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Microsoft Copilot Studio is the newest addition to Microsoft’s lineup of Copilot AI services. Unveiled at Microsoft Ignite 2023, Copilot Studio provides low-code tools to help even non-technical users customize and build Copilot experiences tailored to their workflows and datasets.
With Copilot Studio, anyone can leverage the power of AI to automate processes, generate content, and complete tasks more efficiently. However, to access Copilot Studio, there are a few prerequisites businesses need to fulfill.
This comprehensive, step-by-step guide will walk you through everything you need to access Microsoft Copilot Studio and start utilizing its low-code AI capabilities.
How To Access Microsoft Copilot Studio?
Prerequisites to Access Microsoft Copilot Studio
Before you can dive into using Copilot Studio, there are a few requirements your organization must meet. These include:
Having the Right Licenses – To use Copilot Studio, you need a license for Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365. This currently costs $30 per user per month on top of your existing 365 subscription fees. Approved plans include Microsoft 365 E3, E5, Business Basic, Business Standard, and Business Premium.
Properly Configured Infrastructure – Your IT infrastructure needs to align with Microsoft’s networking requirements for optimal Copilot performance. This includes direct and optimized connectivity to Microsoft data centers.
Updated Applications – Ensure your organization is using the latest versions of Microsoft 365 apps to access all Copilot Studio capabilities. Update to the Current Channel or Monthly Enterprise Channel.
User Accounts – All users need a Microsoft Entra (Azure AD) ID and OneDrive account to utilize Copilot Studio features like file sharing/saving. Users also need accounts for Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and other apps.
Network Access – Configure your network to allow connectivity to the Microsoft Graph endpoints outlined in Microsoft’s networking principles for 365. This enables Copilot Studio to work properly.
Once those prerequisites are met, you can move forward with accessing Microsoft Copilot Studio for your organization.
Assigning Licenses to Access Copilot Studio
The first hands-on step to access Copilot Studio is assigning licenses to users. As the Microsoft 365 admin, you can easily assign licenses to provide access to Copilot Studio. Here’s how:
- Sign into the Microsoft 365 admin center and go to the Users > Active Users page.
- Click on the user you want to assign a Copilot Studio license to.
- In the right pane, click Licenses and Apps.
- Under Product licenses, click Edit.
- In the Microsoft Copilot section, switch the toggle to On to assign a license.
- Click Review Changes > Save.
The license will now be assigned, enabling the user to access Copilot Studio. Repeat for any additional users that need access.
Alternatively, you can assign licenses as you add new users by checking the box next to Microsoft Copilot when adding the user.
For bulk license management, use the Multi-select option on the Active Users page to assign licenses to multiple users simultaneously.
Downloading the Copilot Mobile Application
In addition to licensing, users will need to download the new Copilot mobile app to access the full Copilot Studio experience.
The Copilot mobile app is available on both iOS and Android devices. Here are instructions to download it:
For iOS
- Open the App Store on your iOS device.
- Search for “Microsoft Copilot”.
- Tap the Get button to download and install the app.
- Open Copilot and sign in with your Microsoft 365 work account.
For Android
- Open the Google Play Store on your Android device.
- Search for “Microsoft Copilot”.
- Tap Install to download the app.
- Open Copilot once installed and sign in with your work account.
The mobile app provides mobility and convenience to access Copilot Studio features on the go.
Enabling Data Protection Settings
Before your organization starts building Copilot experiences with potentially sensitive data, you’ll want to configure appropriate data protection settings.
In the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center:
- Go to Information Protection > Data loss prevention.
- Click Create a policy to set up DLP for your organization.
- Under Locations, check the box for Exchange email, OneDrive accounts, and other locations, as needed.
- Define the content you want to protect in the policy with Conditions.
- Configure Actions like blocking access or notifying users if the policy is triggered.
- Name the policy and turn it On to enforce it.
Sensitive data like health records, PII, financial information, etc. should have appropriate DLP policies to keep it secure as Copilot Studio is used to build AI apps and workflows.
Accessing Copilot Studio
Once your organization and users are fully set up and licensed, they can start accessing Microsoft Copilot Studio features in a few different ways:
- Via Mobile App – Open the Copilot mobile app and click on Copilot Studio. This provides the full Studio experience.
- Within Microsoft 365 Apps – Open an app like Word or Excel and click the Copilot icon to access Studio under the Create menu.
- Through Teams Chat – Within a Teams chat, @ mention Copilot and say “Open Copilot Studio” to launch it.
- Via Browser – Go to copilot.microsoft.com and sign in to access Copilot Studio.
- Inside Copilot Hub – Access the web-based Copilot Hub and navigate to Copilot Studio from the left menu bar.
These entry points make Microsoft Copilot Studio easily accessible for users across devices, apps, and platforms.
Touring the Copilot Studio Interface
Once inside Copilot Studio, let’s briefly tour the interface so you understand how to navigate the environment:
- Home Page – The main home page shows your recently accessed Copilot experiences, trending app templates, and provides access to create new apps.
- Sidebar – The left sidebar menu enables navigation between Home, Apps, Data Sources, Org Content, and Activity Log.
- Header Bar – The top header bar provides access to your user profile, settings, app switcher, notifications, and the Create button.
- Create Button – The plus button opens the app creation workflow to build a new Copilot experience.
- App Dashboard – When you open an app, you’ll see the main app dashboard showing app details, analytics, components, and options to edit settings or manage permissions.
- Component Panel – The right component panel is where you can add or edit components that make up your app, like text, images, buttons, and more.
