Enabling Pay-as-you-go SharePoint Agents for Non-Copilot Users
Think about having tools you need without big monthly costs. That’s what pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents give non-Copilot users. This pricing plan charges only $0.01 per message. It’s a cheaper option than the $30 per user monthly fee. You can also buy a pack of 25,000 messages at the same price. This way, you only pay for what you use.
Turning on this feature is easy. Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center. Click on Setup, then scroll to Billing and licenses. Choose Activate pay-as-you-go services. Pick your Azure subscription and save the settings. Now, you’re all set!
Key Takeaways
Pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents only charge for what you use. This makes them cheaper than paying fixed monthly fees.
Setting up these agents is easy. Follow steps in Microsoft 365 admin center to turn them on.
These agents do tasks automatically. They save time and make work smoother without needing tech expertise.
Watch your usage and set alerts. This helps avoid surprise costs and keeps spending under control.
Teach your team how to use SharePoint agents well. This boosts their benefits and helps everyone work better.
Understanding Pay-as-you-go SharePoint Agents
What are SharePoint agents?
SharePoint agents work like helpers in Microsoft 365. They do tasks for you, find information, and make workflows smoother. These tools save time by handling boring or repeated jobs. For example, they can sort files, set permissions, or answer questions about SharePoint. You don’t need special tech skills to use them. They are simple and easy to understand.
How does the pay-as-you-go model work?
Pay-as-you-go means you pay only for what you use. Instead of a monthly fee, you’re charged for the tasks agents complete. For example, if agents handle 1,000 tasks, you pay for those 1,000 tasks. Here’s a table comparing this model to fixed pricing:
This model is great for teams with changing needs or new users trying SharePoint agents.
Benefits of pay-as-you-go for non-Copilot users
Pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents are helpful for non-Copilot users. First, they save money. You don’t need to pay a big monthly fee, so it’s easier to stick to your budget. Second, they grow with you. Small teams or big groups can use more or less as needed. Third, they let you test features. You can try new tools without spending too much. This makes it a smart choice for teams wanting better workflows without high costs.
Prerequisites for Enabling Pay-as-you-go
Required SharePoint subscription or licensing
To use pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents, you need the right plan. A Microsoft 365 plan with SharePoint is required. Not sure about your plan? Check it in the Microsoft 365 admin center. You also need an active Azure subscription for billing. Without these, you can’t turn on the feature.
Tip: Don’t have an Azure subscription? Create one easily in the Azure portal. Link it to your Microsoft 365 account for smooth setup.
Permissions and administrative access
Permissions are important for setting up pay-as-you-go agents. You must have admin access in both Microsoft 365 and Azure. The admin should be an owner or contributor for the Azure subscription. In SharePoint, permissions decide what users can do. Here’s a simple guide:
Note: Use SharePoint groups to assign permissions. This keeps things simple and consistent.
System requirements and billing policies
Your system must meet certain needs to enable pay-as-you-go agents. First, you need an Azure resource group for billing and tracking. Then, follow these steps to set up billing:
Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center as a Global or SharePoint Admin.
Go to "Pay-as-you-go services" under organizational settings.
Click the "Agents in SharePoint" tab in the Billing section.
Add your Azure subscription, region, and resource group to finish setup.
Tip: Check your billing policies to avoid unexpected charges. Set usage limits and alerts to manage costs easily.
Step-by-step Guide to Configuring Pay-as-you-go SharePoint Agents
Accessing the Microsoft 365 admin center
To begin, open the Microsoft 365 admin center. Follow these steps:
Sign in to your Microsoft 365 account with your work or school login.
Click the grid icon (app launcher) in the top-left corner. Select "Admin" to open the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Inside, go to Settings and then Org Settings.
Find the Pay-as-you-go services option and click it.
Tip: Unsure if you have admin rights? Ask your IT team. Only global or SharePoint admins can make these changes.
You can also access the agent chat pane from any SharePoint site. Click the Copilot icon in the top-right corner. The chat pane will appear on the right side of your screen.
Enabling the pay-as-you-go feature
Turning on the pay-as-you-go feature is simple. Here’s how:
In the admin center, go to the Billing tab under Pay-as-you-go services.
Choose Agents in SharePoint from the list of services.
Fill out the form with these details:
Azure Subscription: Link to an active Azure subscription.
Region: Enter the region where your resources are located.
Resource Group: Pick or create a group for billing and tracking.
Click Save to complete the setup.
