Welcome back to the Level Up M365 Podcast. In Episode 21, we explore how Microsoft Copilot Notebooks can be used to create a “second brain” for individuals, teams, and organizations. Along the way, we discuss recent Microsoft 365 updates, the importance of knowledge retention, and practical automation scenarios that can transform how IT teams operate.
Table of Contents Timestamps
| Timestamp | Topic |
| 00:00:03 | Introduction |
| 00:01:32 | Personal Update: Expanding into Endpoint Management |
| 00:03:30 | Message Center Radar |
| 00:04:01 | Microsoft Whiteboard Legacy Retirement |
| 00:05:09 | Scheduled Prompts in Copilot Agent Builder |
| 00:05:46 | Windows 11 Lifecycle Update |
| 00:07:25 | Main Topic: Create a Second Brain with Copilot Notebooks |
| 00:13:01 | Practical Considerations and Limitations |
| 00:15:38 | Tip of the Week: AI is the Feature, Not the Product |
| 00:16:55 | Thoughts on Apple’s MacBook Neo |
| 00:18:14 | Closing Remarks |
AI Generated Transcript with links
[00:00:03] Welcome to Episode 19
In this episode, we’re diving into one of the most exciting features currently available in Microsoft Copilot: Copilot Notebooks.
The show covers:
- Recent Microsoft 365 news and roadmap updates
- The retirement of legacy Microsoft Whiteboards
- New Copilot Agent Builder capabilities
- Windows 11 lifecycle reminders
- How to build a “second brain” using Copilot Notebooks
- A practical tip about evaluating AI products
As always, the focus remains on helping Microsoft 365 administrators, architects, business leaders, and power users get more value from the Microsoft ecosystem.
[00:01:32] Personal Update: Moving into Endpoint Management
This year has brought a professional shift toward endpoint device management.
While much of my background has centered around SharePoint, Power Platform, Teams, and workflow automation, I’ve begun spending more time managing:
- Windows devices
- Apple devices
- Android devices
- Device enrollment
- Asset management
- Intune
- Device health monitoring
The goal is to understand how endpoint management complements the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem and to share lessons learned as I continue developing expertise in that area.
[00:03:30] Message Center Radar
Here are some of the Microsoft 365 updates that stood out this month.
[00:04:01] Microsoft Whiteboard Legacy Retirement
One important change is the retirement of legacy Microsoft Whiteboards.
To clarify:
- Microsoft Whiteboard is not going away
- Legacy storage architecture is changing
- Whiteboards are moving into OneDrive-backed storage
This shift brings several governance advantages:
- Improved compliance visibility
- Better Purview integration
- Enhanced DLP capabilities
- Simplified retention management
However, organizations should be aware that legacy whiteboards require migration. Failure to take action could result in the loss of older whiteboard content.
If your organization uses Whiteboard heavily, this should be on your short-term planning list.
[00:05:09] Scheduled Prompts in Copilot Agent Builder
Microsoft continues to expand Copilot customization capabilities.
A particularly interesting addition is scheduled prompts for Copilot Agents.
Imagine creating an agent that monitors:
- SharePoint sites
- Task boards
- Project lists
- Excel reports
Rather than manually asking for updates, you can schedule recurring prompts that deliver summarized information automatically.
This has huge potential for:
- Executive reporting
- Project status updates
- Operational dashboards
- Team visibility
It’s a capability I’ll be exploring more deeply in future content.
[00:05:46] Windows 11 Lifecycle Reminder
For organizations still running older Windows 11 releases, now is the time to review upgrade plans.
The key takeaway:
- Windows 11 version 23H2 is approaching end-of-service milestones.
- Organizations should be planning migration efforts toward newer supported releases such as 24H2.
Most consumers are already updating automatically, but enterprise environments typically move at a more deliberate pace.
If you manage endpoints, make sure your roadmap reflects upcoming support deadlines.
Here is the link to the fill write up on the M365 roadmap for August 2026 – https://levelupm365.com/2026/08/01/microsoft-365-roadmap-updates-august-2026/
[00:07:25] Main Topic: Creating a Second Brain with Copilot Notebooks
Let’s get into the core topic of today’s episode.
What is a Copilot Notebook?
At its simplest, a Copilot Notebook is a curated collection of sources that Copilot can reference when answering questions.
Think of it as creating a focused knowledge domain around a specific subject.
For example:
- Teams administration
- SharePoint support
- HR policies
- Project documentation
- Department procedures
Instead of searching multiple repositories manually, users can ask questions directly against a trusted knowledge set.
If the underlying information is well organized, the responses can be remarkably accurate.
