Copilot Gets Smarter: Microsoft Lays Out How to Use Prompt & Instruction Files

Microsoft has published guidelines for two new file-types — Instruction Files and Prompt Files — designed to help developers give Copilot clear rules and context when generating code. Learn what are they, when to use them, and how to use them.

Instruction Files

• What are they?

  Instruction files often named copilot-instructions.md defines the rules, coding standards, or guidelines Copilot should follow when generating code in your repo or workspace.

• When to use?

  Perfect for team projects or open-source repos to keep Copilot’s suggestions aligned with org standards and naming conventions.

• How to use?

  Create your file from a sample or scratch. Save it in .github/ or add file-type-specific instructions in .github/instructions/. Copilot automatically applies them to every request.

Prompt Files

• What are they?

  Prompt files provide context for a specific coding session or file, steering Copilot’s output for a targeted task.

• When to use?

  Great for prototyping, custom algorithms, integrations, compliance requirements, or onboarding new team members needing explicit guidance.

• How to use?

  Draft your prompt and place it in .github/prompts/ as [promptname].prompt.md. In VS Code type /[promptName] in chat, or in Visual Studio type #[promptName] to activate.

Microsoft Unveils Private Preview: Azure Boards Now Integrated with GitHub Copilot

Microsoft has opened a private preview that connects Azure Boards with GitHub Copilot, allowing developers to move work items seamlessly into AI-assisted coding. This integration aims to accelerate planning and development while keeping project tracking in one streamlined workflow.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Tasks you can automate:

  You can do bug fixes, incremental features, test coverage improvements, documentation updates, and technical-debt cleanup.

• Step 1 – Prepare the work item:

  Write clear instructions in the work item description, then click “Create a pull request with GitHub Copilot.” Select your repository and add any extra details.

• Step 2 – Copilot gets to work:

  The Copilot coding agent generates a branch and draft pull request, automatically linking it back to the Azure Boards item.

• Step 3 – Review the results:

  Depending on complexity, Copilot completes the plan and updates the work item status once the pull request is ready for review.

• Requirements to enable:

  To use this feature, you must have GitHub-hosted repositories, enable the Azure Boards–GitHub integration, activate the Copilot agent on those repositories, and have your organization approved for the private preview. Make sure to update the Azure Boards GitHub App permissions if needed.

Dynamics 365 Contact Center Introduces Azure AI HD Voices for Better Customer Engagement

Microsoft is enhancing its Dynamics 365 Contact Center with high-definition (HD) voices powered by Azure AI Speech, paving the way for more natural and empathetic customer interactions. This update aims to help voice agents convey emotion and improve call experiences without compromising efficiency.

Here’s what you need to know:

• What are HD voices?

  HD voices use advanced, neutral text-to-speech technology to produce conversations that sound remarkably natural and human-like, helping customers feel heard and understood.

• Key benefits

  HD voices deliver lifelike speech generation with emotion detection, tonal adjustment, and a consistent voice persona—ideal for maintaining a professional yet personal experience across every call.

• Quick start

  When setting up your voice channel in the Copilot Service admin center, simply select one of the new HD voices, identified by the model type in parentheses, to begin offering richer and clearer call experiences.

• Fine-tune responses

  Use Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML) to set the temperature parameter (0–1), giving you control over how expressive or neutral the speech sounds to perfectly match your brand’s style.

Microsoft Releases Power BI September 2025 Updates

This September, Microsoft delivers major wave of updates to Power BI, with enhancements focused on AI, reporting, modeling, and visuals. These improvements are designed to help organizations uncover insights faster, simplify data analysis, and drive smarter decision-making across teams.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Copilot & AI

  Copilot is now enabled by default, giving you a full-screen, chat-based experience to explore your data, ask questions, and get insights across reports, semantic models, and Fabric data agents.

• Reporting

  Performance Analyzer is now available in the web report editor, helping you track and optimize visual load times.

• Modeling

  Edit semantic models directly in Power BI Service—bringing end-to-end authoring to the browser with near-parity to Desktop.

• Mobile

  NFC Tag Support lets you scan and register Power BI items like reports, dashboards, apps, or workspaces straight from the app.

• Visualizations

  The new Advanced Column chart makes it easier to compare values across time, categories, or quantities with clear visual lines.

You can view the full list here.

Microsoft Adds Constrained Speech Recognition to Dynamics 365 Contact Center

Microsoft introduces Constrained Speech Recognition in Dynamics 365 Contact Center, a new capability designed to improve the accuracy of customer voice interactions. This enhancement aims to help organizations better understand and respond to customer needs.

Here’s what you need to know:

• What are Grammars?

  Structured rules that define exactly what the system should recognize—perfect for regulated workflows and precise voice inputs.

• How Does It Work?

  Uses the industry-standard Speech Recognition Grammar Specification (SRGS) format, supporting logic for validation, positional constraints, and even checksum verification.

• Ideal Use Cases

  Perfect for alphanumeric inputs like confirmation codes, member IDs, VINs, tracking numbers, or short lists such as department names and product SKUs.

