Microsoft Copilot Agents Overview : What are Agents?

Microsoft 365 Copilot is revolutionizing productivity by integrating AI-powered assistance into everyday workflows. However, many users and IT professionals don’t fully understand how Copilot retrieves and processes information. In that Blog we focus on an quick Microsoft Copilot Agents Overview!

This is where Copilot Agents come in. Microsoft has structured four different types of agents to ensure that Copilot provides the most relevant, up-to-date, and secure responses. Understanding these agent types, their licensing models, and how they function is crucial for IT admins, businesses, and end-users.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• The four types of Copilot Agents
• How they retrieve and process data
• Licensing considerations for each type
• How these agents compare to older models

So you can get a quick Microsoft Copilot Agents Overview!

The 4 Types of Copilot Agents

Microsoft 365 Copilot uses four types of agents to fetch data:

• Graph Grounded Agents – Retrieves live data from Microsoft Graph
• CRM Grounded Agents – Connects to external business applications (e.g., Salesforce, SAP)
• Web Grounded Agents – Pulls information from trusted web sources
• Static Agents – Provides predefined responses (similar to legacy Q&A bots)

Each agent type impacts the quality, accuracy, and personalization of Copilot’s responses. Let’s break them down.

Graph Grounded Agents – Microsoft 365’s Powerhouse

What do they do?

Graph Grounded Agents are the most powerful and dynamic type of Copilot Agents. They leverage Microsoft Graph API to pull real-time data from your Microsoft 365 environment.

They can access:

• Outlook (emails, calendar events, tasks)
• Teams (chats, shared files, meetings)
• SharePoint & OneDrive (documents, collaboration insights)
• Planner & To-Do (tasks, deadlines, priorities)

Example Use Cases

„Show me my upcoming meetings with John Doe.“ → Retrieves data from Outlook Calendar
„Find the last contract I shared with my team.“ → Searches OneDrive & SharePoint
„Summarize recent Teams messages related to Project X.“ → Analyzes Teams conversations

Licensing Considerations

Graph Grounded Agents require a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, and full functionality depends on Microsoft Graph API permissions.
For enterprise use, Copilot for Microsoft 365 (E3/E5) is required.
Admins can control which data sources Copilot accesses via Entra ID permissions.

🔗 Microsoft Source: Graph API Overview

CRM Grounded Agents – Connecting Business Data

What do they do?

CRM Grounded Agents pull data from external business applications, allowing Copilot to connect customer data, financial records, and service tickets.

They integrate with:

• Salesforce (Customer interactions, sales pipelines)
• SAP (Enterprise resource planning)
• ServiceNow (IT service management)
• Dynamics 365 (Customer insights, business operations)

Example Use Cases

„How much revenue did we generate last month?“ → Pulls data from Salesforce
„Show me open customer support tickets for ACME Corp.“ → Retrieves from ServiceNow
„List pending invoices in our SAP system.“ → Queries SAP ERP

Licensing Considerations

Requires Copilot for Microsoft 365 (E3/E5) + API access to external CRM platforms.
Additional third-party licensing fees apply (e.g., Salesforce API costs).
Enterprise users need proper API authentication & security controls to protect sensitive data.

🔗 Microsoft Source: Dynamics 365 Copilot

Web Grounded Agents – External Knowledge Expansion

What do they do?

Web Grounded Agents expand Copilot’s knowledge beyond internal data by retrieving real-time, trusted web sources.

They are useful for:

• Industry news & trends
• Technical documentation (e.g., Microsoft Learn, Stack Overflow)
• Best practices from public sources

Example Use Cases

„What are the latest cybersecurity threats in 2024?“ → Searches trusted security sources
„Find the latest Microsoft Graph API update.“ → Queries Microsoft Learn
„How does OAuth work in Exchange Online?“ → Retrieves from Stack Overflow & Microsoft Docs

Licensing Considerations

Web Grounded Agents are available to all Copilot users without extra licensing.
Microsoft filters sources to prevent misinformation (limited to trusted domains).
Web Grounded Agents cannot access paywalled or private enterprise content.

🔗 Microsoft Source: Copilot in Microsoft 365

Static Agents – Legacy Model & Predefined Responses

What do they do?

Static Agents are the simplest type of Copilot Agents, providing fixed responses based on pre-configured knowledge bases.

They are the closest equivalent to traditional chatbots, offering answers based on:

• FAQ Databases (HR policies, company guidelines)
• Pre-approved business information
• Automated responses for common requests

Example Use Cases

„What are our company’s PTO policies?“ → Retrieves a predefined HR response
„How do I reset my password?“ → Fetches IT support documentation

Comparison to Legacy AI Assistants

❌ Unlike Graph, CRM, or Web Agents, Static Agents don’t use real-time data.
❌ Microsoft previously used QnA Maker & Bot Framework for static knowledge bases.
✅ Copilot now integrates with Knowledge Management tools like Viva Topics for structured responses.

Licensing Considerations

📌 No extra licensing needed – included in Microsoft 365.
📌 Admins can manage response sources via Microsoft Viva & SharePoint.

🔗 Microsoft Source: Viva Topics

🚀 Conclusion: Which Copilot Agent is Right for You?

Agent Type	Primary Data Source	Best Use Case	License Requirement
Graph Grounded	Microsoft 365 (Graph API)	Internal data (Emails, Teams, SharePoint)	Microsoft 365 Copilot (E3/E5)
CRM Grounded	External CRMs (Salesforce, SAP)	Business data & customer insights	Third-party API licensing
Web Grounded	Trusted web sources	General knowledge & research	Included with Copilot
Static	Predefined responses	FAQs & company policies	Included with M365

🚀 For real-time, personalized insights, Graph Grounded Agents are the best choice.
🔗 For business intelligence, CRM Grounded Agents shine.
🌍 For general knowledge, Web Grounded Agents are ideal.

💡 What’s Next?

What are your thoughts on Copilot Agents? Are you using them in your enterprise? Drop a comment below! 👇

If you want to learn more check out my blog!