4.3.2. Creating, Testing, and Publishing Agents

💡 First Principle: Agents are built in Copilot Studio using a no-code/low-code interface — you define the agent's name, purpose, knowledge sources (SharePoint sites, uploaded documents, external URLs), and behavior. Before any user sees it, the agent must be tested to verify it returns accurate responses and stays within its intended scope.

Agent creation steps in Copilot Studio:

1. Define: Name the agent, write a description, configure its persona (how it should respond)
2. Add knowledge: Connect to SharePoint sites, upload documents, connect to external APIs
3. Configure behavior: Set conversation starters, define topics it should handle or avoid
4. Test: Use the built-in testing interface to validate responses — check accuracy, scope, and edge cases
5. Publish: Submit for approval (if org-wide), then publish to the chosen channel (Teams, SharePoint, Copilot Chat)

Knowledge sources an agent can use:

• SharePoint sites and document libraries
• Uploaded files (PDFs, Word docs)
• Public websites (agent can be configured to browse specific URLs)
• External data via connectors (Power Platform connectors, REST APIs)
• Dataverse tables

💡 Key Point: An agent is only as good as its knowledge sources. An agent connected to an outdated SharePoint site will give outdated answers. Agents require ongoing maintenance — their knowledge sources must stay current.

⚠️ Exam Trap: Copilot Studio is the tool for creating agents. It is a separate product from the Microsoft 365 admin center, and it uses Power Platform infrastructure under the hood. This is why agent monitoring is done in both the M365 admin center (for Copilot-side metrics) and the Power Platform admin center (for agent-side metrics).

Reflection Question: A user builds an agent connected to the company's public-facing FAQ SharePoint site. After publishing, users report that the agent gives correct answers about current products but wrong answers about prices. What is the most likely root cause, and what maintenance action is needed?