• Key Benefits

  Delivers high containment so only expected inputs are recognized, with greater accuracy in noisy environments and fewer errors than traditional speech recognition.

Power BI Integration with SharePoint Lists & Libraries to Be Deprecated by End-2025

Microsoft has announced plans to deprecate the Power BI integration that lets users directly visualize SharePoint lists and libraries, signaling a shift in how data insights will be accessed within SharePoint. The move will affect the “Visualize the List” and “Visualize the Library” features, prompting organizations to prepare alternative reporting approaches.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Retirement timeline

  Starting November 11, 2025, no new reports can be created with this feature. By December 11, 2025, all existing reports made with it will be unavailable.

• What to do instead

  Alternative 1: Export to Power BI from SharePoint

  • Step 1: Create a semantic model in the Power BI service directly from a SharePoint list.

  • Step 2: Use Auto-create report to quickly explore your data—similar to “Visualize the

  List/Library.”

  Alternative 2: Build in Power BI Desktop

  • For advanced modeling or data transformation, connect to the SharePoint list in Power BI Desktop and create a custom report.

Visual Studio Introduces Native Rendering for Mermaid Diagrams via Copilot

Microsoft has rolled out a new feature in Visual Studio that lets developers generate and view Mermaid diagrams right within the Markdown editor, either by writing the syntax themselves or by using Copilot to generate it automatically. The update means workflows involving flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, Gantt charts, and more can now be visualized instantly—no external tools or extensions needed.

Here’s what you need to know:

• What is Mermaid?

  A popular text-based diagramming tool that lets you create flowcharts , sequence diagrams, Gantt charts, and more using simple, markdown-like syntax.

• Why use Mermaid?

  Quickly visualize complex processes or system structures right inside your docs or code, making collaboration and comprehension faster and easier.

• Example prompts

  Try: “Create a sequence diagram for the API call flow”, “Visualize relationships between entities in this schema”, or “Show a state diagram for a task lifecycle.”

• How to display Mermaid

  Click Preview in the Markdown file and see your Mermaid diagram render instantly.

Microsoft Rolls Out Teams Phone Extensibility for Dynamics 365 Contact Center

Microsoft has made Teams Phone extensibility for Dynamics 365 Contact Center generally available, enabling organizations to unify UCaaS and CCaaS within a single, cloud-native platform. The integration simplifies telephony management by leveraging existing Teams Phone licenses and interfaces, offering broad geographic calling support and paving the way for more efficient, AI-enhanced customer service operations.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Why use this feature

  Teams Phone extensibility for Dynamics 365 Contact Center helps lower management costs, boost performance, and increase business agility.

• How to configure

  In the Copilot Service admin center, navigate to manage channels, enable voice as a channel, and take note of your Dynamics App ID.

• Acquire a phone number

  You can provision a Teams phone number in the Teams Admin Center and link it to Dynamics using PowerShell.

• Configure the phone number

  Go back to the Copilot Service admin center, assign the Teams phone number to your Dynamics voice agent, and enable escalations.

• How it works

  Service reps can now receive customer calls directly through the Teams phone number—fully integrated with Dynamics.

Microsoft unveils Visual Studio 2026 Insiders with AI at the core

The Visual Studio 2026 Insiders release is here, offering a modernized experience for developers. With AI integration, enterprise-scale performance improvements, and a lighter design, Microsoft is setting the stage for the next generation of development.

Here’s what you need to know:

• AI-Powered Development

  Your built-in coding partner delivers timely, unobtrusive assistance with actionable insights on correctness, performance, and security—right on your machine, before a pull request.

• Next-Level Performance

  From opening solutions to debugging, everything feels faster. Big solutions feel lighter, first launch is snappier, and the time between idea and running app keeps shrinking.

• Modern Look & Feel

  A refreshed visual language with cleaner layouts, sharper icons, improved extension management, and new themes to personalize your environment.

Raising the Bar: Why Customers Are More Receptive to AI-Generated Emails Than You Think

AI is changing the way businesses connect with customers, and new research shows that inboxes may be more open to automation than expected. Microsoft’s latest study explores how buyers respond to AI-powered outreach and what this means for sellers.

Microsoft recently shared research on how B2B customers perceive AI-generated outreach in Dynamics 365. Here’s what stood out:

• Consent is king
  Customers want full control of their inboxes. That means explicit opt-ins, clear unsubscribe options, confirmation messages—and ideally, data deletion when requested.

• Tone, trust, and the AI factor
  84% of customers (33 out of 45) felt comfortable with AI-driven outreach—as long as the emails were relevant, concise, and respectful.

• AI vs. Human: It’s about balance
  Customers don’t mind AI emails, but they still expect the option to escalate to a human—especially for sensitive topics like pricing, payment, or complex issues. Trust-building moments still need the human touch.

• What this means for sellers
  Humanize your AI outreach, be transparent, respect consent, and know when to hand off to a human.