How to Create Work Instructions from a Microsoft Teams Recording using Copilot
Question details
The user wants to generate step-by-step work instructions, complete with screenshots and process details, directly from a Microsoft Teams meeting recording using Microsoft Copilot or similar AI tools.

- Product
- Microsoft Teams / Microsoft Copilot
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating detailed job-aid documents or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) based on a recorded video walkthrough in Microsoft Teams.
- Observed behavior
- Seeking a streamlined method to automatically extract procedural steps, process specifics, and relevant screenshots from a Teams video recording.
Ensure you have access to the Microsoft Teams meeting recording file and its generated transcript, as AI tools require text data to summarize process steps.
Use Microsoft 365 Copilot with Teams Transcripts
Leverage Microsoft Copilot to analyze your meeting transcript and automatically draft step-by-step text instructions.
While Copilot cannot automatically extract specific screenshots from a video file, it excels at pulling sequential steps from a recorded conversation. You will need a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license to use these integrated features.
Navigate to Microsoft Teams, open the Chat or Calendar event for the completed meeting, and click on the 'Recap' or 'Recording & Transcript' tab.
Open the Copilot pane on the right side of the meeting recap. Type the prompt: 'Create step-by-step work instructions based on this meeting transcript. Include all specific process details discussed.'
Review the AI-generated steps for accuracy. Click the 'Copy' icon to transfer the text to your preferred word processor for further formatting.
Play the Teams recording video. Pause at critical visual steps, use your system's snipping tool (Windows Key + Shift + S) to capture the screen, and paste the images into your instruction document.

Manually Export the Transcript and Summarize
A reliable alternative method if you do not have an active Microsoft Copilot license or if the Teams integration is unavailable.
Format Your Work Instructions Perfectly with WPS Office
While extracting process steps from a Teams recording requires Microsoft tools, WPS Office provides a lightweight, completely free environment to build, format, and finalize your step-by-step work instructions with seamless Microsoft Word compatibility.
- 1. Download and install WPS Office: Get the free WPS Office suite from the official website and install it on your computer.
- 2. Create a new instruction document: Open WPS Writer and select a blank document or a pre-made manual template.
- 3. Paste text and add screenshots: Paste the steps extracted from your Teams recording and use the built-in image tools to beautifully wrap text around your screenshots.

Frequently Asked Questions
Can Copilot automatically capture screenshots from a Teams video recording?
No, currently Microsoft Copilot can only process the text transcript of the meeting to generate written instructions. You must manually pause the video, take screenshots, and insert them into your final document.
Why can't Copilot generate instructions from my Teams meeting?
Copilot relies entirely on the meeting transcript. If transcription was not started during the meeting, or if your organization disables cloud recording transcripts, Copilot will not have the data needed to generate instructions.
Does standard Microsoft 365 include Copilot features for Teams recordings?
Usually, no. Standard Microsoft 365 business plans require an additional 'Copilot for Microsoft 365' add-on license to unlock advanced AI capabilities inside Microsoft Teams and Stream.
What is the best way to format a work instruction document with screenshots?
It is best to use clear, numbered steps with a screenshot directly below each action. You can use word processors like Microsoft Word or free alternatives like WPS Writer to easily align images and text for a professional job aid.




