AB-730 Copilot Notebooks, Pages and Memory Guide (2026)

Last updated: October 2026. Written by the Examinotion Team and fact-checked against the official Microsoft Learn AB-730 study guide and Microsoft 365 Copilot support documentation.

TL;DR From 20 October 2026, the AB-730 AI Business Professional exam tests Copilot Notebooks, Copilot Pages, memory and custom instructions, and day-to-day chat management. These features sit in the 20-25% "Manage prompts and chats" domain and the collaboration domain. You need to know what each feature does, when to use it, and the licence and sharing limits.

Exam AB-730: AI Business Professional is Microsoft's business-user certification for working productively with Microsoft 365 Copilot. When Microsoft restructured the exam for 20 October 2026, it rated both "Create and manage prompts in Microsoft 365 Copilot" and the renamed "Manage chats in Microsoft 365 Copilot" as Major changes [1]. The rewritten outline now names features that older study plans barely mention: model selection, memory and instructions, Notebooks and Copilot Pages [1].

This guide explains each of those features at the level AB-730 tests them, using Microsoft's own documentation. You can check the live sources on the Microsoft Learn AB-730 certification page and the official AB-730 skills outline. For the agents and Cowork half of the update, read our companion AB-730 agents and Cowork domain study guide.

Which AB-730 objectives this guide covers

The AB-730 skills outline "as of October 20, 2026" has four domains, and this guide covers the second domain in full plus one collaboration skill from the third [1].

Domain (as published)	Weight
Understand generative AI fundamentals	25-30%
Manage prompts and chats by using Microsoft 365 Copilot	20-25%
Manage business content and collaboration by using Microsoft 365 Copilot	20-25%
Drive business outcomes by using agents	20-25%

The "Manage prompts and chats" domain splits into two functional groups. The published AB-730 bullets are [1]:

Create and manage prompts in Microsoft 365 Copilot

Understand how to create an effective prompt, including model selection
Select appropriate resources to reference in a prompt
Save a prompt
Schedule a prompt
Share a prompt
Refine prompts based on generated responses
Describe how Copilot uses memory and instructions

Manage chats in Microsoft 365 Copilot

Find a previous chat
Delete a chat
Rename a chat
Organize and share information by using Notebooks

Copilot Pages appears in the third domain under meetings and collaboration, as "Collaborate on business content by using Copilot Pages" [1]. Microsoft also notes that most AB-730 questions cover generally available features, though preview features can appear "if those features are commonly used" [1]. That matters for memory, which Microsoft still labels as preview.

A naming note before you start: Microsoft has renamed Microsoft 365 Copilot to "Microsoft Copilot" and Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat to "Microsoft Copilot Chat", and older names may persist during the transition [28]. Microsoft's support pages therefore now refer to a "Microsoft Copilot licence". The AB-730 outline still uses the older "Microsoft 365 Copilot" wording, so this guide does too, and you should expect that wording on the exam [1].

Choosing a model and writing an effective prompt

Model selection is now an explicit AB-730 objective, folded into "Understand how to create an effective prompt" [1]. Microsoft documents a model selector at the top right of Copilot Chat, and by default Copilot uses a real-time router that picks a model for you [27].

Mode	What Microsoft says it does	When to choose it
Auto	Copilot determines which model to use [27]	Most everyday prompts
Quick response	Prioritises speed using a high-throughput model [27]	Short drafts, quick answers, simple rewrites
Think deeper	Uses a deeper reasoning model that plans, gathers context and checks its work [27]	Complex analysis, multi-step reasoning, decisions with trade-offs

The exam-relevant skill is matching the mode to the task, not memorising model names. Microsoft changes the named models in the menu often, so build your understanding around the three behaviours above.

Referencing the right resources is the other half of a strong prompt. In Microsoft 365 Copilot you type a forward slash (/) and start typing to reference a person, file, meeting or email [20]. With Work IQ turned off, or without a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence, only files can be referenced [20]. For prompt structure itself (goal, context, source and expectations), see our Microsoft 365 Copilot prompt engineering guide for AB-730.