Note: Each environment can only use one billing plan. Ensure the Azure subscription matches your organization’s billing rules.
Here’s a quick summary of the steps:
Configuring usage limits and notifications
Set limits and alerts to avoid surprise costs. This helps you stay within budget while using pay-as-you-go agents.
In the admin center, go to Settings > Integrated apps.
Adjust settings to control agent usage. Limit access to certain Microsoft Entra groups or keep default settings.
Use Azure Cost Management to track usage. Set alerts to notify you when usage nears your limits.
Pro Tip: Check usage stats in the Power Platform Admin Center. This shows which agents use the most resources.
Here’s a table of common usage limits:
By setting these controls, you can keep your pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents affordable and effective.
Verifying the setup and testing functionality
After turning on the pay-as-you-go feature, you need to check if it works. Testing ensures your SharePoint agents are ready to help your team. Follow these simple steps:
1. Check the Billing Link
Make sure your Azure subscription is connected to SharePoint. Here's how:
Open the Microsoft 365 admin center and go to Billing.
Click Pay-as-you-go services and find "Agents in SharePoint."
Confirm the Azure subscription, region, and resource group are correct.
Tip: If details are wrong, check the Azure subscription ID you used during setup.
2. Test Agent Access
Ensure users can use the agents. Visit a SharePoint site:
Open a site with agents enabled.
Click the Copilot icon in the top-right corner to open the chat.
Ask a question like, "Show me recent files in this library."
If the agent doesn’t reply, check user permissions. Make sure the user has access to the SharePoint agents.
3. Check Usage Tracking
Verify that usage data is being recorded. This helps track costs and performance:
Open Azure Cost Management.
Find the resource group linked to your SharePoint agents.
Confirm metrics like completed tasks are being tracked.
Pro Tip: Test with multiple users to ensure tracking works for all accounts.
4. Test Agent Tasks
Try out the agents to see if they work properly. Examples include:
File Sorting: Ask the agent to organize files into folders.
Permissions: Have the agent set permissions for a library.
Info Search: Request details about a project or team.
If tasks fail, check the admin center settings. Ensure permissions and integrations are correct.
Note: Real-world tests can reveal problems before sharing the feature with everyone.
5. Check Alerts and Notifications
Test if usage alerts work. Simulate high usage or hit a limit to trigger notifications. This ensures you’ll know about unusual activity or costs.
By following these steps, you can confirm your SharePoint agents are ready to support your team effectively.
Managing Usage and Costs Effectively
Keeping track of how you use pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents helps you save money. By checking dashboards, setting alerts, and improving performance, you can use these tools wisely without spending too much.
Watching usage with dashboards
Dashboards help you see how much you're using and spending. They show clear details about your SharePoint agents. Here are some tools you can use:
These tools make it easy to see where your money is going. For example, Microsoft Cost Management shows expenses for your whole organization. SharePoint Advanced Management gives details about how agents are used on different sites. Dashboards help you spot trends and adjust usage to stay within your budget.
Tip: Check Site Usage Data often to find the most useful agents. Focus on these to get the best value for your team.
Setting alerts for spending limits
Surprise bills are never fun. Alerts help you know when you're close to your budget limit. Here's how to set them up:
Use Microsoft Cost Management to make budgets and set alerts. For example, get notified when you’ve spent 80% of your budget.
In the Azure portal, set cost alerts for your resource group. This warns you if usage suddenly increases.
Turn on notifications in the SharePoint admin center to track agent usage. Alerts can show unusual activity early.
Pro Tip: Combine alerts with dashboards for better cost control. This helps you act fast if something seems wrong.
Improving agent performance to save money
Making your SharePoint agents work better saves money and time. Here’s how to do it:
Limit Access: Let only certain groups use the agents. This avoids extra costs from unnecessary usage.
Track Usage: Use tools like File Statistics to see how agents are used. Turn off agents that don’t add value.
Simplify Tasks: Break big jobs into smaller ones for agents. For example, sort files in smaller batches instead of all at once.
Use IT Asset Management: SharePoint’s IT tools help you track and manage agent costs easily.
By following these tips, you can get the most out of your pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents without overspending.
Note: Review usage data often and update your plans. This keeps your agents working well and your costs under control.
Implementing departmental or group billing policies
Managing costs for different teams can be hard. Departmental billing policies make it simple. These policies let you assign billing plans to teams. This helps track spending better and avoid surprises.
Why use departmental billing policies?
