How to Create and Manage a Microsoft Teams Copilot Agent

Creating and managing a Teams Copilot Agent can significantly enhance your team's productivity and streamline various tasks. In this blog post, we'll walk you through the steps to set up and configure your agent, along with some useful tips to optimize its performance.

Pre-requisites

Before you start, ensure you have access to Copilot in Teams. You may need to be part of the ACL Group that manages access to the agent. Additionally, users in this group must have access to the SharePoint folder where the source data is located.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Navigate to Copilot in Teams

In Teams, go to the Copilot section under "Chats."

2. Create an Agent

Click on "Create an Agent" and then select "Configure."

3. Select a Template

You can choose a template that will auto-populate instructions and other fields. These instructions essentially define the persona your agent will assume.

Tip: Pick a template of the kind of agent you want, then place the instructions template in ChatGPT or Copilot or OCI Gen AI and ask it to create a persona based on a given context of your choosing.

4. Point the Agent at Source Data

In the "Knowledge" section, point the agent at the source data. Place the files that will serve as the content for the agent in SharePoint or Teams. You can add up to 20 sources in SharePoint.

Tip: Avoid versioning files; store the latest version of the document. Organize the content and folders the agent is pointing to for higher accuracy.

5. Configure Agent Capabilities

If you want to build an agent that generates images or writes code exclusively, check the respective boxes. For a general-purpose conversational agent, leave these boxes unchecked.

6. Set Starter Prompts

These are prompts users will see when they start a conversation with the agent. You can hardcode common prompts to get users started.

7. Create the Agent

Once all the information is filled out, hit "Create" (top right).

8. Set Access Controls

Enter the ACLs to expose the agent to specific users. Copy the link to the agent and share it with the people who will access it (they also need to have Copilot).

Tip: Individual users may not work depending on your company policies; only ACL groups.

Editing an Agent

To edit an agent, go back to "Create an Agent," click on "View all agents," and navigate to the one you want to edit. You can change the instructions or access settings as needed.

If you are using Microsoft Teams, you can create very useful Agents on top of your existing data and make research, discovery and troubleshooting more engaging, it is a great way to assist new employees or help enhance productivity in general!