Copilot CoWork gives customers a new way to use AI across Microsoft 365, with an agentic system that can plan, execute and deliver multi-step tasks across apps. That could include preparing for meetings, pulling together research, managing inbox activity or coordinating workstreams, so the opportunity is not only in what CoWork can do, but in making sure the billing model is understood before customers start to use it.
Because CoWork is not billed like a traditional per-user licence, partners should treat the commercial setup differently from a standard Microsoft 365 deployment. Usage is measured in Copilot Credits, with customers charged when Copilot performs actual work, such as tasks or compute usage, rather than when CoWork is simply opened.
This changes the way partners should plan customer deployments. Before customers start using CoWork, partners need to help them understand likely usage patterns, how agents will be deployed, where consumption will be monitored and which Azure subscription will carry the billing. The Copilot Studio Credit Pack does not fully support CoWork, so customers need an Azure subscription to pay for usage.
In practice, partners should make sure an Azure subscription is ordered or already in place via CSP billing, then configure the default environment so consumption points to that subscription. This can be done through the Microsoft Power Platform Admin Center or directly in Copilot Studio.
With the billing route in place, the customer can configure the agent, enable generative AI capabilities, add data connectors and plugins, and publish it. Usage can then be monitored through the Power Platform Admin Center or Azure Cost Management, giving customers a clearer view of consumption once activity begins.
Credit planning also needs to be covered before deployment, particularly as Microsoft has introduced new options for buying credits. These include an annual Azure pre-purchase plan where unused credits can carry over for up to 12 months, using Copilot Credit Commit Units. One CCCU equals 100 credits and can be used in areas such as CoWork and agents. As these are non-refundable reservations and require an Azure subscription in the customer’s tenant, customers need to understand the commitment before ordering.
Where customers are considering CoWork, partners should bring the commercial setup into the deployment plan early. To scope the right setup with a customer, speak to your Arrow PDM.
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