Hi I want to create a AI agent in M365 and have copilot licence and can we use RAG technique for agent to validate the data in word or excel and provide update

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Hi I want to create a AI agent in M365 and have copilot licence and can we use RAG technique for agent to validate the data in word or excel and provide update

Ashok K 0

Hi I want to create a AI agent in M365 and have copilot licence and wanted to know how can i make Agent to use RAG technique making my AI agent to refer only document and provide result.

Note : I do not have licence for copilot studio

Is it possible and if yes can you suggest steps for the same?

Tiago Roxo 5 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2026-02-07T08:14:21.5166667+00:00

With a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence, even without Copilot Studio access, you can still access and build/create Declarative Agents (using Copilot Studio Builder in M365 App or Teams) that extend Microsoft 365 Copilot.

These agents reason over tenant‑grounded Microsoft 365 data (for example, SharePoint content and Copilot connectors). The reasoning model follows a Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) pattern, where Copilot retrieves relevant enterprise content and uses it as grounding context when generating responses, rather than relying only on the base model. Check this page below on how you can do it ;) I hope it helps
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/extensibility/overview-declarative-agent?toc=%2Fcopilot%2Fmicrosoft-365%2Ftoc.json&bc=%2Fcopilot%2Fmicrosoft-365%2Fagent-framework%2Fbread%2Ftoc.json

EDIT: Also try to explore the Workflows agent: "Workflows is an agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot that helps you automate work across Microsoft 365 using natural language. Instead of manually configuring steps or connectors, you simply describe what you want and Workflows generates a working workflow using supported Microsoft 365 services."
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/get-started-with-workflows-in-microsoft-365-copilot-frontier-8c6aba25-db31-443d-8319-bc79747b280a
Ashok K 0 Reputation points

2026-02-08T08:02:43.0566667+00:00

Hi Tiago,

Thank you for the response . I could understand on the declarative agent which follows the RAG pattern to retrive and share the information.

I want to specifically create a AI agent which helps me to provide update on the Outlook Calender update.

I have a Team and and we have a separate Teams group as well and can a declarative agent help with my teams members calender update (Like their Availability as per calender ) and provide Data. Since i do not have copilot licence and and with M365 is it possible and if so can you please help with the steps .
Nivedipa-MSFT 3,991 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-17T05:40:41.2433333+00:00
Hello **Ashok K,
**Yes, you can set up an AI agent to provide Outlook Calendar updates, like team members’ availability, using Microsoft 365 APIs without needing a Copilot license. Here’s how you can achieve this with a declarative agent and the Microsoft Graph API:

What’s Possible Without a Copilot License:

Use the Microsoft Graph API to access Outlook Calendar data, as long as you have the required permissions.

Create a Teams app or bot (declarative agent) that retrieves calendar details and shares updates within Teams.

Make sure to get admin consent for permissions such as Calendars.Read, Calendars.Read.Shared, or Calendars.ReadBasic.

This approach uses Microsoft Graph, not Copilot.

You’ll just need the right permissions and an Azure AD application.

Please let us know if you have any further query here.
Ashok K 0 Reputation points

2026-02-19T02:59:17.74+00:00

Hi Nivedipa,

Thank you for the information and the details.It would be really helpful if you could help the procedure for the Microsoft 365API ,is this Power Automate ???

Can you please share the procecure that would be really helpful.

Thanks

Ashok k
Nivedipa-MSFT 3,991 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-19T09:53:44.8466667+00:00

Hello Ashok K,
Here’s an overview of how to build a custom Teams bot that checks calendar availability (coding required):

1.Register an Azure AD App

Access the Azure Portal.

Create a new app and grant permissions to read users’ calendars (Calendars.Read or Calendars.Read.Shared).

2.Develop the Bot with Microsoft Bot Framework

Choose a language like Node.js, C#, or Python.

Use Microsoft Graph API to retrieve calendar data.

3.Deploy the Bot to Azure

Host your bot using Azure Bot Service.

Add the Bot to Teams

4.Set up the Teams app manifest.

Upload the bot to your Teams environment.

5.Bot Capabilities

The bot can handle commands such as “Show team availability” by checking calendars and summarizing free and busy times.

Limitations to note:

This approach requires coding and Azure resources.

Users must give consent for calendar access.

It is not a no-code or declarative solution.

1 answer

Your answer

Tiago Roxo 5 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2026-02-07T08:14:21.5166667+00:00

With a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence, even without Copilot Studio access, you can still access and build/create Declarative Agents (using Copilot Studio Builder in M365 App or Teams) that extend Microsoft 365 Copilot.

