FAQ: AI tools compared: Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT and Claude

If your task needs emails and documents from Microsoft 365, first assess the appropriate Copilot business offering. Microsoft describes access to this content under existing permissions; check that your offer includes the scope you need. If ChatGPT or Claude is already approved and you can provide the required material there, start with that tool. Microsoft integration alone does not justify an extra licence for drafting a single text.

There is no sound answer for your documents without a comparison. Give both tools the same approved file and the same instruction. Check missing information, incorrect numbers, appropriate language and transfer into your template. Choose the organisationally suitable offer that needs less correction and copying. Good writing style alone does not demonstrate reliable document analysis.

Start with one tool for each required workflow. An additional licence makes sense when it fills a named gap, for example when a frequent document task needs substantially less correction in your comparison. Record who uses the second tool and for which task. If the additional benefit does not materialise, there is no need to keep paying for a duplicate licence.

Ask for the exact product and plan name, included features, required add-on licences, usage limits, contract term and cancellation conditions. Check the file or system access you need using the intended business account. Include setup, training and support alongside the price per person. A visible chat interface does not prove that the offered plan supports your entire workflow.

Start with this fictional note: “Mara will prepare the quote by 12 November. Jonas will check the quantities. No deadline has been agreed for Jonas.” Give both tools the same instruction: “Create a table with person, task and deadline. Use only the note and write open where a deadline is missing.” Expect two rows: Mara / prepare quote / 12 November; Jonas / check quantities / open. Then use your own approved examples and count the corrections needed. The linked guide contains a more detailed comparison template.

The same product logo is not sufficient approval. First establish which specific account and offering are approved for those documents. The manufacturer sources below cover different offerings and settings; statements about data use do not automatically apply to every account. Until this is clear, practise with fictional information. Tell the team which account and data are permitted, and who can answer questions.

First establish whether the file was supplied in this conversation or whether its storage location is actually connected and approved. Then check the signed-in account, the specific file version and access permissions. Existing Microsoft 365 permissions matter for Copilot; a visible chat does not establish access to every repository. Test a known passage using an approved sample file. Do not request broader permissions simply to get more search results.

Use the affected statement only after checking it against the original. Show the tool the specific discrepancy and request a correction based solely on the supplied source; missing information should remain open. Check the revised answer too. If the error recurs, record the input and error and try the same case with the other candidate. A convincing draft is insufficient for a task where you cannot reliably detect mistakes.

Give each user the correct sign-in page, intended business account, assigned plan and a contact for problems. Establish who assigns licences, approves additional connections and removes access when someone leaves. During onboarding, work through an approved task with a sample file together. This reveals whether sign-in, available features and required data access actually work together.

Consider switching when a frequent task still produces unusable results despite clear instructions, or when required features, costs or terms change materially. Repeat your saved test cases in the new offering and include migration, templates and training in the comparison. Before cancelling, establish which work products need saving and whether the new access is ready. A new model announcement alone is not a reason to switch.