Unleash Potential with Microsoft Teams and Copilot

Microsoft 365 Copilot is revolutionizing the way people work by providing a next-gen AI assistant that can alleviate digital debt, boost productivity, unleash creativity, and save time for more high-value work. With the recent announcement at Build 2023, developers and independent software vendors (ISVs) can now extend Microsoft 365 Copilot using plugins. These plugins enable users to leverage natural language to command Copilot to orchestrate complex tasks. The natural-language capability is available through Microsoft 365 Chat, accessible within Microsoft Teams and Microsoft365.com.

Extending Microsoft 365 Copilot with Plugins

The Microsoft 365 Copilot Early Access Program (EAP) has gained participation from hundreds of enterprise customers, including Ernst & Young and Wells Fargo. These customers are not only using experiences from top ISVs that have created plugins to extend Copilot’s skills but are also actively building their own plugins to integrate their line-of-business apps directly into Copilot.

The available integrations for both ISVs and customers include OpenAI plugins connecting ChatGPT to APIs, Microsoft Teams message extensions for interaction with web services through buttons and forms, and Microsoft Power Platform connectors offering prebuilt actions and triggers for app development. More plugins will be enabled in the coming weeks and months, including existing Teams message extensions and Power Platform connectors for ISV apps. The current list of supported Power Platform connectors can be found on the connector overview page.

Additionally, Microsoft Graph connectors are increasing in number, providing access to organizational data and intelligence in Microsoft 365. These connectors expand the business context available to Copilot, reducing the time spent searching for information in chats, emails, and notifications. This allows employees to focus on more important work.

Boosting Productivity with ISV App Integration

During the recent AI event, Amadeus, a travel tech innovator, showcased a new user experience with their Cytric Easy plugin for Microsoft 365 Copilot. This plugin allows organizations and employees to plan, book, and share travel using natural language. The plugin can create travel itineraries based on contextual discussions, such as emails, and help travelers validate and book matching trips without leaving the Microsoft environment. This results in increased productivity, simplified collaboration, and a streamlined business travel experience.

Other industry leaders like Atlassian and Mural have also leveraged Copilot through Teams message extensions. Atlassian’s Jira software development project management app makes it easier for users to see and take action on issues. Mural enables employees to retrieve Mural boards via chat, simplifying visual collaboration.

ISVs like Go1 are utilizing Copilot capabilities through Microsoft Graph connectors, while Power Platform connectors enable Copilot experiences with data from partner apps like Adobe Marketo Engage. DocuSign is extending Copilot skills using Teams message extensions, Microsoft Graph connectors, and Power Platform connectors.

More emerging ISVs, such as Typeface and Ramp, are building new plugins, expanding the range of available Copilot skills.

Transforming Work with Line-of-Business Plugins

Customers participating in the Early Access Program are taking full advantage of Copilot extensibility. Ernst & Young (EY) is developing a line-of-business (LOB) plugin that allows EY leaders to quickly gather revenue comparison information across member firms. Previously, this process required multiple steps and deep knowledge of data schemas. With their in-house LOB plugin, EY professionals can query the plugin using natural language and receive accurate summaries of data in an easy-to-understand format. The plugin recognizes internal business acronyms and uses AI capabilities to compose LOB data, helping users prioritize invoices for next actions.

Wells Fargo, one of the largest banks in the U.S., relies on Copilot to monitor system health and diagnostics. Traditionally, this involved reviewing system logs and dashboards, requiring significant human effort. With the Copilot plugin, business and technology stakeholders at Wells Fargo can use natural language to ask about system health and diagnostics, targeting specific services and accessing relevant experts and troubleshooting tools. This proactive monitoring and issue resolution ensure continuous service availability for customers.

Resources for Developers and ISVs

To prepare for Microsoft 365 Copilot, developers and ISVs can access various resources:

1. Teams message extensions: Building Teams message extensions allows ISVs to reach over 300 million users on Teams. These extensions function as plugins for Microsoft 365 Copilot, tapping into the power of AI. Developers can update the Teams manifests to version 1.13 or higher and follow best practices for building and publishing apps to the Teams store.

2. Power Platform connectors: Building a Power Platform connector enables ISVs to reach millions of users and makers building apps on the low-code platform. These connectors also function as plugins for Microsoft 365 Copilot. Developers can start building connectors for their APIs by reading the overview and documentation on building custom connectors.

3. Microsoft Graph connectors: Developers can bring external data sources into Microsoft Graph with Graph connectors, enhancing Copilot’s access to organizational data. Microsoft plans to add support for a set of connectors, both Microsoft-built and custom, by the end of the year. Documentation, including best practices and publishing guidance, is available for building custom connectors.

Developers can join the Microsoft 365 Developer Technology Adoption Program (TAP) to access upcoming feature roadmaps, provide feedback on in-development work, and engage with Microsoft 365 product groups. Joining ISV Success also helps developers build, publish, and market their apps faster.

Conclusion

The introduction of Microsoft 365 Copilot and its extensibility through plugins is transforming the way people work. With the ability to leverage natural language and integrate with various apps, Copilot boosts productivity, streamlines collaboration, and simplifies complex tasks. Enterprise customers and ISVs are already taking advantage of Copilot’s capabilities, with more plugins and integrations on the horizon. Developers and ISVs can prepare for Copilot by building Teams message extensions, Power Platform connectors, or Microsoft Graph connectors, and by joining relevant programs to stay updated on the latest developments. Microsoft is excited to continue the progress and share more at the upcoming Ignite event.