Agents in Microsoft 365

Meet the new agents in Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 Agents are intelligent assistants powered by Microsoft 365 Copilot that help teams work smarter and faster. They help streamline daily tasks by automating workflows, suggesting actions, and pulling in relevant data when it’s needed most. Agents can range from simple prompt-driven helpers to advanced declarative agents grounded in your businesses work data such as files, emails, meetings, SharePoint, or Microsoft Graph these agents adapt to different business needs.

They work seamlessly across apps like Teams, Outlook, Word, and Excel, Microsoft 365 reducing manual effort, enhancing decision-making, and boosting productivity, which enables your teams to focus more on strategic, high-value work.

How can Microsoft 365 Agents enhance your everyday work?

Microsoft 365 Agents can suggest content, responses, or actions in apps like Teams, Outlook, Word, and Excel.

They also automate repetitive workflows and common business processes, reducing manual effort and freeing up time for more strategic tasks. Whether it’s managing routine approvals or generating weekly reports, agents help streamline operations.

By pulling in business data, they deliver contextually relevant insights. Agents can be pre-built, shared across teams, or custom-built to suit your specific business needs.

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Using agents in Microsoft 365 delivers a wealth of benefits to both individuals and businesses

By automating repetitive tasks and providing quick answers without the need to switch between apps, agents save valuable time and keep work flowing smoothly. Agents also help teams make better decisions by consolidating data, identifying trends, summarising content, and delivering insights that are filtered and relevant to the task at hand.

Beyond efficiency, agents add consistency and accuracy to everyday work, ensuring that tasks like drafting documents, summarising information, or retrieving key details are handled promptly and reliably. They are deployed as pre-built solutions or custom creations helping standardise processes and improve productivity across your business.

Licensing and access details for Microsoft 365 Agents

Microsoft 365 Agents are included with Microsoft 365 Copilot, but access and functionality vary by licence. Users with a Copilot licence can use built-in agents in Copilot Chat, with features grounded in public data at no extra cost. Agents that access internal business data from SharePoint or Microsoft Graph, may incur usage-based charges.

To build or customise agents and connect to premium data sources, a Copilot Studio subscription is needed. While some basic agents are available with standard Microsoft 365 plans, full functionality depends on your organisation’s licence and admin setup.

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Licensing requirements for Microsoft 365 Agents

Licence / Subscription	What it provides for Agents
Microsoft 365 Copilot	Includes built-in access to agents. Users with this licence get agents in Copilot Chat, and certain agent capabilities grounded in public/web data come at no extra charge. Agents that access work tenant data (e.g. SharePoint, Graph connectors) may incur usage-based billing.
Copilot Studio	Needed for building or publishing custom agents, connecting to premium data connectors and deploying agents across channels. Also includes “Copilot Credits” that measure usage of more complex agent tasks.
Free / Basic Copilot Chat	Some agents (declarative agents grounded in public websites or instructions) are available with no extra cost for Microsoft 365 users. But features that use shared tenant work-data or premium connectors are either off by default or billed separately.

Important setup requirements for Microsoft 365 Agents

To use Microsoft 365 Agents effectively, some configuration may be needed. Admins often need to enable agent access and adjust tenant settings to ensure the right permissions and data policies are in place.

Agents that access organisational data may also involve additional costs. These features can require Copilot Credits, metered usage, or a Copilot Studio subscription, particularly when using premium connectors or building custom agents.

Full agent capabilities are only available with certain licences, such as Microsoft 365 enterprise plans with the Copilot add-on. Businesses may need to review their licensing to ensure full access to all agent features.

Declarative agents deliver simple automation without the need for custom code

Declarative agents work through clear, rule-based instructions instead of custom code. They are ideal for automating predictable tasks such as answering routine questions, processing requests, or guiding users through workflows.

For example, they can manage IT support enquiries, handle HR policy queries, or perform simple data lookups. And, because they require no coding, these agents are accessible to a wide range of users across the business.

Grounding agents in your business data

Agents can be “grounded” in your businesses internal data sources such as documents, emails, meetings, Teams chats, SharePoint libraries, and Microsoft Graph. This grounding enables them to deliver contextually accurate, real-time responses based on your business data.

Your sales team could use an agent that automatically pulls in meeting notes, upcoming deadlines, and CRM records saving them so much time and gaining real time insight in a flash. While grounding makes agents more powerful and personalised, tenant-level data access may involve usage-based billing.

The diffferent types of built-in and pre-made agents that are ready to go

Microsoft 365 includes a library of pre-configured agents that can be used instantly. These roles such as the “Analyst” for data summarisation or the “Researcher” for sourcing information (also called AI Teammates) help support tasks like analysis, content creation, and ideation.

Built-in agents require no additional setup and are available to Copilot-licensed users within the Copilot interface. Many additional options are available in the Agent Store’s growing catalogue of ready-to-use solutions designed to assist with common business needs.

Custom agents with Copilot Studio deliver the most advanced functionality

For advanced or specialised use cases, Microsoft Copilot Studio allows businesses to create custom agents using a no-code/low-code approach. These agents can integrate with proprietary systems, connect via premium data connectors, and support unique workflows. Eg. a finance team could develop an agent to automate procurement approvals or the HR team could build an agent to guide new employees through onboarding. Custom agents are highly versatile and can be shared across teams, scaled to fit business growth, and refined as requirements evolve.

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Getting started with Microsoft 365 Agents is straightforward

The first step is to check that you have the right licence, as some plans include Copilot by default while others may require a Copilot add-on or Copilot Studio. Your admin may also need to enable agent features and configure billing settings, particularly if you plan to use agents grounded in tenant data.

Once set up, you can explore existing agents directly in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app by navigating to
Chat → Agents → All agents / Agent Store
and trying a prebuilt option to see how it supports your workflow. If your business needs more tailored solutions, you can go further by building or customising agents in Copilot Studio to match specific business processes or team requirements.

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Frequently Asked Questions - Microsoft 365 Agents

What are Microsoft 365 Agents?

Microsoft 365 Agents are intelligent assistants built into Microsoft 365 Copilot that help automate tasks, provide contextual insights, and suggest actions across apps like Teams, Outlook, Word, and Excel. They can be prebuilt by Microsoft, shared across teams, or custom-built with Copilot Studio.

Do I need a special licence to use Microsoft 365 Agents?

A Microsoft 365 Copilot licence is required to access most agents. Some advanced features such as building custom agents or using premium connectors, these require a Copilot Studio subscription. Depending on the licence, certain data-grounded agent features may also be billed on a usage basis.

What can Microsoft 365 Agents actually do?

Agents can automate repetitive workflows, draft or suggest content, summarise data, and provide insights grounded in your businesses work data (like emails, files, and meetings). They can act as virtual teammates, helping streamline day-to-day tasks and supporting decision-making.

Can I create my own custom agents?

Using Copilot Studio, businesses can design custom agents to fit specific needs. These agents can connect to proprietary systems, use premium connectors, and be scaled or refined over time to support unique workflows—such as HR processes, procurement, or onboarding.

How can I access Microsoft 365 Agents?

Start by ensuring your licence includes Copilot or Copilot Studio. Admins may need to enable agent features and configure billing. You can then explore prebuilt agents in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app under Chat → Agents → All agents / Agent Store. For tailored solutions, you can build or customise agents through Copilot Studio.