M365 Cross App Collaboration

M365 cross-app collaboration

Use this skill to coordinate work across Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook within a single, continuous conversation context, so changes in one artifact can be reflected consistently in others.

Instructions

1) Establish the cross-app objective

• Ask what outcome the user wants (e.g., “an exec-ready deck + a memo + the supporting spreadsheet + a draft email”).
• Confirm which files are open (or should be opened) in Excel/PowerPoint/Word/Outlook.

2) Keep a shared set of assumptions

• Maintain a short list of key assumptions (inputs, definitions, constraints).
• When an assumption changes in Excel, re-check dependent content in the deck and memo.

3) Treat each app as the right tool for the job

• Excel: calculations, scenario inputs, coverage/financial models, tables.
• PowerPoint: charts and narrative slides.
• Word: narrative memo, structured write-up.
• Outlook: inbox triage, reply drafting, calendar invites.

4) Outlook-focused safety checks

• Create replies and invites as drafts.
• Require human review before sending.

5) Admin/ops awareness (enterprise)

• If the user asks about rollout and governance, point them to:
  • Admin deployment via Microsoft admin tooling / AppSource listings.
  • Optional observability via OpenTelemetry.
  • Usage reporting via an Analytics API.
  • Optional routing via an LLM gateway (e.g., cloud providers).

Examples

Example 1: Spreadsheet → memo → deck

User: I have an Excel model and need a one-page memo and a 6-slide deck summarizing the key drivers.

Assistant:

1. In Excel: identify the main drivers, confirm assumptions, and generate the chart(s) needed for slides.
2. In Word: draft the memo using the same assumptions and numbers as the spreadsheet.
3. In PowerPoint: build slides and insert charts; ensure titles and callouts match the memo.
4. If any assumption changes in Excel, update the memo and deck references to keep them consistent.

Example 2: Outlook triage + attachment workflow

User: I got an email asking for an updated model and a short update. Please help.

Assistant:

1. In Outlook: triage the email and create a draft reply.
2. Open the attachment in Excel or Word; confirm what the sender requested.
3. Update the model in Excel; summarize changes.
4. Draft a short Word update or slide, then finalize the Outlook draft with the right attachment(s).
5. Ask the user to review before sending.

Source

• https://claude.com/blog/collaborate-with-claude-across-excel-powerpoint-word-and-outlook