The Salvation Army UK and Ireland introduced Microsoft 365 Copilot to tackle growing complexity in how staff managed information and day-to-day work.

Operating across more than 650 corps and community centers and supporting hundreds of thousands of people each year, the organization was dealing with:

• Scattered data across legacy N-drives, SharePoint sites, and other systems
• Time-consuming administrative tasks like report writing and case notes
• Difficulty finding the right documents, policies, and forms quickly
• Staff stress and overload from documentation and back-end work

A security audit also revealed staff were using nearly 200 shadow AI tools to keep up, which created risks around data integrity and compliance.

By adopting Microsoft 365 Copilot alongside existing tools like Teams, SharePoint, Outlook, and Word, The Salvation Army aimed to:

• Unify systems and regain control over data
• Reduce reliance on unapproved AI tools
• Make information easier to find, use, and secure
• Lighten the administrative load so staff can focus more on human connection and frontline support

Copilot is now embedded in everyday workflows across The Salvation Army UK and Ireland, helping staff work more efficiently and with less stress.

Teams are using Copilot to:

• Draft and refine content – reports, donor updates, event briefs, and complex documents are drafted faster, often with clearer structure and formatting.
• Save time on routine tasks – administrators report that some reports that used to take hours can now be turned around in about five minutes.
• Support legal and policy work – the legal team uses Copilot to review and align policies with current legislation.
• Jumpstart ideas and planning – staff use Copilot to organize ideas, outline complex projects, and get unstuck when they don’t know how to begin.
• Improve communication and accessibility – Copilot helps translate emails into target languages and rewrite reports in simpler formats, including versions suitable for children.

Beyond productivity, staff describe a noticeable emotional benefit. When complex tasks are completed in record time, people feel a “weight off their shoulders”, freeing them to focus on direct support, relationship-building, and other work that requires human judgment and compassion.

The Salvation Army UK and Ireland recognized early on that successful AI adoption depended on trust, transparency, and alignment with its mission.

To build trust, the organization:

• Addressed concerns about privacy and job security directly, positioning Copilot as a support tool rather than a replacement for people.
• Started with a group of 150 early adopters, offering targeted training, “promptathons,” and one-on-one guidance.
• Focused on hands-on experience and “aha moments” instead of pushing usage, letting staff see value in their own work.
• Used its internal Microsoft Center of Excellence to guide rollout, collaborate with Microsoft, and shape a coherent AI strategy.

Looking ahead, The Salvation Army is exploring how AI can reimagine service delivery through agentic workflows. Early ideas include:

• A volunteer chatbot to answer common questions
• An agent that scans case notes to flag high-risk situations
• An AI assistant for impact reporting that drafts reports before they’re requested

All future AI use is being designed to reflect the organization’s principles of clarity, compassion, and usefulness. The goal is to lighten administrative work so people can focus on the things only they can do: being present, responsive, and caring in communities that rely on their support.