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Hi everyone,
Let’s talk about a challenge that many of us know all too well: building a business case from scratch. The kind that requires deep market research, supplier analysis, spend data, and a whole lot of cross-functional coordination. Now imagine doing all of that in a fraction of the time with better results.
That’s exactly what Ian Robbins, our Vice President of Category Management, pulled off using Copilot.
Ian was tasked with developing a business case for a complex sourcing initiative in Financial Aid Management. Normally, this would mean 50+ hours of manual work—digging through spend cubes, mapping decision-makers, analyzing ESG requirements, and more.
But this time, Ian turned to Copilot’s Researcher feature.
With a single, well-structured prompt, Ian asked Researcher to generate a comprehensive market intelligence report. He included expectations for scope definition, supplier analysis, sustainability considerations, and award strategy. The result? A 30-page report tailored to his exact needs, ready to plug into his business case and Salesforce fields.
This wasn’t just about saving time (though a 90% reduction is pretty incredible). It was about leveling the playing field. Researcher helped Ian navigate areas where he didn’t have deep prior experience, giving him a head start and a consistent framework to build from.
It’s like going from a blank canvas to a fully sketched blueprint, one that you can refine, reuse, and scale.
We’ve captured the full scenario, including Ian’s standardized prompt and the impact it had, in our AI in Practice reference guide. Whether you’re in sourcing, strategy, or just curious how Copilot’s Researcher feature can support your work, this is a must-read.
Let’s keep learning, experimenting, and sharing.
Best,
Doug
