A visible boundary for Copilot's context
📚Create a NotebookGive one project or decision its own workspace.
➕Add referencesSelect the files, Pages and material that should matter.
💬Ask within the boundaryCopilot answers from the Notebook's chosen context.
🔄Keep it currentAdd new approved sources and remove superseded ones.
Use a Notebook to control the evidence base
🗂️Project knowledge workspace
Keep the approved brief, meeting notes, decisions and supporting files for one initiative in a focused place.
🔀Compare across documents
Ask questions that depend on several reports or decks without attaching the same files again in every conversation.
📝Draft from known material
Create an update, proposal or plan that should remain grounded in the references selected for the Notebook.
Choose the right context boundary
Choose
Context it uses
Best for
Chat + attachments
A few files added for one conversation.
A small, one-off task.
Copilot Notebook
A persistent collection you select and maintain.
Repeated reasoning over a defined project or topic.
Work IQ
Broader permitted work data selected dynamically.
Questions whose answer may be scattered across your work.
Researcher
A new, deeper investigation across work and public sources.
Structured research with citations and broader discovery.
Build a Notebook that stays useful
Create one clear workspaceName the project, decision or topic the Notebook will support.
Add approved referencesUse files and Pages that should influence future answers.
Remove superseded materialDo not leave old drafts competing with the current source of truth.
Check important answersOpen the supporting reference for dates, numbers and decisions.
Example Notebook question
Using only the references in this launch Notebook, compare the current plan with the approved business case. List changes to scope, timing and expected benefit. For each change, identify the reference that contains the current position.
💡Key insightThe quality of a Notebook depends more on what you include and remove than on writing a clever prompt.
Curation is an ongoing job
✅ApprovedInclude sources that should influence the answer.
🔄CurrentPrefer live references or the latest approved versions.
🎯RelevantKeep unrelated projects out of the same boundary.
👥ShareableConfirm recipients can access the linked material.
Reference limits affect the design
5️⃣0️⃣Copilot Chat notebooks
Copilot Chat users can currently add up to 50 references, and all 50 are used for grounding. Use the limit to keep the source set intentional.
3️⃣0️⃣0️⃣Paid Copilot notebooks
Paid Microsoft Copilot users can add more than 300 references, but only up to 300 are used for grounding. A specific critical file should be added directly.
A shared location is not one reference
When you add a SharePoint site, library or folder, Copilot can consider supported files you can access in that location. It still selects a limited number of relevant files for a prompt.
📌Add critical files directly
If one document must be considered, add that file rather than assuming it will always be selected from a large folder.
🔄References can stay current
A linked file can reflect later changes, which is useful for ongoing work but means the Notebook's answer may change over time.
🧹Large does not mean complete
A very large source set can still omit the one missing decision or include obsolete material. Review the boundary as the project changes.
Sharing a Notebook also involves file access
Situation
What happens
What to check
Recipient already has access
The shared Notebook can use the linked sources for that person.
Confirm the sources are still appropriate for the group.
Recipient lacks file access
They may need access to linked files separately.
Do not assume sharing the Notebook grants every underlying permission.
Source is deleted or replaced
The available grounding can change.
Keep the reference list aligned with the approved project record.
Know the current limitations
📊No direct visual generation
Notebooks are designed for source-grounded reasoning, not for creating charts, graphs or images directly inside the workspace.
🗑️Deletion may be permanent
Microsoft currently documents permanent deletion for Notebooks while recovery features are still evolving. Treat deletion carefully.
🔐Permissions still apply
The Notebook does not bypass access controls, and its answer can still be incomplete or wrong when the selected evidence is incomplete or outdated.