Each team uses SharePoint agents differently. For example, marketing might organize campaigns, while HR handles hiring tasks. With these policies, costs match actual usage. This keeps things fair and helps you stay on budget.
How does it work?
Here’s how it works:
Link environments to Azure subscriptions: Connect each environment to an active Azure subscription. This ensures extra usage is billed correctly.
Assign billing plans: Each environment gets one billing plan. This plan tracks and bills usage.
Use Azure resource groups and tags: Tags help assign costs to specific teams. They make tracking easier.
Tip: Use Azure’s real-time cost tools to check billing. Fix issues quickly if something seems wrong.
Real-world examples
Companies use these policies to simplify operations. Here’s what they do:
Benefits of departmental billing policies
These policies do more than track costs—they improve efficiency. Here’s how:
Transparency: See exactly what each team spends on SharePoint agents.
Control: Set spending limits for each team.
Flexibility: Change billing plans as teams grow or shift.
For example, one company made workspaces for each team in SharePoint. They automated tasks and improved teamwork. By optimizing for mobile devices, they boosted productivity. Departmental billing policies kept costs under control during these changes.
Getting started
Follow these steps to set up policies:
Set up Azure resource groups: Make groups for each team.
Apply tags: Use tags to track spending by team.
Monitor usage: Check dashboards to see how teams use SharePoint agents.
Adjust policies: Update billing plans based on usage data.
These steps ensure your pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents work for everyone without overspending.
Next Steps After Enabling Pay-as-you-go SharePoint Agents
Teaching your team to use SharePoint agents
After setting up pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents, teach your team how to use them. Training can be simple. Start with the Quick Start Guide or the Getting Started Guide. These guides show how to create and manage agents step by step.
For specific tasks, check the Scenario Playbook. It explains common ways to use agents to make work easier. The Customer Adoption Guide can help you plan how to introduce agents to your whole team.
Tip: Share the User Help and Learning page with your team. It has easy instructions and answers to common questions.
Trying advanced settings and integrations
To get more from SharePoint agents, explore advanced settings. For example, connect SharePoint to Microsoft Teams chats. This lets users see data without signing in again. Change agent settings to "Authenticate with Microsoft" for smooth use across platforms.
You can also improve security by setting scopes in Microsoft Entra ID app registration. Add SharePoint URLs in the "Data source" settings. This helps agents give better answers by using the right information.
Pro Tip: If your team has Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses, you can work with bigger files (up to 200 MB) and more file types like Word, PowerPoint, and PDFs.
Checking usage and growing as needed
Once agents are active, watch how they’re used. Tools like Microsoft Cost Management and SharePoint Advanced Management show usage trends. See which features teams use most. Look for tasks that could be automated to save time.
Use this data to grow your setup. Ask users what they need or what’s not working. Make changes slowly to avoid problems. For example, let more teams use agents or add new data sources one step at a time.
Note: Check usage data often to get the best value from your pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents. This keeps costs low and boosts productivity.
Enabling pay-as-you-go SharePoint agents gives you flexibility, cost savings, and the chance to scale as your team grows. You only pay for what you use, making it a smart choice for teams with changing needs or tight budgets. Plus, the setup process is straightforward, so you can get started quickly.
Take the first step today! Follow the guide to activate this feature and unlock the potential of SharePoint agents for your team.
Keep an eye on usage and costs to ensure long-term success. With the right strategies, you’ll maximize value while keeping expenses under control.
FAQ
1. What happens if I exceed my usage limit?
If you use more than your limit, extra charges apply. These charges follow the pay-as-you-go rate. To avoid surprises, set alerts in Azure Cost Management. Alerts will warn you when you’re close to your limit.
2. Can I switch back to a fixed pricing model later?
Yes, switching back is easy. Turn off the pay-as-you-go feature in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Then, choose a fixed pricing plan that works for your team.
3. How do I track which team uses the most resources?
You can track team usage with Azure resource groups and tags. Use dashboards in Microsoft Cost Management and SharePoint Advanced Management. These tools show which teams are using the most resources.
4. Are there any hidden fees with pay-as-you-go agents?
No, there are no hidden fees. You only pay for what you use. Make sure your Azure subscription is active and set up correctly. Incorrect billing settings might cause unexpected charges.
5. Can I use pay-as-you-go agents with other Microsoft 365 tools?
Yes, you can! These agents work well with Microsoft Teams and Power Automate. They help make workflows smoother and improve productivity across tools.
Tip: Try advanced integrations to get even more benefits from your agents.