Unlocking the Power of Copilot Agents in SharePoint and OneDrive

You see lots of information in SharePoint and OneDrive every day. Many companies keep up to 25 TB in each site. They can have up to 2 million sites.

It is hard to find answers in all these files. People often have trouble syncing files. Documents are not always organized well. Metadata is sometimes not the same everywhere. Copilot agents help you with these problems. You can ask questions using normal words. You get fast answers from your own files. With copilot, you do not need to look for things by hand. You get quick and correct results. This saves you time. The setup is simple. The licensing is clear. It is easy for users to start. Teams work better and faster.

Key Takeaways

• Copilot agents make finding files easier in SharePoint and OneDrive. You can ask questions using simple words. You get fast answers without looking for files yourself.

• To use copilot agents, you need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Make sure your group has the right licenses. This helps you use all features and not miss anything.

• Copilot agents help people work together better. Teams can use the same agents to find facts and summaries. This saves time and helps everyone work well together.

• Testing and feedback help make copilot agents better. Check how they work often. Change things based on what users say to get better results.

• Security is very important with copilot agents. Always ask people to sign in. Control who can see files to keep your data safe.

Copilot Agents Overview

Key Features

Copilot agents help you do tasks in SharePoint and OneDrive. They make it easier to find answers and compare files. You can get summaries fast. You do not have to open every file or folder. Copilot gives you results from your own files right away.

Here is a table that shows what copilot agents do in SharePoint and OneDrive:

You can turn SharePoint sites or files into agents for special jobs. Pick the files, folders, or sites you want. Then, make agents that help with your needs. You can share these agents with your team in Teams chats or meetings. This helps your team work faster and better.

To use copilot agents, you need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. The license lets you use your work data and get full answers. If you do not have the license, you might miss some info. Answers may not be complete. People with licenses get everything they need without paying more.

Collaboration Benefits

Copilot agents help your team work together well. You can ask copilot to find facts or compare numbers. It can also summarize reports. Everyone in your group can use the same agent to get answers from shared files. This saves time and keeps your team on track.

You do not need special skills or coding to use Microsoft Copilot. You set up agents with just a few clicks. You can share agents in meetings or chats. Everyone gets the same help. Microsoft Copilot makes teamwork simple and helps you stay organized.

Tip: Use Microsoft Copilot agents to answer questions in meetings. You can get facts and summaries without leaving the chat.

Copilot agents work with SharePoint and OneDrive to give you quick and correct results. You spend less time searching and more time working with your team.

Setting Up Copilot Agents

Setting up copilot agents in SharePoint and OneDrive helps you get answers from your files quickly. You do not need to be a developer or have special skills. You only need the right Microsoft Copilot licenses and access to the admin center. Let’s look at the steps and controls you need.

Microsoft Copilot Licensing

Before you start, you must have the correct licenses. Microsoft Copilot uses a few types of licenses to make sure you and your team can use all features. Here is a table that explains the main license types:

You need a Microsoft 365 account to get started. If you want to try new features, you can start a Copilot Studio trial. This trial lets you explore and test copilot agents before you buy more licenses.

Note: Make sure your admin assigns the right licenses to everyone who will use copilot agents. This helps avoid problems later.

Admin Controls

You can set up copilot agents in a few easy steps. You do not need to write any code. The admin center gives you tools to manage everything. Here is a simple list to help you get started:

1. Get a Microsoft 365 account for your organization.

2. Start a Copilot Studio trial if you want to test features.

3. Create a new developer environment in Microsoft Copilot Studio.

4. Make a new SharePoint site for your team or project.

After you finish these steps, you can use the Agent Builder in Microsoft Copilot. This tool lets you create agents without coding. You can pick the files and folders you want the agent to use. You can also set up how the agent answers questions.

• You can customize agents for your own use.

• You can adjust sharing settings to let others use your agent.

• You can share agents with everyone in your company or just with certain people.

• To share, select the agent, choose the sharing option, and pick the users or groups.

Tip: Use the Agent Builder to make agents that help your team with daily tasks. You can update agents anytime as your needs change.

Microsoft Copilot gives you strong admin controls. You can manage who can create, edit, or use agents. You can also check activity logs to see how agents are used. This helps keep your SharePoint and OneDrive data safe.

If you run into problems, check your licenses and sharing settings first. Most issues come from missing licenses or wrong permissions. The admin center shows alerts if something needs your attention.

Setting up copilot agents is simple. You only need the right licenses and a few clicks in the admin center. You can help your team find answers faster and work better together.

Data Sources and Access

SharePoint Document Libraries

You use lots of files in SharePoint every day. Copilot helps you find answers fast. You do not need to look in every folder. You do not have to open each document. Copilot agents check your SharePoint document libraries. They give you the info you need.

Copilot can search many kinds of files. Here are some file types copilot supports in SharePoint:

• Word documents

• Excel files

• PowerPoint presentations

• PDF files

You can ask questions about your files. Copilot will find the answers for you. It is easy to get summaries or compare data. You can check facts quickly. You do not need to know where the file is. Copilot searches your SharePoint document libraries. It brings you the results.

Copilot agents can connect to other data sources too. You can use these sources to get more answers:

• Bing Search

• Bing Custom Search

• Azure OpenAI on your data

• Documents uploaded to Dataverse

• SharePoint (only modern pages)

• OneDrive for Business

• Custom data from inside or outside your company

Note: Copilot does not use SharePoint pages or posts for answers. It only looks at files like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF.