Microsoft 365 Copilot lets you save, schedule and share prompts, and AB-730 lists each of these as a separate skill [1]. The licence rules differ for each action, which makes them good exam material.

Save a prompt

To save a prompt, run it first, then hover over it and select the bookmark icon, then Save prompt [21]. Saved prompts are "only visible to you" until you choose to share them [21]. They appear in Prompt Gallery under Your prompts [23].

Prompt Gallery organises prompts into Suggested (Microsoft-curated), Your prompts and team prompts, and Microsoft says prompts "can be saved and shared across teams using Prompt Gallery" [22]. To share with a team, open your saved prompt in Prompt Gallery, select the share option, choose to share to a team and pick the team [23]. You can also copy a link to a prompt, which Microsoft lists as available to customers with a Microsoft Copilot (work or school) licence [24].

Schedule a prompt

Scheduled prompts run a saved prompt automatically on a schedule. A Microsoft 365 Copilot licence is required, you can create up to 10 scheduled prompts, and scheduling is available in Copilot Chat, Teams and Outlook [26]. Microsoft's admin documentation also confirms that "the scheduled prompts feature no longer relies on Power Automate flows" [25]. Older study material that says scheduling needs Power Automate is out of date.

Action	How	Licence point to remember
Save	Bookmark icon, then Save prompt [21]	Saved prompts are private to you [21]
Share to a team	Prompt Gallery, share, choose a team [23]	Shared through Prompt Gallery [22]
Share by link	Copy link to prompt [24]	Microsoft Copilot (work or school) licence [24]
Schedule	Schedule this prompt [26]	Microsoft 365 Copilot licence, up to 10 schedules [26]

Scheduling also appears in the agents domain, where "Manage scheduled tasks or prompts" sits under Microsoft Copilot Cowork [1]. Learn the prompt-scheduling basics here, then see how Cowork extends them in our AB-730 exam update explainer.

How Copilot uses memory and custom instructions

Microsoft 365 Copilot memory is the AB-730 objective "Describe how Copilot uses memory and instructions" [1]. Microsoft defines memories as three things: saved memories, details inferred from chat history, and custom instructions [15]. Microsoft's admin documentation states that Copilot personalisation and memory "are in preview and subject to change", so check the current status before you sit the exam [15].

Saved memories

A saved memory is something Copilot keeps about you so it can personalise later answers. Saving is on by default, and you can ask Copilot directly to remember something, which shows a "Memory updated" confirmation [16]. You manage saved memories in Copilot Chat settings under Personalization, where you can view them, delete individual memories or delete all memories [16].

Two behaviours are worth memorising for the exam:

Turning off memory does not delete existing saved memories. You must delete them separately [16].
Deleting a chat does not delete saved memories that came from that chat [15].

Chat history and work insights

Copilot can also infer details from your past chats, such as your role and common tasks [16]. On work or school accounts this setting may read "Chat history & work insights". Turning it off deletes those inferences, although turning it back on within 30 days restores them [15][17]. Fully removing what Copilot has learned therefore takes two steps: delete your saved memories and turn off the chat history setting [17].

Custom instructions

Custom instructions are standing preferences that tell Copilot how to respond, such as tone or format. You set them under Personalization, then Custom instructions, and Microsoft says "In future Copilot conversations, Copilot remembers your preferences and uses it to tailor its responses to your needs" [18]. A toggle lets you switch them off without deleting them [18].

Temporary chats and admin controls

A temporary chat is a chat that does not access or store personalised information and does not appear in your chat history [17]. Your organisation's retention policies may still apply to it, and admins can access temporary chats in Microsoft Purview just like regular chats [15][17].

Admins control memory through a tenant setting called Enhanced personalization, which is on by default [15]. If an admin turns it off, users see custom instructions, saved memories and chat history as turned off and cannot turn them back on [15]. Memories are stored in a hidden folder in the user's Exchange mailbox, and Purview retention policies do not apply to Copilot memory [15].

Managing chats: find, rename, delete and filter

Managing chats in Microsoft 365 Copilot covers the AB-730 bullets "Find a previous chat", "Delete a chat" and "Rename a chat" [1]. These are simple tasks, but the exam can test where they live and what deletion actually removes.

