Empowering the Workforce How to Configure and Use the Copilot Employee Self-Service Agent in Microsoft 365

Microsoft Copilot continues to evolve, redefining productivity and employee empowerment across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. One of the most exciting new features is the Copilot Employee Self-Service Agent, designed to streamline internal support and automate routine queries through a conversational AI interface.

In this blog post, we’ll explore what the Copilot Employee Self-Service Agent is, how it can help organizations, and step-by-step guidance to configure and use it in your Microsoft 365 environment.

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🧠 What Is the Copilot Employee Self-Service Agent?

The Copilot Employee Self-Service Agent is a prebuilt generative AI agent in Microsoft Copilot Studio that helps employees self-serve common HR, IT, and operational questions. Think of it as an internal chatbot powered by Microsoft’s generative AI and integrated deeply into M365 and Microsoft Teams.

✨ Key Features:

• Built on Microsoft Copilot Studio (formerly Power Virtual Agents)
• Supports natural language conversations
• Integrates with Microsoft Graph, SharePoint, Viva, and third-party APIs
• Includes prebuilt topics for common scenarios like leave balances, IT help, benefits, and more
• Available directly in Microsoft Teams

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🛠️ Prerequisites

Before diving into configuration, make sure you have the following:

1. Microsoft 365 E3/E5 or Microsoft 365 Copilot licensing
2. Power Platform Admin or Environment Maker permissions
3. Copilot Studio enabled in your tenant
4. Microsoft Teams enabled for the users

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🔧 How to Configure the Copilot Employee Self-Service Agent

Step 1: Access Copilot Studio

1. Go to https://copilotstudio.microsoft.com
2. Sign in using your M365 admin credentials
3. Choose or create an environment (Dataverse-enabled is recommended)

Step 2: Create or Deploy the Prebuilt Agent

Microsoft provides a prebuilt Employee Self-Service Copilot template:

1. Click “Create”
2. Select “Employee Self-Service” from the templates
3. Name your agent (e.g., “Contoso Assistant”)
4. Review the preloaded topics: IT Support, HR Questions, Leave Requests, Policy Lookup, etc.

Step 3: Customize Topics

You can customize topics using natural language and trigger phrases:

• Go to the Topics tab
• Select a topic like “Leave Balance” or “Password Reset”
• Edit the trigger phrases and bot responses
• Use Power Automate to call APIs or backend systems (e.g., SAP, ServiceNow)

Step 4: Configure Authentication (Optional)

To access personalized data:

1. Go to Settings > Authentication
2. Enable Azure AD authentication
3. Define the scopes needed (Microsoft Graph, HR APIs, etc.)

Step 5: Test Your Agent

Use the built-in test chat to validate your changes before publishing.

Step 6: Publish and Share to Teams

1. Click Publish in Copilot Studio
2. Navigate to the Channels section
3. Add Microsoft Teams as a channel
4. Share the app with your organization or specific Teams

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🧑‍💼 Using the Employee Self-Service Agent

Once deployed to Teams, employees can simply @mention the bot or open it from the Apps tab.

💬 Example Use Cases:

• “How many vacation days do I have left?”
• “What’s the policy for remote work?”
• “How do I reset my MFA?”
• “Who do I contact for payroll support?”

The bot responds instantly, pulling info from Microsoft Graph, SharePoint, or connected systems.

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💡 Pro Tips

• Use Copilot Studio analytics to monitor usage and refine conversations.
• Set up handoff to a human agent for complex issues using Teams or Dynamics 365 Customer Service.
• Integrate with Viva Connections to embed the experience in your digital workplace.

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✅ Business Benefits

• Reduces pressure on HR/IT helpdesks
• Boosts employee satisfaction with instant answers
• Saves time and costs with automation
• Provides consistent and accurate responses