Use Word Copilot to Review and Update SOPs Faster

What This Does

Microsoft Word Copilot reads your existing SOPs and helps you identify sections that need updating — outdated instrument names, old lot numbers, superseded references, or dated regulatory citations. Instead of re-reading every section manually during your annual review, Copilot flags where to look, and then drafts updated language when you need it.

Before You Start

• You use Microsoft Word (desktop or online) for SOP documentation
• Your Microsoft 365 plan includes Copilot (Business Standard or higher)
• You have a SOP document open that needs annual review

Steps

1. Open the SOP in Microsoft Word

Open the SOP document. If it's stored in SharePoint or OneDrive, open it from there (Copilot works best with cloud-stored documents). You should see the Word ribbon at the top.

2. Activate Copilot

Click the "Copilot" button in the Home ribbon (looks like a small Copilot icon — a colorful star). A Copilot chat panel will open on the right side of the screen.

3. Get a document summary first

In the Copilot chat panel, type: "Summarize this document in 5 bullet points."

This gives you a quick orientation to the SOP's content — useful when reviewing a SOP from a section you don't work in daily.

What you should see: 5 bullet points describing the SOP's scope, the procedure, QC criteria, and key reference ranges.

4. Ask Copilot to identify potentially outdated content

Type: "What sections of this document contain specific dates, lot numbers, instrument models, reagent names, or regulatory reference citations that may need to be verified or updated?"

What you should see: A list of specific sections and the potentially dated content in each. For example: "Section 4 references Beckman Coulter AU5800 (verify current instrument model). Section 7 cites CLSI EP9-A2 (superseded by EP9-A3 in 2013). Appendix B has a reference range table dated 2020."

5. Navigate to flagged sections and verify

Click through each flagged section and verify whether it still applies. For sections that need updating, use Copilot to draft the revision.

6. Use Copilot to draft updated section language

Select the outdated text in the document, then in Copilot type: "Rewrite this section to replace [old content] with [new content]. Keep the same formal SOP language and section structure."

What you should see: Revised section text in the same formal style as the original SOP.

7. Accept revisions and update the Revision History

After making changes, update the Revision History table at the end of the document: date reviewed, reviewer name, summary of changes. Copilot can draft the revision history entry: "Write a revision history entry for today's review. Changes made: [describe]."

Real Example

Scenario: Annual review of a Complete Blood Count (CBC) SOP written in 2022.

Copilot flags: "Section 3 references Sysmex XN-1000 (verify model is still in use). Section 8 cites CLSI H20-A2 for differential review criteria (check if updated edition exists). Appendix A reference ranges dated 2022 (verify still current)."

You check: Instrument model is now XN-2000 (replacement). CLSI H20 is on edition A3. Reference ranges are still current.

Copilot drafts: Updated Section 3 language with new instrument model; updated citation in Section 8. You review, accept, update revision history. Done in 25 minutes instead of 90.

Tips

• Copilot works best on documents stored in OneDrive/SharePoint rather than local files
• For very long SOPs (15+ pages), ask Copilot to focus on one section at a time to get more specific responses
• Keep your revision history complete — both for accreditation compliance and so Copilot can accurately summarize what was previously reviewed

Tool interfaces change — if the Copilot button has moved, look for it in the Home ribbon or under the Review tab in newer Word versions.