Find a previous chat. Open the Chats list in the left navigation of Copilot Chat and select the conversation you want to revisit [19].
Rename a chat. Next to the chat title, select More (the three dots), then Rename [19].
Delete a chat. Select More, then Delete, which removes the conversation from your chat history [19].

Deleting a chat removes the conversation, but saved memories created from it stay until you delete them separately [15]. That distinction between chat history and memory is a likely exam trap.

Microsoft has also simplified the chat interface. A release note from August 2026 says web and work chats "are now unified into a single chat interface" with a Work IQ button that controls access to work data [29]. If your study material shows separate Web and Work tabs, it describes the older interface.

The outline adds one more chat skill in the agents domain: "Filter chats by agents" [1]. Treat it as part of the same habit of keeping your chat history organised, so you can find conversations you had with a specific agent.

What Copilot Notebooks are and how they ground answers

Microsoft 365 Copilot Notebooks are AI-powered workspaces where you gather files, pages, chats and other references for one project, and Copilot answers using only that curated content [4]. Microsoft states that in a notebook, Copilot "only uses the references you've added to the notebook to generate responses" and does not search your wider OneDrive, email, Teams chats or the web [4].

That scoped grounding is the core exam concept. In a normal Copilot Chat, Copilot can draw on Microsoft Graph and, if allowed, the web. In a notebook, you decide exactly what Copilot sees. To understand the wider grounding model, read our explainer on how Microsoft 365 Copilot works.

Supported references include Word, PowerPoint, Excel and PDF files, Copilot pages, Loop files, OneNote pages and notebooks, and web URLs [4]. Copilot can use up to 300 files in a notebook to generate answers, although Copilot Chat users are limited to 50 sources per notebook [4][5]. If you add a SharePoint folder or site, Copilot picks up to 300 relevant files from it, so add a critical file directly if it must be included [4].

Notebooks also support custom instructions per notebook. You set them inside the notebook itself, and anyone you share the notebook with can view them [7]. With a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence, you can generate an audio overview of a notebook's references, subject to daily usage limits [5][30].

The AB-730 objective "Organize and share information by using Notebooks" is listed under managing chats, because a notebook is where related chats, files and outputs are organised together [1]. The September 2026 Notebooks redesign describes a notebook as a persistent AI workspace that organises "related chats, output creations, and references" [29].

Sharing a notebook works by invitation. Select Share, enter names and select Invite [8]. Microsoft's current guidance includes several rules that make good exam questions:

Invited members get editing access. Read-only notebook members are not currently supported, and groups cannot be added [3].
Chats stay private. Chat conversations in a shared notebook are private, and each user has their own set of chats [9].
References come with it. Anyone you share a notebook with gains access to all the files referenced in the notebook [9].
No external sharing. Copilot Notebooks don't support external sharing [9].

Deleting a notebook is permanent. Microsoft states there is no end-user recycle bin for Copilot Notebooks, and admins cannot recover individually deleted notebooks [10]. Notebooks are stored in a personal SharePoint Embedded container that belongs to the creator and follows that person's account lifecycle [3][10].

One source conflict to be aware of: Microsoft's January 2026 comparison page describes full notebooks as private and only pages as shareable [11]. Microsoft's June 2026 FAQ and sharing page describe full notebook sharing [3][8]. Prepare using the newer guidance.

Notebook licensing

A Microsoft Copilot or Copilot Chat licence is required to use Copilot Notebooks, according to Microsoft's Notebooks FAQ, and accounts also need a SharePoint or OneDrive service plan [3]. Features differ by licence, as the licensing page shows [5]:

Capability	Copilot Chat	Microsoft 365 Copilot licence
Sources per notebook	Up to 50 [5]	Up to 300 [5]
Audio overviews	Not included [5]	Up to 20 per day [5]
URLs, Teams chats, meeting content, full OneNote notebooks, SharePoint and OneDrive references	Not supported [5]	Supported [5]
Suggested references	Not included [5]	Included with Work IQ [5]

Copilot Chat users can still add OneNote sections and OneNote or Loop pages to a notebook [5]. Microsoft notes that "users in the same organization may see different Copilot Notebooks features" because of these licence differences [5].

