Why is copilot for powerpoint refusing to use the specific skill written for it by copilot

AlesandraBlakeston-3369 0 Reputation points
2026-09-11T02:30:08.1733333+00:00

It keeps overriding my explicit instructions and making it up instead.

I literally telling it when to work, what template to use, how to execute and it is ignoring all of it.

Microsoft Copilot | Other
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  1. bhavana8284-6297 0 Reputation points
    2026-09-11T02:54:41.4033333+00:00

    This appears to be a Copilot instruction-following/orchestration issue rather than a problem with the instructions themselves.

    I am explicitly specifying when the skill should run, which PowerPoint template must be used, and the exact execution steps, but Copilot is ignoring those instructions and generating/using a different approach instead.

    The skill is clearly intended to control this workflow, so why is Copilot overriding the skill’s instructions? Is there a known limitation with PowerPoint Copilot where custom skills/instructions are not treated as authoritative, or is there a specific configuration required to force Copilot to invoke and follow a particular skill?

    I would appreciate clarification on:

    • How Copilot decides whether to invoke a specific skill.
    • Whether skill instructions have priority over the user's prompt and Copilot's built-in PowerPoint behavior.
    • How to force a specific skill to be used for a particular task.
    • How to make a required template and execution sequence deterministic rather than allowing Copilot to improvise.

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