Sales · 20 min

Break down an RFP and draft answers from your approved docs

Copilot Chat or Word

Short answer: First, ask Copilot to list every requirement in the RFP in a table with section, must-have or nice-to-have, due date and owner. Then ask it to answer a batch of questions using only your approved files, and to write NEEDS SME wherever those files don't answer it. You review, the experts fill the gaps, and nothing made up goes to the buyer.

Last checked against Microsoft docs: Oct 21, 2026

An RFP is mostly a giant to-do list. The slow part is sorting it, and that's exactly what Copilot does well. The rep who turns an RFP around in two days instead of two weeks looks like the most organized person in the deal.

A common situation (composite)

The RFP landed with 140 questions.
Half of them we've answered before somewhere.
I don't know where to start, and the deadline doesn't move.

What you get

Data: the RFP file plus your approved answer documents.
Does: lists every requirement, then drafts answers from your files only.
Output: a requirements table and a first-draft answer set with gaps flagged.
How often: every RFP or security questionnaire.

Before you start

Needs: Microsoft 365 Copilot to point Copilot at your files. With Copilot Chat only, upload the RFP and your approved files, or paste one section at a time. Not sure what you have? Start here.
Where: Copilot Chat with files attached, or Copilot in Word.
Access: Copilot only uses content you already have permission to open. Use only information your company allows in Copilot.

The steps

Save the RFP and your approved answer docs where Copilot can reach them (OneDrive or SharePoint), or have the text ready to paste.
Run prompt 1 to build the requirements table. Check it against the RFP's table of contents so nothing got skipped.
Run prompt 2 in batches of ten questions, attaching only approved files.
Send every NEEDS SME line to the right expert with the question and due date.
Use the follow-up prompt to tighten the answers once the facts are in.

Copy this prompt

Step 1. From [RFP file], list every requirement and question in a table with these columns:
Section | What they're asking, in plain words | Must-have or nice-to-have | Due date | Who on our side should answer (sales, product, legal, security, finance)

Don't answer anything yet. If a section is unclear, mark it UNCLEAR and quote the line.

Step 2. Answer questions [1 to 10] from that table using only [pricing doc] and [product spec]. For each answer, name the file and section it came from. If neither file answers a question, write NEEDS SME instead of guessing.

(Prompt from stuckwithcopilot.com/guides/rfp-first-pass/)

Make it better

Run this next, in the same chat.

Now make these answers easier to score. For each one: lead with a direct yes, no or partly, then one sentence of proof from our files, then one sentence on what it means for them. Keep each answer under 80 words. Flag any answer that promises something our files don't support.

(Prompt from stuckwithcopilot.com/guides/rfp-first-pass/)

Data tip: use this with your work Copilot, and leave out passwords, payment details and anything your company marks restricted.

What a good result looks like

Every requirement from the RFP is in the table. Every answer names a source file. NEEDS SME shows up wherever your docs are silent, instead of a confident guess.

If a feature is missing

With Copilot Chat only, upload the RFP and your approved files to the chat, or paste one section and the matching approved text at a time. It works on the free work chat.

Make it smarter

Keep a short "What it got wrong" note. Paste it above the prompt next time, like "Don't invent dates".

Not sure what to ask? Copy the quick note for your Copilot admin.

Questions people ask

Break down an RFP and draft answers from your approved docs?

First, ask Copilot to list every requirement in the RFP in a table with section, must-have or nice-to-have, due date and owner. Then ask it to answer a batch of questions using only your approved files, and to write NEEDS SME wherever those files don't answer it. You review, the experts fill the gaps, and nothing made up goes to the buyer.

What do I need for this?

Microsoft 365 Copilot to point Copilot at your files. With Copilot Chat only, upload the RFP and your approved files, or paste one section at a time. With Copilot Chat only, upload the RFP and your approved files to the chat, or paste one section and the matching approved text at a time. It works on the free work chat.

Can Copilot answer the whole RFP for me?

It can draft a first pass, but only your approved content belongs in the answers. Treat the draft like a junior teammate's work: fast and useful, and checked before it goes out.

What about security questionnaires?

Same method. Attach your approved security documents only, and send anything marked NEEDS SME to your security team. Never let Copilot guess at a compliance answer.

My company has an RFP answer library. Can Copilot use it?

If your IT team built an agent connected to that library, use it for step 2 and still ask it to name its sources. If not, attach the library documents directly.

Next step

Try it once, then make it yours.

Run the prompt on one real task this week. Then pick your next workflow.

See the workflow library ↗

Cite or share this guide

Break down an RFP and draft answers from your approved docs. Stuck with Copilot. https://stuckwithcopilot.com/guides/rfp-first-pass/ Last checked Oct 21, 2026.

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Official references

Last checked against Microsoft docs: Oct 21, 2026.