Copilot Pages: turning responses into shared, editable content

Copilot Pages is "a collaborative, editable canvas in Copilot chat", and it is the AB-730 skill "Collaborate on business content by using Copilot Pages" [1][12]. A page turns a one-off Copilot response into a lasting document that you and colleagues can keep refining.

To create a page, select the options below a Copilot Chat response, then Edit in Pages, and choose a new page or an existing one [13]. You can then edit the page directly or chat with Copilot to update it, and co-create with colleagues and Copilot in real time [13].

Key facts about Pages for AB-730:

Storage. A page is saved as a .page file in a user-owned SharePoint Embedded container [12].
Sharing. You share a specific page, not a whole notebook, with edit or read-only access [9].
Guests. External users cannot open shared Copilot Pages directly via link [9].
Opening. People you share a link with open the page in the Loop app [12].
Licence. Copilot Pages is available to people with SharePoint or OneDrive storage, even without a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence [12][14].

The licence contrast is worth remembering. Pages need SharePoint or OneDrive storage, while Notebooks need a Copilot or Copilot Chat licence [3][12].

Notebooks vs Pages vs Loop vs OneNote: which to use when

The difference between Copilot Pages and Copilot Notebooks is scope. A Page is a single editable canvas built from Copilot output for collaborative refinement. A Notebook is a project workspace that gathers many references so Copilot can answer using only that curated content. Loop handles live multi-user components, and OneNote handles manual note-taking [6][11].

Point	Copilot Pages	Copilot Notebooks	Microsoft Loop	OneNote
Main purpose	Capture and refine Copilot output [11]	Research and synthesis over chosen references [11]	Dynamic multi-user collaboration [11]	Manual notes and organisation [6]
AI integration	High [11]	Very high, grounded in notebook content [11]	Medium [11]	No content suggestions [6]
Structure	Flat [11]	Hierarchical [11]	Modular [11]	Sections and pages [6]
Deletion	Currently permanent [4]	Currently permanent, no end-user recycle bin [4][10]	Not covered here	Recycle bin available [6]

For exam scenarios, ask what the user is trying to do. A user who wants to polish a Copilot draft with colleagues needs a Page. A user who wants Copilot to answer only from a set of project files needs a Notebook. A user taking free-form handwritten meeting notes is better served by OneNote, which offers inking and version history [6]. Microsoft also notes that Loop is not required to use Copilot Notebooks [3].

Permissions and data protection points

Notebooks and Pages respect existing Microsoft 365 permissions. Microsoft states that Copilot "only surfaces organizational data to which individual users have at least view permissions" [28]. Prompts, responses and data accessed through Microsoft Graph are not used to train foundation models [28].

This connects to the fundamentals domain skill "Understand how data protection restricts prompt results" [1]. A notebook cannot give Copilot access to a file the user cannot already open. Sharing a notebook, however, does extend access to its referenced files, so share thoughtfully [9].

Exam-style scenarios and common traps

AB-730 questions are scenario-based, so practise translating a business need into the right feature. These worked examples show the reasoning, without reproducing any real exam content.

Scenario	Best fit	Why
A manager wants Copilot to answer questions using only 40 project documents	Copilot Notebook	Notebooks ground answers only on added references [4]
A team wants to co-edit a Copilot-drafted proposal	Copilot Page	Pages are editable, shareable canvases [12][13]
An analyst wants the same weekly status summary every Monday	Scheduled prompt	Requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence [26]
A user wants Copilot to always answer in bullet points	Custom instructions	Applied to future conversations [18]
A user wants a one-off chat that is not personalised or saved to history	Temporary chat	Does not use or store personal information [17]

Common traps to avoid:

Assuming deleting a chat deletes memories. It does not [15].
Assuming notebook members can be read-only. Invited members get editing access [3].
Assuming scheduled prompts need Power Automate. They no longer do [25].
Assuming Pages need a Copilot licence. They need SharePoint or OneDrive storage [12].
Assuming deleted notebooks can be restored. There is no end-user recycle bin [10].

