@WonderLaura – Laura Rogers

There’s a new SharePoint web part, and it’s really exciting – the FAQ web part. This little gem is part of Microsoft 365 Copilot, and let me tell you, it’s going to save you so much time when it comes to creating frequently asked questions for your sites. It actually creates them FOR you! This is my post and associated demo video.

What Makes This Web Part Special?

First things first – this is still in preview, so you’ll see that “preview” tag right next to it when you’re looking for it in your web parts. What makes this FAQ web part really cool is that it uses AI to automatically generate questions and answers based on files that you provide to it.

Think about it – how many times have you sat there trying to brainstorm or capture what questions people might ask about your content? Or worse, tried to write out all those answers from scratch? Those days are over.

The Magic Behind the FAQ Web Part

Here’s what blew my mind during the demo: I pointed this web part to a massive PowerPoint presentation – my SharePoint Power User training deck – and it automatically figured out categories, created relevant questions, and wrote detailed answers. It even created little tables when it found comparative information, like when I had slides comparing sites versus pages. The AI picked up on that structure and presented it beautifully.

Also, this is huge – while you need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license to CREATE and configure this web part, the people viewing it on your SharePoint page don’t need Copilot licenses at all. They can just read and benefit from all that AI-generated content. That’s a game-changer for organizations where not everyone has a Copilot license.

Setting Up the FAQ Web Part

Let me walk you through the process:

Step 1: Go to SharePoint

Go to the SharePoint page where you would like to display the FAQ Web Part. Click EDIT at the top right of the page. In the list of web parts, insert the FAQ web part anywhere on the page.

Step 2: Choose Your Source Files

Start by selecting the file(s) you want the FAQ to be based on. This could be Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, Loop components, or even meeting recordings. I love that they included meetings – imagine creating an FAQ based on a long, complex meeting discussion!

Step 3: Pick Your Purpose

The AI needs context, so you tell it what kind of content you’re working with. Is it about an event? A product? Company policies? Or just general information? This helps the AI understand how to approach generating your questions.

Step 4: Add Context (Optional but Recommended)

This is where your prompt-writing skills come in handy. You can specify your audience, tone, and any other details that will help the AI create more targeted content. For example, I could specify that my audience was “new employees in their 20s to 30s at a fast-growing technology company,” and it would adjust the FAQ accordingly.

Step 4: Let the Magic Happen

Click Start and watch as the AI first creates categories based on your content, gives you an opportunity to add or edit those categories, then click Draft questions, and finally generates all of the questions and answers. It’s like having a really smart assistant who actually read through all your documents and knows exactly what people would want to ask about!

Editing the FAQ Web Part

What I really appreciate about this web part is that it doesn’t just dump content on you and walk away. Throughout the process, you have complete control:

• Rearrange categories: Drag and drop them in the order that makes sense for your audience
• Edit questions: Add your own, delete ones that don’t fit, or modify the AI-generated ones
• Customize answers: You can manually write answers or let AI handle them
• Add new content: Even after everything’s generated, you can add new questions and categories anytime
• Icon appearance: Change the category icons from chevrons to plus/minus.

Real-World Applications

Let me paint you some scenarios where this would be incredibly useful:

Company Policy Centers: Instead of making employees dig through policy documents, create an FAQ that puts the most common questions right on your homepage. They get instant answers without needing access to the original files.

Training Sites: Take your training materials and automatically generate FAQs that help learners quickly find answers to common questions. Your students don’t need Copilot licenses – they just get the benefit of AI-organized content.

Project Documentation: Transform lengthy project docs into digestible Q&As that team members can quickly reference.

Product Information: Turn product specifications and user guides into customer-friendly FAQs.

The Flexibility Factor

Here’s something that really impressed me: the source files don’t even have to be on the same SharePoint site as where you’re displaying the FAQ. You could create FAQs based on training materials stored in one location and display them on a completely different site where your audience hangs out. The people viewing the FAQ don’t need access to the original files at all.

This opens up so many possibilities for knowledge sharing across different sites and teams.

Tips for Success

Based on my testing, here are some tips to get the best results:

1. Organize your source files well: Use proper headings (H1, H2, H3) in your documents. The AI picks up on this structure and uses it to create logical categories.
2. Be specific with your context: The more details you give about your audience and purpose, in the web part settings, the better Copilot can tailor the content.
3. Don’t be afraid to iterate: You can always go back and change the purpose or audience settings, and the AI will regenerate everything to match.
4. Mix AI and manual content: Some questions are just too specific to your organization for AI to guess. Add those manually for a complete FAQ.

Looking Ahead

This FAQ web part represents something bigger than just a new SharePoint feature. It’s showing us how AI can take our existing content and make it more accessible and useful for our audiences. We’re not just storing documents anymore – we’re creating intelligent, interactive experiences.

The fact that viewers don’t need Copilot licenses makes this particularly powerful for organizations that want to provide AI-enhanced experiences to everyone, not just the power users with premium licenses.

So there you have it – SharePoint’s FAQ web part in all its Copilot-powered glory. If you’ve got a Copilot license and some content that could benefit from being turned into FAQs, give this a try. Your users will thank you for making information so much easier to digest.

Remember, we do these Power Hour sessions Wednesdays at 11 AM Central. Make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter so you can vote on what we cover next. Until then, happy SharePointing!

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Laura Rogers is a SharePoint expert and trainer and Microsoft MVP. Connect with IW Mentor at iwmentor.com for more SharePoint and Copilot training and resources.