Prompt Engineering Guide for Government Users

Overview

Master the art of prompt engineering with this comprehensive guide designed specifically for federal employees. Learn proven techniques for writing effective Copilot prompts that deliver useful, accurate results tailored to government work contexts.

What’s Included

Part 1: Prompt Engineering Fundamentals

• The RACE framework (Role, Action, Context, Expectation)
• Principles of specificity and clarity
• Providing context effectively
• Iterating and refining prompts
• Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Part 2: Application-Specific Techniques

Word

• Drafting memos, briefings, and reports
• Document summarization and analysis
• Editing for tone, clarity, and length
• Creating structured content (outlines, lists, tables)

Excel

• Data analysis and trend identification
• Creating charts and visualizations
• Formula generation and calculation
• Insight extraction from datasets

PowerPoint

• Slide generation from documents
• Content structuring and organization
• Design suggestions and formatting
• Speaker notes and talking points

Outlook

• Email drafting and response generation
• Meeting scheduling and calendar management
• Email summarization and triage
• Professional communication templates

Teams

• Meeting summarization and note-taking
• Action item extraction
• Chat assistance and Q&A
• Catching up on missed discussions

Part 3: Prompt Library

100+ Ready-to-Use Prompts organized by:

• Task type (drafting, summarizing, analyzing, etc.)
• Application (Word, Excel, Teams, etc.)
• Role (executive, analyst, administrator, etc.)
• Complexity level (beginner, intermediate, advanced)

Each prompt includes:

• The prompt template
• Explanation of when to use it
• Expected output format
• Customization tips
• Example results

Part 4: Advanced Techniques

• Multi-step prompt sequences
• Using Copilot with custom data sources
• Combining Copilot with other M365 tools
• Quality assurance and verification
• Troubleshooting poor results

Part 5: Government-Specific Examples

Real-world scenarios covering:

• Congressional briefing preparation
• Policy analysis and summarization
• Budget reports and financial analysis
• Acquisition and procurement documentation
• Compliance and regulatory review
• Internal communications and coordination

Target Audience

• Federal employees at all levels using Copilot daily
• Training coordinators developing Copilot learning programs
• Managers coaching teams on AI productivity
• Anyone seeking to improve Copilot effectiveness

Technical Level

Beginner to Intermediate - No technical background required. Examples progress from simple to advanced.

How to Use This Guide

1. Start with fundamentals - Read Part 1 to understand core principles
2. Focus on your tools - Jump to the application sections you use most
3. Try the examples - Test prompts from the library with your real work
4. Adapt and customize - Modify templates for your specific needs
5. Share and collaborate - Teach colleagues successful prompt patterns

Companion Resources

• Copilot Prompt Library (searchable web version)
• End-User Quick Reference Card (printable)
• Training Video: Prompt Engineering Best Practices
• Advanced Use Cases Collection

Updates

This guide is updated monthly with:

• New prompt templates based on user feedback
• Additional government use case examples
• Tips for newly released Copilot features
• Community-contributed best practices

Current Version: 1.2 (November 2024)
Next Update: December 2024

Accessing This Resource

This guide is freely available to all federal, state, and local government employees. No authentication required.