Now that you’re familiar with the interface, let’s look at how you can start building apps with Copilot Studio.
Creating Your First Copilot Studio App
Building apps with Copilot Studio is simple and intuitive even for non-technical users. Follow these steps:
- Click the Create button to start a new app.
- Select a template like Customer Service Bot or choose Start from Scratch.
- Give your app a name and description.
- Select initial permissions like app visibility and content access.
- Click Create app when ready.
- You’ll be taken to the app dashboard. Click Add Component to start building.
- Select components like text, images, buttons, etc. and customize them.
- Use the left panel to add data sources, org content, and more.
- Click Save periodically as you build.
- When finished, click Publish to share the app with permitted users.
- Get feedback, monitor analytics, and make improvements over time.
Following this simple process, anyone in your organization can start building AI-powered apps tailored to their goals and needs, all without coding.
Key Features and Tools in Copilot Studio
As you build apps, explore some of Copilot Studio’s powerful features and capabilities:
- Customizable UI – Select from various app layouts or create a fully custom UI with drag-and-drop components like users see in traditional coding platforms.
- Data Integration – Easily integrate data sources like SharePoint, OneDrive, Azure SQL, and Dynamics 365 to build apps fueled by your real business data.
- Natural Language Processing – Harness natural language models to build conversational interfaces powered by Copilot AI.
- Generative AI – Generate content like emails, documents, code, and more using Copilot’s integrated AI capabilities.
- Analytics – Review detailed analytics on app usage, most popular features, AI confidence levels, and user feedback.
- Collaboration – Teams can collaboratively build apps together and provide input to improve the experience.
- Publishing – Share apps instantly with publishing profiles and permissions. Publish internally or restricted externally.
- Security – Protect apps and data with integration into Microsoft security tools like DLP policies, compliance controls, and encryption.
- Integration – Connect apps together or embed parts of apps within Microsoft 365 using available connectors and Copilot API.
With these tools and 100+ app component options, the possibilities with Copilot Studio are endless. Empower your teams to see what they can build today!
Helpful Tips for Using Copilot Studio
Here are some helpful tips and best practices to get the most value from Copilot Studio as you build your first apps:
- Start with simple proofs of concept to demonstrate value before scaling to complex enterprise apps.
- Leverage templates like bots, lead generators, and helpdesk tools instead of starting totally from scratch.
- Use the pre-built natural language and generative AI components early on to showcase Copilot’s power.
- Analyze app analytics frequently and get user feedback via in-app surveys to continuously improve.
- Take advantage of collaboration features to build apps as a team rather than in silos.
- Integrate with data sources like SharePoint to access content and information that will maximize app utility.
- Control access carefully as you publish new apps broadly across the organization.
- Don’t underestimate the importance of great UI/UX design in making apps engaging and user-friendly.
Expanding Access and Usage
As your organization gets familiar with Microsoft Copilot Studio, you’ll want to consider expanding access and usage over time across more teams and use cases.
Here are some recommendations on growing Copilot Studio’s footprint:
- Train Employees – Hold workshops and learning sessions to train more employees on leveraging Copilot Studio.
- Develop Governance – Put data governance, security, and responsible AI guidelines in place as usage scales up.
- Highlight Success – Create demo days and internal communications to showcase successful apps and ROI.
- Expand Licensing – Gradually purchase and assign Copilot Studio licenses to more users across departments.
- Try New Use Cases – Brainstorm fresh ideas and explore new ways to utilize Copilot Studio’s capabilities.
- Integrate with Workflows – Embed Studio apps in day-to-day workflows like CRM, email, and documentation.
- Build a Community – Develop a community of practice for power users to share best practices on building apps.
Taking these steps will help make Copilot Studio a mainstream productivity tool within your organization to drive efficiency through AI-powered automation.
Troubleshooting Access Issues
If users have trouble initially accessing Copilot Studio, there are a few things you can check:
- Confirm licenses are properly assigned and active for users in the Admin Center.
- Validate apps like Teams and OneDrive are up to date with the latest versions enabling Copilot.
- Check that network connectivity and bandwidth can support usage based on Microsoft’s networking guidance.
- Ensure users are signed into apps and Copilot with their designated work accounts.
- Validate that Access Control policy isn’t restricting Copilot usage for certain users.
- Have users close and re-open their Microsoft 365 apps and sign out and in again to refresh.
- If issues persist, contact Microsoft support for further troubleshooting assistance.
Addressing any underlying access issues proactively will ensure your rollout of Copilot Studio goes smoothly.
Next Steps with Microsoft Copilot Studio
Accessing Microsoft Copilot Studio is just the beginning. Once deployed organization-wide, Copilot Studio can drive transformative efficiency through low-code AI app development.
But getting started is as easy as following the step-by-step guidance in this article. In summary:
- Meet prerequisites like licensing, networking, and system requirements
- Assign Copilot Studio licenses to users
- Download the Copilot mobile app
- Configure appropriate data protection settings
- Access Copilot Studio through the mobile app, Microsoft 365, Teams, web, or Copilot Hub
- Build your first apps with easy drag-and-drop customization
- Expand access and usage across the organization over time
With the power of Copilot Studio now available, the possibilities are endless for automating processes and building AI-powered tools tailored to your organization’s needs. So access your complementary license today to start exploring everything this innovative platform has to offer!
🌟 Do you have any burning questions about Microsoft Copilot? Need a little extra assistance with AI tools or anything else?
💡 Feel free to shoot an email over to Arva, our expert at OpenAIMaster. Drop your queries at support@openaimaster.com, and Arva will be happy to assist you!