M365 Copilot Agents: Specialized AI assistants for your work processes

M365 Copilot Agents: Specialized AI assistants for your work processes

Microsoft 365 Copilot Agents are far more than simple chatbots. They act as specialized digital colleagues that take on targeted expert tasks. Unlike the general Copilot chat, agents access specific knowledge bases to deliver precise answers for your day-to-day projects—an essential advantage, especially in document-intensive industries such as construction.

The difference: Copilot vs. Copilot Agents
While the standard Copilot chat functions as a generalist, agents are specialists. Accessing company-specific documents (e.g., bills of quantities in SharePoint or Excel lists) requires the licensed version of Microsoft 365 Copilot. Agents can be configured to assist only you personally or to act as team assistants within Microsoft Teams channels.

Efficient data analysis with the “Analyst”
Microsoft already provides pre-trained agents. A prime example is the Analyst agent, which is designed to analyze complex datasets in seconds.

  • Analysis of large files: Upload extensive Excel spreadsheets to identify trends or outliers.

  • Targeted queries: Ask the agent for specific values, such as the total costs for a particular trade in a cost calculation sheet.

  • Visualization: The Analyst can detect data patterns and present them graphically, accelerating decision-making.

Use case: The project agent in the construction industry
Construction projects, in particular, generate enormous volumes of documentation. This is where a custom-built agent truly shows its full potential. Imagine a “construction project agent” with access to all building permits, safety regulations, and supplier lists for a current construction project.

Employees on the construction site or in the office can ask directly via Teams: “Who is responsible for the technical acceptance in construction section B?” or “Where can I find the current fire safety requirements for this project?” The agent delivers the answer immediately and links directly to the relevant source document in SharePoint.

Creating and configuring your own agents
Creation is intuitive via Copilot Studio Light or directly from SharePoint. You define three core areas:

  • Instructions: Specify how the agent should communicate (e.g., factual and technical) and what it is allowed to focus on.

  • Knowledge base: Connect the agent to specific SharePoint folders or OneDrive files.

  • Starter prompts: Provide the team with example questions to make it easier to get started with the interaction.

Integration and collaboration in Microsoft Teams
A major advantage is the seamless integration into the existing work environment. You can integrate a SharePoint agent directly into a Teams channel. Using the @mention feature, you can involve the agent in a conversation just like a real colleague:

  • Give the agent a memorable name (e.g., “Project Assistant”).

  • Use the agent during a channel meeting to quickly verify facts from project documents.

  • Security: Permissions remain intact. An agent only responds to a user based on the documents for which that user actually has read access.

Conclusion for your daily work
Copilot Agents help break down knowledge silos. Whether as an onboarding assistant for new employees or as a specialized data expert for large-scale projects, agents take over time-consuming research tasks—allowing you to focus on the professional execution of your work.