Deploying Microsoft Copilot without preparation leads to three common problems: security incidents from overshared data, low adoption from untrained users, and wasted budget on unused licences. A thorough readiness assessment before deployment prevents all three.
This guide walks you through the five dimensions of Copilot readiness that every company in Malaysia and Singapore should evaluate before purchasing licences.
Microsoft Copilot for M365 requires a base licence plus a Copilot add-on:
| Base Licence (one required) | Copilot Add-On |
|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 E3 | Microsoft 365 Copilot |
| Microsoft 365 E5 | (US$30 per user per month) |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard |
Assessment questions:
This is the most critical and most commonly overlooked dimension. Copilot can access any data that a user has permission to see in M365. If your permissions are overly broad, Copilot can surface sensitive data to people who should not see it.
In many companies, SharePoint and OneDrive permissions have accumulated over years without cleanup. Common issues include:
SharePoint and OneDrive:
Exchange (Email):
Teams:
Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels allow you to classify and protect documents. Before deploying Copilot, ensure that:
Ensure that Copilot access is governed by your existing conditional access policies:
If your organisation requires information barriers (e.g., between departments in financial services), verify that these barriers are configured in M365 before enabling Copilot. Copilot respects information barriers, but they must be properly set up.
Enable and review audit logging for Copilot interactions:
Before deploying Copilot, establish baselines for the metrics you want to improve:
Rate your organisation on each dimension (1-5 scale):
| Dimension | Score (1-5) | Weight | Weighted Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensing & Infrastructure | ___ | 20% | ___ |
| Data Governance | ___ | 30% | ___ |
| Security Configuration | ___ | 20% | ___ |
| Change Management | ___ | 20% | ___ |
| Measurement Readiness | ___ | 10% | ___ |
| Total | ___ |
Interpretation:
Many companies need expert guidance to prepare for Copilot deployment, particularly around data governance and security configuration. Training providers in Malaysia and Singapore offer Copilot readiness assessments that cover all five dimensions and provide a detailed remediation plan.
Before deploying Copilot you need five things: correct M365 licensing (E3/E5 or Business Premium plus Copilot add-on), clean data governance (especially SharePoint permissions), proper security configuration (MFA, conditional access), a change management plan (training, communication, usage policy), and baseline metrics to measure impact.
The biggest risk is data oversharing. Copilot surfaces information based on user permissions. If your SharePoint and OneDrive permissions are overly broad, Copilot may show sensitive documents (salary data, board papers, HR files) to employees who should not see them. A permissions audit before deployment is essential.
A comprehensive Copilot readiness assessment typically takes 2-4 weeks, depending on the size and complexity of your M365 environment. This includes licensing review, SharePoint permissions audit, security configuration check, and change management planning. Smaller companies (under 200 users) can often complete it in 2 weeks.