You can trust copilot to help you work faster in SharePoint. You get the right info without wasting time.

OneDrive Data Integration

You keep many important files in OneDrive. Copilot makes it easy to use this info. When you use copilot with OneDrive, you can ask questions. You get answers from your own files. You do not need to remember file names. You do not need to know folder paths.

Copilot works with these file types in OneDrive:

• Word documents

• Excel files

• PowerPoint presentations

• PDF files

You can use copilot to summarize reports. You can compare numbers or find key points. Copilot searches your OneDrive and gives you quick answers. You save time and stay organized.

Copilot agents help you use SharePoint and OneDrive together. You can get answers from all your files in one place. This helps you and your team work better.

Tip: Always check that your files are in the right format. Copilot works best with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files.

You can count on copilot to search your OneDrive and SharePoint files. You get answers fast. You do not have to search by hand. Copilot agents make your work easier. They help you find what you need.

Security and Authentication

Microsoft Entra ID

You need strong sign-in steps to keep your data safe. SharePoint and OneDrive use copilot agents. Users must sign in before they see any info. Microsoft Entra ID helps you manage sign-ins for everyone. It supports different ways to sign in, like client secrets and federated credentials. In Copilot Studio, you can use the built-in 'Sign in' topic. This makes users sign in every time they use copilot.

Microsoft Entra ID does more than just sign-ins. It helps with who can do what, protects identities, and controls access. You can see who uses copilot and when. You can turn on multifactor sign-in for extra safety. This makes sure only trusted people get to your files.

Tip: Always make users sign in with Microsoft Entra ID. This keeps your SharePoint and OneDrive data safe.

Permissions Management

You control who uses copilot agents by setting permissions. Users must sign in before they create, change, or use agents. Admins like AI Admin, Global Admin, and Global Reader can manage copilot agents and connectors in the admin center. You can give permissions to the whole company, groups, or single users. The Copilot Control System lets you pick if all, none, or some groups can use each agent.

Follow these best steps for sign-ins and permissions:

• Use Lockbox and Dataverse audit to protect your company.

• Stop public access with Azure Virtual Network and firewalls.

• Use Microsoft Entra Conditional Access for devices and networks.

• Only let agents see the data sources users need.

• Use Power Platform RBAC to give users the right roles.

• Set up rules for data at the environment or company level.

• Limit where agents can be shared to stop leaks.

You should check your sharing rules and use Microsoft Purview Information Protection to label private data. Always make users sign in and check permissions often. This keeps your copilot agents and SharePoint data safe.

Optimizing Copilot Agents

You can make copilot work better by testing and fixing things. Improving your setup helps your team do more in SharePoint. These steps help everyone work faster and smarter.

Testing Scenarios

Testing shows if copilot works well for your team. Try different things to see if copilot gives good answers. Here are some ways you can test your copilot agents:

• Write down your tests. Keep a list of what you try and what should happen. This helps you find problems early.

• Ask users for feedback. Find out what they like and what needs fixing. Their ideas can help you make better instructions.

• Check analytics and logs. Look at chat records and see how often copilot is right. This shows where copilot can improve.

• Make small updates. Change instructions one step at a time. Test each change before using it everywhere.

• Keep testing and learning. Try, learn, and fix things. Doing this helps you get better results over time.

• Use version control. Keep track of changes to your instructions. This helps you go back if something does not work.

Tip: Always let real users help with testing. Their feedback helps you build copilot agents that solve real problems.

Troubleshooting

Sometimes, copilot does not find the right info. You can fix most problems by following these steps:

1. Check your knowledge sources. Make sure all files are there and refresh the knowledge base.

2. Look at agent settings. Make sure all connections work and sign-in tokens are good.

3. Try simple questions. Ask basic things to see where the problem starts.

4. Republish the agent. Update the agent’s setup to refresh its settings.

5. Clear the agent cache. Start a new session or use incognito mode to see if the problem goes away.

You can also use some ideas to keep copilot agents working well. Here is a table with some strategies:

Keep making copilot better so it stays helpful and correct. As your data and needs change, update your setup. This keeps copilot agents useful for everyone in SharePoint. When you check analytics and listen to users, you make sure copilot always gives the best answers.

---

You can get more work done in SharePoint with copilot agents. They help you finish tasks faster. Copilot agents also help you keep your documents neat. They make searching for files easier. Setting up copilot agents the right way keeps your data safe. Having the right license helps protect private info and follow the rules.

Try using copilot agents to work together with your team. They help new people join quickly. Users can give feedback by clicking thumbs-up or thumbs-down emojis. If you want to learn more, check out Microsoft’s official guides.

FAQ

How do I start using Copilot agents in SharePoint or OneDrive?

You need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Go to the admin center, set up your environment, and use the Agent Builder. You can pick files and share agents with your team in just a few clicks.

Can I use Copilot agents without coding skills?

Yes! You do not need to write any code. The Agent Builder gives you a simple way to create and manage agents. You can set up everything with easy steps and menus.

What file types does Copilot support?

Copilot works with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files. You can ask questions about these files, and Copilot will find answers for you.

Tip: Keep your files in these formats for the best results.

How do I keep my data safe when using Copilot agents?

You control access with Microsoft Entra ID and permissions. Always require users to sign in. Set sharing rules for each agent. Check activity logs to see who uses your agents.