For more scenario practice across every AB-730 domain, work through our AB-730 practice questions guide.

How to prepare for this part of AB-730

The most effective preparation is hands-on. If you have access to Microsoft 365 Copilot or Copilot Chat at work, create a notebook, add a few files, write notebook instructions, turn a response into a Page, and save and share a prompt. If you do not have a licence, our guide to getting Microsoft 365 Copilot experience without a paid licence covers practical options.

AB-730 is a 45-minute exam, you need a score of 700 or greater to pass, and you can retake it 24 hours after a first attempt [1][2]. Microsoft also offers a free practice assessment linked from the certification page [2]. Honest expectation-setting matters here: this domain looks simple, but the questions test precise behaviour, such as what deletion removes, who can edit and which licence unlocks which feature.

Build these features into a wider plan with our AB-730 30-day study plan and the complete guide to passing AB-730. Then test yourself with scenario questions on the AB-730 practice exam page.

Frequently asked questions

What are Microsoft 365 Copilot Notebooks?

Microsoft 365 Copilot Notebooks are AI-powered workspaces where you gather files, Copilot pages, chats and links for a project. Copilot then answers using only the references you added, not your wider OneDrive, email or the web. With a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence a notebook can use up to 300 files, and each notebook supports its own custom instructions.

What is the difference between Copilot Pages and Copilot Notebooks?

Copilot Pages is a single editable canvas created from a Copilot response, designed for co-editing with colleagues. Copilot Notebooks is a project workspace that collects many references so Copilot answers only from that content. Pages need SharePoint or OneDrive storage, while Notebooks need a Copilot or Copilot Chat licence.

Do Copilot Notebooks replace OneNote?

Copilot Notebooks do not replace OneNote. Notebooks organise references for AI-grounded answers, while OneNote is a manual note-taking app with sections, inking, tags, version history and a recycle bin. The two work together, because you can add OneNote pages and notebooks to a Copilot Notebook as references.

Does Microsoft 365 Copilot remember previous chats?

Microsoft 365 Copilot can remember saved memories and infer details from your chat history to personalise answers. You manage both in Settings under Personalization. Deleting a chat does not delete memories created from it, and Microsoft still describes Copilot memory as a preview feature that admins can turn off.

How do I set custom instructions in Microsoft 365 Copilot?

You set custom instructions in Copilot Chat settings under Personalization, then Custom instructions, then Edit. Copilot applies these preferences, such as tone or format, to future conversations. A toggle switches them off without deleting them. Individual Copilot Notebooks can also carry their own instructions, which you set inside that notebook.

Can you schedule a prompt in Microsoft 365 Copilot?

You can schedule a prompt in Microsoft 365 Copilot by hovering over it and selecting the option to schedule it. Scheduling requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence, supports up to 10 scheduled prompts and works in Copilot Chat, Teams and Outlook. It no longer relies on Power Automate flows.

What licence do I need for Copilot Notebooks?

Copilot Notebooks require a Microsoft Copilot or Copilot Chat licence, plus SharePoint or OneDrive service plans. Copilot Chat users get up to 50 sources per notebook, while Microsoft 365 Copilot licence holders get up to 300 sources, audio overviews, suggested references, and references to Teams chats, meetings and URLs.

Are Notebooks and Pages on the AB-730 exam?

Notebooks and Pages are both on the AB-730 exam from 20 October 2026. "Organize and share information by using Notebooks" sits in the 20-25% Manage prompts and chats domain. "Collaborate on business content by using Copilot Pages" sits in the meetings and collaboration skills of the business content domain.

Conclusion

The October 2026 AB-730 update turns everyday Copilot habits into examinable skills. You need to choose the right model mode and reference the right resources. You also need to save, share and schedule prompts with the correct licence, and explain how memory and instructions personalise answers. Notebooks and Pages complete the picture. Know what each feature does, who can edit it and what deletion really removes.

When you are ready to test that knowledge under exam conditions, start practising for AB-730 on the AB-730 exam page. You can also browse every certification on the Examinotion exam hub.

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AB-730 Copilot Notebooks, Pages and Memory: What You Need to Know for 2026

Which AB-730 objectives this guide covers