Using Copilot in Studio

Copilot is integrated into every part of the Studio workflow. This page covers the panel UI, how context flows to the AI, and how to apply generated content to your canvas.

The Copilot Panel

The Copilot Panel sits in the right sidebar of the designer. It contains:

Chat input — type your message and press Enter to send
Message history — scrollable conversation thread with timestamps
Workflow preview cards — when the AI generates a workflow, it renders as a structured preview with activity names, types, and parameter summaries
Apply to Canvas button — inserts the generated workflow at the current selection point
AI Cost Dashboard tab — token usage breakdown for the current session

How Context Is Sent to the AI

Before sending your message, Copilot automatically includes a system prompt containing the full Activity Catalog — every activity name, description, and parameter schema. This is called catalog preloading and ensures the AI generates valid activity types and parameter names.

In addition, when you have a workflow open, Copilot includes:

Names and types of all declared variables
The currently selected activity (if any) and its configured properties
The last error from the Output Panel (if present)

Generating and Applying a Workflow

Describe your task in the chat (see Effective Prompts guide for tips)
Copilot returns a structured workflow preview in the panel
Review the activity list and parameters
Click Apply to Canvas — activities are inserted after the currently selected activity
Update environment-specific values (file paths, URLs, credentials) using variables

Voice Input (Alt+D)

Press Alt+D to start dictating. Speak your next step (e.g., "Click the Submit button"). The audio is transcribed via Azure Speech, the intent is parsed by the AI, and a Suggestion appears in the Suggestion Tray at the bottom of the canvas — ready to Accept, Edit, or Dismiss. The Azure Speech Key must be configured in Settings for this feature.

Clearing Context

Click New Chat in the Copilot Panel to start a fresh conversation. This clears the message history and the cached catalog session. Use this when switching to a completely different workflow topic.