Intro:
We've explored the immense potential of Copilot to transform our daily workflows. But what if you could start every week not just prepared, but truly proactive? What if the overwhelming feeling of a Monday morning inbox, the forgotten follow-ups, or the surprise meeting tasks could become a thing of the past? We spend precious hours just sifting through emails, cross-referencing calendars, and trying to recall commitments, all before we even get to the actual work. Here is something evolved over time and the quality of response is amazing when workIQ is enabled.
Structure of the Prompt:
Most productivity loss doesn't happen because people are lazy — it happens because of invisible overhead: the mental energy spent remembering what's pending, deciding what to do next, or realising on Wednesday that something sent on Friday never got a response. This prompt eliminates that overhead systematically
| Problem it solves | How |
|---|---|
| Inbox anxiety | Every actionable thread is surfaced and ranked — nothing lurks |
| Forgotten follow-ups | Sent Items review catches every unanswered request you made |
| Meeting unprepared | Category A/B meeting prep flags what needs doing before you walk in |
| Time blindness | The capacity overview shows next week's shape before it happens |
| Reactive Mondays | You start the week with a plan, not a pile |
| Manager communication gaps | The status draft means you never skip this because it takes too long |
| Distraction patterns | The productivity summary names the patterns so you can change them |
GLOBAL SCOPE RULES (apply to every section below)
| Rule | Definition |
|---|---|
| **My identity** | From = me; "To me" = I appear in the To field (not Cc/Bcc only) |
| **Lookback** | Past 7 calendar days from the moment this prompt runs |
| **Lookahead** | Next 7 calendar days from the moment this prompt runs |
| **Deduplication** | Deduplicate conversation threads; represent each thread once using its latest qualifying message |
| **Internal domain** | Infer my organisation's domain from my email address; all other domains = External |
| **Automated exclusions** | Drop items from: noreply / no-reply / do-not-reply / no_reply senders; Teams notification emails (noreply@*.teams.microsoft.com); system alerts; OOO auto-replies (for response-detection only); digests; newsletters; bulk marketing |
| **Broadcast exclusions** | Drop subjects containing: E-Learning, Training reminder, Newsletter, Digest, Notification, Alert, System message, FYI only, Do not reply |
| **Calendar invite exclusions** | Drop calendar auto-notifications unless the body explicitly requests a non-calendar action |
---
## 📤 OUTPUT STRUCTURE
Produce the full report in this exact sequence of sections:
---
### SECTION 1 — 📥 INBOX: Outstanding Actions (Lookback 7 days)
**Purpose:** Surface every email in my Inbox that still requires action from me.
**Scope:**
- Folder: Inbox only (no subfolders, Archive, Junk, Deleted Items)
- Include only threads where I am on **To** (not Cc/Bcc only)
- Represent each thread once using the **latest inbound message** within the lookback window
- Apply all global exclusions above
**Inclusion logic (three tiers):**
| Tier | Condition |
|---|---|
| **@Mentions** | I am explicitly @mentioned in the message body |
| **Unread** | Message is Unread (including "seen on mobile but still Unread") |
| **Read – not replied** | Message is Read but I have NOT sent a reply after the latest inbound (compare my latest Sent timestamp in the thread vs. the latest inbound timestamp) |
**Prioritisation within section:**
1. @Mentions (newest → oldest)
2. Unread, no @mention (newest → oldest)
3. Read, not replied (newest → oldest)
**Output format:**
Start with the heading:
📥 Immediate Action — Inbox
Provide a single continuous numbered list across all tiers.
- Prefix @mention items with **‼️**
- For each item include: **Bold subject**, Sender (display name), Received date/time (local), one-line **Next step**
Then the heading:
📥 Action Required — Inbox
Remaining qualifying items in the same format.
Then:
📥 Other — Inbox
All examined inbox threads NOT included above: Sender – Subject – Received date (to confirm nothing was missed).
---
### SECTION 2 — 📨 SENT ITEMS: Awaiting Responses (Lookback 7 days)
**Purpose:** Surface emails I sent that requested action and have not yet received a meaningful response.
**Scope:**
- Folder: Sent Items only
- From = me; deduplicate threads; use my latest sent message per thread within the lookback window
- Apply all global exclusions
**Inclusion logic:**
- Include only emails where I **requested input, a decision, or a deliverable** (proposal, data, approval, feedback enabling next steps)
- Exclude emails where I only asked for simple confirmation ("Is this okay?") → move to Other
- Exclude emails where I only provided information/deliverables with no expectation of a reply → move to Other
- If mixed informational + action-request content, treat as **action-request**
**Response detection (per thread):**
- Check Inbox for any inbound reply **after** my latest sent timestamp in that thread
- Ignore OOO auto-replies for response detection
- Mark as **"No response yet"** if no qualifying inbound reply exists
- Mark as **"Responded – further action needed"** if an inbound reply exists AND that reply itself requests further action from me
**Prioritisation:**
1. Sent items where I explicitly **@mentioned** a recipient (and requested action) — newest → oldest
2. Sent items requesting action, **no response yet** — newest → oldest; same date → alphabetical by subject
**Internal vs External classification:**
- If ANY recipient is outside my organisation's domain → **External**
- Otherwise → **Internal**
**Output format:**
📨 Immediate Action — Sent Items
🌐 External
🏢 Internal
Prefix @mention items with **‼️**. Numbering is continuous across External + Internal (do not restart).
