's AI assistant, built into Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint. Give it an instruction; it drafts, summarizes, and analyzes alongside you — no new tool to learn.
What it is
Microsoft's AI assistant for the Microsoft 365 apps. You give it an instruction in plain English and it helps you write, summarize, and analyze — right where you already work.
Where to find it
Look for the Copilot icon inside Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint — plus the standalone Microsoft 365 Copilot app. Every TMI teammate has free access to a basic version today.
How to start
Open any app, click Copilot, and describe what you want in a sentence or two. The clearer and more specific your prompt, the better the result.
How to write a prompt that works.
Five parts. Get them right and Copilot stops guessing.
¹"Act as a TMI dispatcher." ²"Summarize this Teams meeting transcript ³from this morning’s branch ops standup ⁴in under 200 words, ⁵as three sections: decisions, action items with owners and dates, open questions."
01
Role
Tell the AI what hat to wear.
"Act as a TMI dispatcher."
02
Task
What you actually want done.
"Summarize this transcript."
03
Context
Background info the AI needs to do it well.
"from this morning’s branch ops standup"
04
Constraints
Rules, limits, what to avoid.
"in under 200 words"
05
Format
How the answer should come back.
"as three sections..."
// VAGUE
What you'd type without thinking
→ Generic summary, missing what you actually need
// STRUCTURED
What you write when you use the 5 parts
→ Specific, scannable, ready to share
Same 30 seconds typing. Different 30 minutes saved.
Four prompts you can paste into Copilot today.
Free with the M365 license you already have. No setup, no install, no IT ticket.
Summarize a long Teams meeting
Summarize this Teams meeting in three sections: 1) Decisions made, 2) Action items with owners and dates, 3) Open questions. Keep each section to bullets, no prose. Flag anything ambiguous as "unclear from the transcript."
Paste into M365 Copilot in Teams while viewing the recording, or in Word with the transcript pasted in. Works best when speakers are named.
Pull traffic-control requirements from a bid or construction document
I'm pasting a bid or construction document below. Extract every detail relevant to traffic control: lane closures, work zones, durations, locations, scope of traffic control needed, MUTCD references, special requirements, and any safety or permit notes. Format as a table with columns: Item, Requirement, Source page or section, Notes.
Paste the document text into M365 Copilot in Word. Works on PDFs converted to text. If the document is long, break it into chapters and run the prompt on each.
Summarize a long policy, training, or SOP document
Summarize this document in three layers: 1) The 5-bullet headline (what every teammate needs to know), 2) The "gotchas" (anything easy to miss or commonly missed), 3) The full procedural checklist if there's a process to follow. Flag anything you're not sure about.
Paste the document into M365 Copilot in Word. Works for HR policies, safety manuals, training transcripts, equipment SOPs.
Draft a clear customer follow-up email
Draft a follow-up email for a TMI customer. Context I'll provide below: who the customer is, what we last discussed, what I want to happen next. Goal: professional, friendly, under 100 words, ends with a clear next step or ask. Avoid jargon. Don't sign off — I'll add my name.
Paste into M365 Copilot in Outlook. Add your context (who, last conversation, desired next step) in 2–3 sentences and Copilot drafts it.
More prompts coming. Have one that should be here? Bring it to a learning session.
See it in action.
Hand-picked videos from Microsoft and trusted creators — short, practical, and directly applicable to the way TMI actually works.
How to use the Microsoft 365 Copilot app for work
A walkthrough of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app — the front door to AI in the tools you already use every day.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat Tutorial for Beginners
A beginner-friendly tour of Copilot Chat — how to start, what to ask, and the basics of getting useful answers.
Prompting basics for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Learn the fundamentals of writing prompts that get Copilot to deliver what you actually need.
Microsoft Copilot Prompts Tutorial
A step-by-step tutorial on building better Copilot prompts for everyday work tasks.
Top 8 ChatGPT Productivity Tips for Work
Eight practical ChatGPT moves that translate directly to faster, cleaner work — emails, summaries, and more.
Master the Perfect ChatGPT Prompt Formula
A simple formula for writing prompts that consistently get high-quality results — in just 8 minutes.
Guides and downloads.
Newsletters, reference sheets, and downloadable materials live in the Documents archive, organized by type and date.
Browse the Documents archiveStuck? Book 15 minutes with the Intelligence team.
Tuesdays through Thursday, 1–3pm Pacific. We'll work through your problem live or point you at the right resource.
15-minute slots
Books straight to your Outlook + Teams
Hosted by the TMI Intelligence Committee, rotating