Step-by-Step Tutorial: Build Your First AI Agent in Copilot Studio

Let’s walk through how to create a simple AI agent using Microsoft Copilot Studio that can automatically reply to incoming emails using your company’s documentation as a knowledge source. We’ll build an agent called Auto Business Process Responder, which reads support inquiries from email and responds with the right information based on the CRM Business Process Manual. 

What This Agent Will Do:
  • Monitor a shared inbox for incoming support emails with the subject line containing “Inquiry”. 
  • Use a Word document (your handbook) as a knowledge base. 
  • Automatically send a polished, friendly email response using the right answer from the document. 
Step 1: Create a New Agent
  1. Go to Microsoft Copilot Studio. 
  2. Click “Create” to start a new agent. 
  3. You’ll see two options: 
  4. Use Copilot: Guided setup where Copilot helps you by asking questions. 
  5. Skip to configuration: You enter everything manually. 

For this example, choose Skip to configuration for full control. 

Step 2: Name and Describe Your Agent

Now fill in basic information about your agent. 

  • Name: Auto Business Process Responder 
  • Description: This agent assists clients by answering their questions using the CRM Business Process Manual Handbook. It provides accurate, clear, and concise responses in a professional tone. 
  • Icon: Give your agent an icon.  
Step 3: Add Instructions to Guide the Agent
Think of instructions as the personality and behavior rules for your agent. Here’s a great example you can use: 

– Provide accurate and helpful answers to client questions using the CRM Business Process Manual Handbook. 

– Ensure responses are clear, concise, and relevant to the client’s query. 

– Avoid providing personal opinions or unverified information 

– Maintain a professional and supportive tone in all interactions. 

– Avoid using jargons. 

– Direct the client to the appropriate sections of the handbook for more detailed information when necessary. 

– Handle sensitive topics with care and confidentiality. 

– Use a friendly tone in all communication. 

– When replying to an inquiry with information from the CRM Business Process Manual handbook, use the Send an email action to compose and send an email response that includes the relevant information from the CRM Business Process Manual handbook. The email should begin with a friendly greeting. Start the email body on a new line, and start the sign-off on a new line as well. Do not include citations in the email. 

– The email body should always be written in well-formatted HTML. Please make it look polished. 

Step 4: Upload Your Knowledge Source

Your agent needs information to respond. Let’s add the document it will use as its knowledge base. 

    1. Navigate to the Knowledge section. 
    2. Click “+ Add knowledge source”. 
    3. Upload your file: CRM Business Process Manual.docx 
    4. Add a short description, like:
      “This document contains client handling processes and procedures for OPRO.” 
Step 5: Set the Trigger – When Should This Agent Act?
We want the agent to act when an email arrives with a specific subject. 

    1. Go to the Triggers tab. 
    2. Choose: When a new email arrives (V3) (This trigger monitors a mailbox for incoming emails.) 
    3. Rename it for clarity: When a new email arrives business process automate (This helps keep things organized if you add more triggers later.) 
    4. Configure the following: 
    5. To: support@gmail.com (The email address this agent is monitoring — replace with your support mailbox.) 
    6. Subject contains: Inquiry (This ensures the agent only responds to relevant emails.) 

 This ensures the agent only responds to relevant business queries. 

Step 6: Add the Action – Configure How Your Agent Responds
Now that your agent knows when to trigger, it needs to know how to respond. In this step, you’ll tell the agent to send an Outlook email after retrieving the answer from your knowledge base. 

This is done using the built-in action: Office 365 Outlook – Send an email (V2) 

This action allows the agent to automatically generate a polished, professional email response — no manual reply needed. 

  1. Go to the Actions tab of your agent. 
  2. Click + Add an action. 
  3. Choose: Office 365 Outlook – Send an email (V2)
    (This is the standard connector for sending emails via Microsoft 365.) 
Step 7: Add Starter Prompts (Optional, for Chat)

If you plan to use your agent in Microsoft Teams or chat, Starter Prompts can help users know what to ask. In the Start Prompts section: 

  • Click Add Prompt 
  • Enter typical questions like: 
  • How do I create a new quotation? 
  • What are the steps to approve a quotation? 
  • How do I handle errors during quotation? 
Step 8: Test the Agent
Before publishing, use the built-in Test panel: 

  • Simulate sending an email with the subject “Inquiry”. 
  • See how the agent responds using the knowledge base. 

Confirm tone, formatting, and clarity. 

Testing the agent in the Test window: 

Testing the agent with the Trigger event window: 

  1. Go to the Triggers tab in your agent setup screen. 
  2. Find your trigger:  When a new email arrives – business process automate 
  3. Click the flask icon on the right side of the trigger.
    (This opens the trigger test window.) 

You’ll now see the “Test your trigger” popup. This shows past email instances that matched your trigger conditions. 

  • Select a relevant test instance (e.g., from April 24, 01:44 PM). 
  • Click Start testing. 

The system will use that historical instance to simulate how your agent reacts to it. 

Step 9: Publish and Activate the Agent

Once you’re satisfied with testing: 

  1. Click the Publish button at the top right. 
  2. Your agent is now live!  

It will begin monitoring the inbox and automatically respond to business inquiries with helpful, knowledge-based answers. 

Example: 

 Incoming Email 

Process:
Agent Reply:

You’ve Built Your First AI Agent! 

Congratulations! You’ve just created a real, working AI agent that responds to emails using your business documentation.  

This type of setup is incredibly useful for: 

  • Automating client support 
  • Reducing manual responses 
  • Ensuring consistency and professionalism in communication