For each item include: **Bold subject**, Recipient(s) summarised, My latest sent date/time (local), Response status, first ~10 words of my sent body as a snippet, one-line **Next step** (include what I asked for).
📨 Action Required — Sent Items
🌐 External
🏢 Internal
📨 Other — Sent Items
All examined sent threads NOT included above: Recipient(s) – Subject – Sent date.
---
### SECTION 3 — 💬 TEAMS: Unanswered Mentions (Lookback 7 days)
**Purpose:** Surface Teams conversations where I was mentioned and have not replied.
**Scope:**
- Scan all Teams chats and channels where my name was **@mentioned** in the lookback window
- Exclude threads where I have replied **after** the mention
- Exclude automated bot messages and system notifications
**Output format:**
💬 Teams: Unanswered Mentions
For each item: **Bold conversation/channel name**, Mentioned by (display name), Date/time (local), Message snippet (~10 words), one-line **Next step**.
If nothing qualifies: state explicitly.
---
### SECTION 4 — 📊 LOOKBACK PRODUCTIVITY SUMMARY (Past 7 days)
**Purpose:** A concise, honest picture of how I spent my time and where I was most/least productive. Ground in Work IQ / Viva Insights data where available.
Produce the following sub-sections:
#### 4a. ⏱️ Time Distribution — How I Spent My Week
Analyse my calendar and meeting data for the past 7 days. Create meaningful categories that describe how I used my time (e.g., Deep Work, Internal Meetings, External Meetings, 1:1s, Admin & Planning, Learning, Unstructured/Fragmented time). For each category provide:
- Category name and a one-line description
- Estimated hours spent
- Estimated % of working time
- A brief assessment (e.g., "Well-balanced", "Potentially over-indexed", "Under-invested")
Present as a formatted table, then a short paragraph narrative.
#### 4b. 🏆 Key Wins & Decisions Made
List the 3–5 most significant outcomes, decisions, or deliverables completed in the past 7 days. Draw from email threads (closed action items), meeting notes/outcomes, and Teams conversations. Be specific and concise.
#### 4c. 🚧 Blockers & Escalations Identified
List items where progress stalled because I am waiting on others, or where a decision is overdue. Reference the relevant email/thread/meeting so I can act immediately.
#### 4d. 🔍 Collaboration & Interaction Highlights
Summarise the key people I collaborated with most intensely this week (internal and external). Note any collaboration patterns worth paying attention to (e.g., disproportionate time with one stakeholder, gaps in outreach to key contacts).
#### 4e. ⚠️ Distractions & Interruptions
Identify patterns that may have reduced focus time:
- High volume of ad-hoc meeting invitations accepted
- Fragmented calendar blocks (< 30 min between meetings)
- High email response rate outside core hours
- Teams message spikes during deep-work blocks
Provide 2–3 **concrete suggestions** to reduce these distractions next week.
---
### SECTION 5 — 📝 MANAGER STATUS UPDATE DRAFT (Lookback 7 days)
**Purpose:** A ready-to-send (or lightly edited) status update for my manager.
Draw from Sections 1–4 to draft a concise update. Format as an email body (no subject line needed — I will add that). Structure it exactly as:
📝 Draft: Weekly Status Update for My Manager
**Key Wins this week:**
(3–5 bullet points — specific, outcome-focused)
**Decisions Made / Closed:**
(2–3 bullet points — include who was involved)
**Blockers Needing Your Input:**
(List only items where manager action or awareness is genuinely needed; be direct about what you need from them)
**Focus for Next Week:**
(3–5 bullet points — drawn from Section 6 below)
Keep the tone professional but conversational. Total length: 150–250 words.
---
### SECTION 6 — 📅 UPCOMING WEEK: Meeting Preparation (Lookahead 7 days)
**Purpose:** Help me walk into next week fully prepared for every meeting that matters.
Analyse my calendar for the next 7 days. Apply the following classification:
#### Category A — Meetings I Organise (No Agenda Yet) ⚠️
List all meetings where I am the **organiser** and no agenda exists in the invite body. These need attention before the meeting. Sort by date (earliest first).
For each: **Bold meeting title**, Date/time (local), Attendees (summarised), one-line **Suggested agenda action** (e.g., "Draft and send agenda by [day]").
#### Category B — Meetings Where I Am Mentioned / Have Prep Tasks 📌
List meetings where I am **mentioned in the agenda** or where the invite body contains explicit tasks or action items assigned to me. Sort by date.
For each: **Bold meeting title**, Date/time (local), Organiser, the specific task or mention, one-line **Prep action**.
#### Category C — Other Relevant Meetings Requiring Attention 🔔
List any remaining meetings that do not fall into A or B but may still require my attention (e.g., strategic meetings, external client calls, presentations I am part of). **Exclude** routine recurring status meetings or check-ins unless I have a specific task.