Turning Knowledge into a Virtual Employee
Where things become particularly interesting is using Copilot Notebooks as a knowledge preservation platform.
Consider a long-tenured employee with years of experience.
Their knowledge may exist in:
- SharePoint sites
- OneNote notebooks
- Documentation libraries
- Project artifacts
- Spreadsheets
By connecting those resources to a Copilot Notebook, organizations can effectively create a searchable, conversational knowledge repository.
I describe this concept as creating a second brain.
Instead of losing institutional knowledge when someone retires or changes roles, teams can continue referencing their documented expertise.
Rather than calling the retired employee while they’re out fishing, the team can consult the second brain.
Improving Help Desk Operations
Another practical scenario involves support organizations.
Many help desk escalations occur because Tier 1 technicians cannot easily locate information.
A Copilot Notebook can:
- Surface procedures
- Reference support documentation
- Answer common questions
- Reduce escalations
Rather than interrupting a senior engineer repeatedly, support staff can query the notebook first.
This creates faster support experiences while preserving expert time for higher-value work.
Automating Service Health Monitoring
One of the more creative use cases discussed involves integrating Copilot Notebooks with Power Automate.
Here’s the concept:
- A Microsoft service health message arrives.
- Power Automate evaluates the notification.
- The system checks whether affected services are relevant.
- If necessary, a ticket is automatically generated.
For example:
- Teams outage
- SharePoint degradation
- Exchange Online incidents
Instead of manually monitoring every update, automation can filter and route only the information that matters to your organization.
Building Better Problem Management Records
This automation also improves operational maturity.
Many organizations struggle to document incidents while actively managing them.
By automatically capturing service notifications within a ticketing system:
- Historical context is preserved
- Problem management teams gain visibility
- Root cause investigations become easier
- Incident timelines are automatically documented
For larger enterprises, this creates meaningful operational value.
[00:13:01] Practical Considerations and Limitations
As promising as Copilot Notebooks are, there are several realities to consider.
Garbage In, Garbage Out
The quality of outputs depends entirely on the quality of source material.
If your sources contain:
- Outdated procedures
- Duplicate content
- Contradictory guidance
- Unstructured notes
Then Copilot’s answers may suffer.
Strong governance is essential.
Keep Knowledge Fresh
If notebooks become a primary information source, organizations must establish:
- Review cycles
- Expiration processes
- Content ownership
- Revision procedures
A stale knowledge base becomes a liability.
Knowledge management must be treated as an ongoing process, not a one-time project.
Notebook Source Restrictions
One limitation encountered during testing involved SharePoint Lists.
Currently, notebooks work best with files and documents.
To work around this limitation:
- SharePoint List data is exported nightly to Excel.
- The exported workbook is referenced by the notebook.
- Copilot then analyzes the Excel data instead of the list directly.
This enables scenarios such as:
- Daily task summaries
- Project updates
- Ticket reporting
- Operational status dashboards
In practice, this approach works surprisingly well.
Here’s a link to the full write up: Create a second brain with Copilot Notebooks – Level Up M365
[00:15:38] Tip of the Week: AI Is the Feature, Not the Product
This week’s takeaway is simple:
AI should be the feature, not the product.
When evaluating technology purchases, be cautious of solutions that market AI as the primary selling point.
Instead, ask:
- What problem does this solve?
- What outcome does it improve?
- What business value does it provide?
A good analogy is hiring a painter who talks only about their truck.
The truck isn’t the value.
The quality of the painting is.
Similarly, AI is a tool. The real value lies in the outcomes it enables.
Link to write up: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-feature-product-joe-cole-rntmc/?trackingId=liVSH1bPQYCoKncGvSXbhQ%3D%3D
[00:16:55] Final Thoughts on Apple’s MacBook Neo
I’ve also been watching the discussion around Apple’s MacBook Neo.
My view is that this device is less about competing directly with traditional PCs and more about extending Apple’s existing ecosystem.
It appears well suited for users who:
- Already own an iPhone
- Frequently use an iPad
- Occasionally need desktop-class functionality
As with any technology purchase, the key is entering the decision with appropriate expectations.
Link to write up: https://medium.com/@saysjoegraziano/the-macbook-neo-isnt-a-strategy-shift-4d6ff6e600c3
[00:18:14] Closing Thoughts
Copilot Notebooks represent a compelling way to preserve institutional knowledge, reduce operational dependencies, and improve employee productivity.
Whether you’re creating a departmental knowledge repository, building an automated support assistant, or preserving expertise before retirement, the concept of a second brain is one of the most practical AI use cases available in Microsoft 365 today.
Thanks for listening to the Level Up M365 Podcast.
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