These agents reason over tenant‑grounded Microsoft 365 data (for example, SharePoint content and Copilot connectors). The reasoning model follows a Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) pattern, where Copilot retrieves relevant enterprise content and uses it as grounding context when generating responses, rather than relying only on the base model. Check this page below on how you can do it ;) I hope it helps
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/extensibility/overview-declarative-agent?toc=%2Fcopilot%2Fmicrosoft-365%2Ftoc.json&bc=%2Fcopilot%2Fmicrosoft-365%2Fagent-framework%2Fbread%2Ftoc.json

EDIT: Also try to explore the Workflows agent: "Workflows is an agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot that helps you automate work across Microsoft 365 using natural language. Instead of manually configuring steps or connectors, you simply describe what you want and Workflows generates a working workflow using supported Microsoft 365 services."
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/get-started-with-workflows-in-microsoft-365-copilot-frontier-8c6aba25-db31-443d-8319-bc79747b280a
Ashok K 0 Reputation points

2026-02-08T08:02:43.0566667+00:00

Hi Tiago,

Thank you for the response . I could understand on the declarative agent which follows the RAG pattern to retrive and share the information.

I want to specifically create a AI agent which helps me to provide update on the Outlook Calender update.

I have a Team and and we have a separate Teams group as well and can a declarative agent help with my teams members calender update (Like their Availability as per calender ) and provide Data. Since i do not have copilot licence and and with M365 is it possible and if so can you please help with the steps .
Nivedipa-MSFT 3,991 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-17T05:40:41.2433333+00:00

Hello **Ashok K,
**Yes, you can set up an AI agent to provide Outlook Calendar updates, like team members’ availability, using Microsoft 365 APIs without needing a Copilot license. Here’s how you can achieve this with a declarative agent and the Microsoft Graph API:

What’s Possible Without a Copilot License:

Use the Microsoft Graph API to access Outlook Calendar data, as long as you have the required permissions.

Create a Teams app or bot (declarative agent) that retrieves calendar details and shares updates within Teams.

Make sure to get admin consent for permissions such as Calendars.Read, Calendars.Read.Shared, or Calendars.ReadBasic.

This approach uses Microsoft Graph, not Copilot.

You’ll just need the right permissions and an Azure AD application.

Please let us know if you have any further query here.
Ashok K 0 Reputation points

2026-02-19T02:59:17.74+00:00

Hi Nivedipa,

Thank you for the information and the details.It would be really helpful if you could help the procedure for the Microsoft 365API ,is this Power Automate ???

Can you please share the procecure that would be really helpful.

Thanks

Ashok k
Nivedipa-MSFT 3,991 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-19T09:53:44.8466667+00:00

Hello Ashok K,
Here’s an overview of how to build a custom Teams bot that checks calendar availability (coding required):

1.Register an Azure AD App

Access the Azure Portal.

Create a new app and grant permissions to read users’ calendars (Calendars.Read or Calendars.Read.Shared).

2.Develop the Bot with Microsoft Bot Framework

Choose a language like Node.js, C#, or Python.

Use Microsoft Graph API to retrieve calendar data.

3.Deploy the Bot to Azure

Host your bot using Azure Bot Service.

Add the Bot to Teams

4.Set up the Teams app manifest.

Upload the bot to your Teams environment.

5.Bot Capabilities

The bot can handle commands such as “Show team availability” by checking calendars and summarizing free and busy times.

Limitations to note:

This approach requires coding and Azure resources.

Users must give consent for calendar access.

It is not a no-code or declarative solution.

Answer 1

To create an AI agent in Microsoft 365 using the Copilot license, you can utilize the capabilities of Copilot agents. However, since you mentioned that you do not have a license for Copilot Studio, your options may be limited to the features available within Microsoft 365 Copilot itself.

The RAG (Retrieve, Answer, Generate) technique typically involves retrieving information from specified documents, answering queries based on that information, and generating relevant content or updates. While the specific implementation of RAG may not be detailed in the provided context, here are some general steps you can consider:

Define Your Use Case: Clearly outline what you want your AI agent to do, including the types of documents it will reference and the specific updates you want it to provide.
Utilize Copilot Agents: Since you have a Copilot license, you can create agents that extend the functionality of Copilot. These agents can be tailored to specific domains and workflows, allowing them to retrieve information from documents in Word or Excel.
Data Access: Ensure that your agent can access the necessary organizational data. Agents can use Microsoft Graph to retrieve information from files, emails, and other resources that users have permission to access.
Build the Agent: You can use the declarative approach to create your agent, which involves providing instructions and knowledge that the agent will use to perform its tasks. This may include specifying how the agent should retrieve and validate data from the documents.
Testing and Iteration: After building your agent, test it thoroughly to ensure it retrieves and processes information correctly. Iterate on its design based on feedback and performance.

While the context does not provide specific steps for implementing the RAG technique, using the capabilities of Copilot agents within Microsoft 365 can help you achieve your goal of creating an AI agent that refers to documents and provides updates based on that information.

References:

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Hi I want to create a AI agent in M365 and have copilot licence and can we use RAG technique for agent to validate the data in word or excel and provide update

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