For each: **Bold meeting title**, Date/time (local), Organiser, one-line **Why it matters / suggested prep**.
**Output heading:**
📅 Upcoming Week — Meeting Preparation
Category A: I Organise — No Agenda Yet
Category B: I'm Mentioned / Have Prep Tasks
Category C: Other Relevant Meetings
If a category is empty, state that explicitly.
---
### SECTION 7 — 🗓️ UPCOMING WEEK: Time & Capacity Overview (Lookahead 7 days)
**Purpose:** Give me a forward-looking picture of how my time is allocated next week so I can spot imbalances before they happen.
Using my calendar for the next 7 days:
1. **Estimated time in meetings** (hours and % of working week, assuming 40-hour week)
2. **Estimated free/focus time** available (hours and %)
3. **Busiest day** and **lightest day**
4. **Any back-to-back meeting chains** (3+ consecutive meetings with < 15 min break) — flag these explicitly
5. **Recommended focus blocks** — suggest 2–3 specific time slots (day + approximate time) where I should protect deep-work time based on my calendar gaps
Present as a short formatted summary with a brief planning recommendation at the end.
🗓️ Next Week — Capacity & Focus Planning
---
### SECTION 8 — ✅ CONSOLIDATED PRIORITY LIST (Action Checklist)
**Purpose:** One place to see everything I need to do, ranked by urgency. This is the section I act from.
Aggregate all action items from Sections 1–6. De-duplicate any items that appear in multiple sections. Rank using this priority order:
| Priority | Source |
|---|---|
| 🔴 Urgent | @Mentioned emails/Teams not replied + Sent items with deadline risk + No-agenda meetings happening in < 48 hours |
| 🟠 High | Unread emails requiring reply + Awaiting responses blocking progress + Meeting prep for Category A & B |
| 🟡 Medium | Read-not-replied emails + Category C meetings + Manager update draft |
| 🟢 Low / This week | Everything else identified in the report |
✅ Consolidated Priority List — Week of [Date]
Provide a single numbered list across all priorities. Format each line as:
`[Priority emoji] **[Action title]** — Source: [Section ref] — Due/By: [date or "ASAP"]`
---
## 🔒 FORMATTING & QUALITY RULES (apply globally)
- All section headings must appear exactly as written above
- Do not show full recipient/attendee lists — summarise (e.g., "3 recipients incl. [Name]")
- Do not expose email addresses in output — use display names only
- If a section has no qualifying items, state: *"Nothing to action here — you're clear."*
- Keep Next step recommendations to one line; be direct and specific (avoid vague verbs like "consider" or "look into")
- Flag any data gaps (e.g., if Teams data is unavailable, note it and skip that section gracefully)
- Total report should be scannable in under 10 minutes
Work IQ (Microsoft's Viva Insights / Workplace Analytics layer) is what transforms this from a email summary into a genuine productivity intelligence report. Here's specifically what it unlocks for each section:
| Section | Without Work IQ | With Work IQ |
|---|---|---|
| Time Distribution (4a) | Rough estimates from calendar titles alone | Precise categorisation using meeting metadata, focus time signals, and collaboration patterns |
| Distractions (4e) | Generic observations | Actual data: after-hours email spikes, fragmented calendar blocks, meeting-acceptance rates, quiet hours violations |
| Collaboration Highlights (4d) | "You emailed these people" | Network analysis — who you over-collaborated with, who went dark, whether key stakeholders are being neglected |
| Blockers (4c) | Based on email threads only | Cross-referenced with task signals, missed response SLAs, and meeting outcomes |
| Capacity Planning (7) | Calendar gap counting | Focus time recommendations grounded in your actual historical deep-work patterns |
| Manager Update (5) | Reconstructed from memory | Drawn from verified activity data — wins and decisions have evidence behind them |
What This Prompt Does
This is a single, scheduled intelligence briefing that runs every Sunday night and gives you a complete picture of the week behind you and the week ahead — without you having to open a single folder, scroll through a single inbox, or reconstruct anything from memory.
In one automated run, it:
Audits your Inbox — finds every thread that still needs action from you, ranked by urgency, with a suggested next step already written
Audits your Sent Items — surfaces emails where you're waiting on someone else, so nothing you kicked off gets forgotten
Scans Teams — catches any @mentions you haven't replied to, which are easy to miss when switching between channels
Summarises your past week — time distribution, key wins, blockers, collaboration patterns, and distractions — so you arrive Monday with self-awareness, not guesswork
Drafts your manager update — a ready-to-send status email built directly from your actual activity data, not from what you can remember on a Friday afternoon
Prepares you for every meeting next week — flags which ones have no agenda (and you're the organiser), which ones have tasks assigned to you, and which ones are strategically important
Maps your capacity — shows where your focus blocks are, where the back-to-back meeting chains are, and where to protect deep-work time before the week fills up
Produces one consolidated action checklist — a single ranked to-do list (🔴🟠🟡🟢) you can open Monday morning and act from immediately
The core idea is simple: you shouldn't have to do the triage yourself. The prompt does the triage; you do the thinking.
Augment intelligence i.e., you shouldn't have to do the triage yourself. The prompt does the triage; you do the thinking.
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