How to control costs in Microsoft Copilot Cowork

Copilot Co‑Work is a powerful addition to the Microsoft Copilot suite, giving organisations access to advanced AI agents capable of analysing data, building dashboards and automating workflows from simple prompts, but because it operates on a pay‑as‑you‑go credit system, it’s essential to understand how costs work to avoid unexpected monthly bills. In our latest how‑to video, Bruce Penson from Pro Drive IT explains how Copilot Co‑Work pricing is structured, why credit usage varies and what practical steps businesses can take to stay in control. Copilot Co‑Work credits cost just under a penny each and are charged on top of the standard Microsoft 365 Copilot licence, with typical tasks ranging from around 50p for simple operations to £12–£20 for more complex workflows. The number of credits used depends on factors such as the large language model selected, the type of data source referenced, the number of steps Copilot performs and the overall complexity of the task, and because you only see the cost after the task has run, understanding these drivers is essential. Bruce demonstrates how running the same dashboard from an Excel file cost 138 credits while running it from a PDF cost 151 credits, showing how file format alone can create a 10–15% difference. He also shows how letting Copilot choose the model resulted in a cost of 135 credits, whereas specifying Claude Sonnet reduced the cost to 120 credits, and using Claude Opus 4.8 increased it to 153 credits despite producing almost identical output. Even tightening the prompt to request only the dashboard, with no summaries or recommendations, reduced the cost to around 92 credits. To stay in control, Bruce recommends avoiding auto‑select and choosing the right model for the task, scoping prompts carefully to exclude unnecessary commentary and setting spending controls such as monthly limits and usage caps before rolling out Copilot Co‑Work. Pro Drive IT offers a complete programme to help organisations deploy Copilot Co‑Work securely, set up cost controls, train staff and maximise value without overspending.