Copilot for Microsoft 365 - Your Modern Workplace Intelligent Apps Single Pane of Glass
Mahmoud Hassan
Microsoft MVP | Empower enterprises to thrive with Microsoft Copilot & Modern Workplace AI solutions
Since the release of Azure OpenAI service and Microsoft Copilot, a wave of innovation has swept through the enterprise landscape. Businesses are rapidly developing/deploying diverse AI solutions/intelligent apps to enhance productivity, streamline operations, and gain competitive advantages.
But with so AI solutions/intelligent apps out there, a common question I heard always from my clients: How can we bring these solutions/apps together under a unified Single Pane of Glass?
Until this year Microsoft Build event, we experienced some disconnection, but I think Microsoft revealed the integration patterns that could enable us to make Copilot for Microsoft 365 – Copilot Chat the single pane of glass of all modern workplace intelligent apps.
This article will attempt to list and describe these various integration patterns.
Copilot Chat & Custom copilot (Declarative) Integration
Here the custom copilot (Declarative) will be natively integrated within Copilot Chat where you will be able to @mention it within the Copilot Chat or open the immersive Custom copilot (Declarative) UX from the Copilot Chat side panel.
? Custom copilots (Declarative) could be created using Copilot Studio, SharePoint, Microsoft 365 Admin Center – Graph Connectors or the Teams Toolkit. The Custom copilots (Declarative) integration still in Private Preview.
?? For more information, you could check my post: Copilot for Microsoft 365 Extensibility Build 2024 Updates – Declarative Copilots
?? For more information, Microsoft documentation: Declarative copilots for Microsoft 365 overview
Copilot Chat & Custom copilot (Custom Engine with Teams AI library) Integration
For the custom copilot (Custom Engine with Teams AI library) integration you can create a Copilot Chat plugin to connect to an API exposed by your Custom copilot.
When you need to switch the conversation from Copilot Chat to your Custom copilot maintaining the chat context you can use the new plugin adaptive card handoff link design pattern.
Handoff links are plugin-provided deep links that carry over chat context, enabling users to seamlessly transition their chat with Copilot Chat to your custom copilot. You can enhance your Copilot message extension plugin to hand off a conversation to your custom copilot to handle scenarios where specialized knowledge or actions are required, such as complex IT support queries, detailed product inquiries, or interactive order management.
?The Copilot plugins & the adaptive card handoff links currently in Public Preview
?? For more information, you could check my post: Copilot for Microsoft 365 Extensibility Build 2024 Updates – Message Extensions Plugins Copilot Handoff
?? For more information, Microsoft documentation: Copilot handoff
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Copilot Chat & Teams APP Integration
To integrate with a Teams app, you can create a Copilot Chat plugin to connect to an API exposed by your Custom Teams app.
Microsoft has a 1st party integration utilizing this pattern with the Teams Shifts app plugin.
When you need to switch the conversation from Copilot Chat to your app you can use a Copilot Chat plugin with adaptive card Teams deep link.
Deep links function as URLs that direct users straight to specific content within an app. In Microsoft Teams, you can use deep links to go to a specific chat, message, or tab within an app.
?The Copilot plugins currently in Public Preview
?? For more information, Shifts: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-365-blog/new-copilot-amp-microsoft-teams-innovations-for-a-secure-simple/ba-p/3982425
?? For more information, Microsoft documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/platform/concepts/build-and-test/deep-links
Copilot Chat & Custom copilot (Custom Engine on Azure AI) Integration
To integrate with a custom copilot (Custom Engine on Azure AI) you can create a Copilot Chat plugin to connect to an API exposed by your custom copilot. Since Teams OOB does not have a native integration with the custom copilot (Custom Engine on Azure AI) there is no way to switch the conversation from Copilot Chat to your custom copilot for now.
This integration is common when enterprises want to connect their custom enterprise copilot (Linked to chosen enterprise data sources) built on Azure AI with Copilot for Microsoft 365 – Copilot Chat.
Summary
Microsoft's advancements with Copilot for Microsoft 365 – Copilot Chat, are making the integration of diverse AI solutions into a unified "Single Pane of Glass" more achievable. The integration patterns revealed at this year Microsoft Build event enable businesses to consolidate the modern workplace intelligent apps effectively. From custom copilots (Declarative & Custom Engine) to Teams app integrations, Copilot for Microsoft 365 – Copilot Chat offers a unified central hub for intelligent modern workplace apps. As these patterns evolve, organizations can expect enhanced productivity and streamlined operations without a lot of UX switching.
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Future of Work | ISV & Startups | Value Creation & Realisation | CHRO | Generative AI | Modern Work | Employee Experience | Hybrid Work | Frontline Workforces | Global Workforce Transformation Leader @ Avanade
5 个月Brilliant summary as always Mahmoud Hassan. I do feel yet again though that this is a missed trick for Microsoft. There’s just too much choice, rather than having one design schema we have 4, all powerful and important in their own right HOWEVER and it’s a big however this choice creates too many options which results in a fragmented end user experience. Rather than having “one way” that everyone can adopt we have many ways and thus the user experience becomes appalling. As an end user I don’t know how the technology is going to respond, how or where to access what - it’s fragmented and one experience operates differently from the next. Just give me one consistent way and make life easy for me.
Team leader Microsoft Platforms
5 个月Thanks for sharing ??????