Customize the Employee Self-Service declarative agent

Note

This article applies to the Employee Self-Service declarative agent. For the Employee Self-Service custom engine agent, see Customize the Employee Self-Service agent.

The Employee Self-Service agent is customizable in Microsoft Copilot Studio. Makers can use various tools, topics, authoritative knowledge sources, and Microsoft-built connectors to external systems, like Workday, SAP, and ServiceNow.

• Start by learning more about roles and responsibilities.
• Then, review the basic building blocks that make up the Employee Self-Service agent.
• Next, see your options for customizing the look and certain content end-users see.
• Then, learn about adding knowledge sources.
• Finally, review topics that are included in the Employee Self-Service package by default and decide how to customize details for the need of your organization.

Role	Activities to perform	Configuration area
Environment Maker Owner of the Employee Self-Service agent	- Set up user context - Customize the Employee Self-Service agent	Microsoft Copilot Studio
External system solution Administrators Service owners of specific applications	Provide configuration inputs such as URLs, OAUTH tokens, and more	External system solution configuration
HR IT Legal Privacy	-Identify knowledge sources -Provide frequent queries -Identify sensitive queries	N/A

Understanding components

To craft seamless employee experiences with an Employee Self-Service agent, begin by developing an understanding of its architecture. Together, these components enable agents to deliver natural conversations, extend functionality, and provide accurate, contextual information. The Employee Self-Service agent is built on five key elements:

Topics

You can use Topics in various ways, from crafting a verbatim response for sensitive topics, to managing when to display an adaptive card, or how a fallback path is defined. The Employee Self-Service agent template comes with a set of predefined and fully configurable topics to help get you started. You can then create your own, using the full capability of Copilot Studio and our grown list of sample topics for Employee Self-Service. Learn more about Topics.

Actions

Also called tools, actions expand the functionality of your agent, allowing it to perform various actions in response to user requests or autonomous triggers. Actions extend the agent's capabilities by enabling responses through generative orchestration or by calling specific actions within a topic. Learn more about actions.

Knowledge sources

Knowledge sources allow your agents to provide relevant information and insights from authoritative sources like SharePoint or ServiceNow. You can incorporate knowledge for the agent and for the agent as whole or configure more focused knowledge sources for specific intents using a Topic with a Generative Answer Node. Learn more about knowledge sources.

Instructions

LLM (Large Language Model) experiences can be shaped using natural language to use system prompt techniques that influence Employee Self-Service agent reasoning and behaviors. Instructions can be applied to the overall agent, to knowledge sources, to topics, and when publishing to Teams and Microsoft Copilot. In addition, you can include dynamic variables (for example, specific user profile attributes) to further direct and ground the agent for more personalized responses. Learn more about knowledge sources.

Response quality

A great response is accurate, actionable, and engaging to ensure we earn trust, provide useful responses, and help the user take the next step using self-service tools. The Employee Self-Service agent requires a blend of design elements, agent instructions, and conversational design techniques to craft great responses.

• Responses need to be engaging by using personal data, balanced formatting, and natural language.
• Responses need to be accurate by using instructions for intent matching and using certain UI elements.
• Responses need to be actionable by reliably mobilizing users to the best next step or resource.

Customize the look and content

Optionally, you can brand the Employee Self-Service agent based on your branding guidelines. By default, the product is called Employee Self-Service agent, and includes an icon that looks like an office badge.

End-users see the following customizable branding and content elements:

Element	Customization	Next steps
Agent name	Copilot Studio overview page	Keep the original name or choose a name that aligns with your organization's brand and audience.
Agent logo	Copilot Studio overview page	Use the default logo (a company badge) or add a logo that aligns with your brand.
Agent short and long descriptions	Copilot Studio channels page	Consider a tagline and one-sentence description to help users understand how the Employee Self-Service agent can help when they add the agent for the first time.
Starter prompts (basic)	Copilot Studio overview page	Help end-users understand how to engage with the Employee Self-Service agent by adding up to 12 starter prompts.
Organization disclaimer	Copilot Studio agent settings	Optionally show a notice from your organization at the start of each conversation. See Set the organization disclaimer.
Agent (global) instructions	Copilot Studio overview page	Draft instructions that help shape your agent's personality, behavior for edge cases, and guidance on how to use user context.

You can customize most of these elements in Copilot Studio by selecting the Edit button in the Overview section of the agent.

Note

Providing a custom name to the agent shows the provided name for end-users in the Copilot chat interface. Most other admin-related interfaces, such as analytics dashboards in Copilot Studio, Copilot Analytics under Viva Insights, Microsoft admin center, Power Platform admin center, and other billing reports for metered consumption, display the agent's name:

• Employee Self-Service HR
• Employee Self-Service IT

Customizing logo

Employee Self-Service agent logo customization involves multiple stages, as follows:

• Maker experience: Only within Copilot Studio. Makers should be able to upload a custom logo and test the appearance within Copilot Studio.
• End-user experience: In the Microsoft Copilot Chat channel. Learn more about customizing the appearance of an agent for Microsoft Copilot.

Set the organization disclaimer

Use the organization disclaimer to show employees a notice from your organization, such as terms of use or a reminder to verify important information. The disclaimer is optional. It's off by default and doesn't include default text.

To set the organization disclaimer:

1. In Copilot Studio, open the Employee Self-Service agent.
2. Select Settings, and then select Customize disclaimer message.
3. Turn on Show disclaimer to users.
4. Enter the disclaimer text. Use plain text and 500 characters or fewer.
5. Publish the agent. Employees see the updated disclaimer after the agent is published.

Employees see the disclaimer at the start of a conversation with the agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. The agent adds the label From your organization: before your text so employees know the notice comes from your organization. The label doesn't count toward the 500-character limit.

Keep the following points in mind:

• Formatting, such as bold text and hyperlinks, isn't preserved. Write the disclaimer as plain text.
• Enter the disclaimer in the language you want employees to see.

Customize agent instructions

Instructions act as a blueprint for tone, structure, and decision-making across workflows, preventing fragmented user experiences. Instructions specify clear role definitions and handoff rules to prevent agents from giving redundant or conflicting answers. Use instructions to:

• Develop voice and tone as appropriate for your organization.
• Map specific steps for user context variables, topics, and other entities.
• Define boundaries, fallback plans, and more.

Learn more about how instructions work for the agent, knowledge sources, and topics.

Customize Topics

The Employee Self-Service agent comes with several out-of-the-box topics to get you started. The maker can customize each of these topics. These topics can be tested before publishing them to the broader set of users. Learn more about topics in Copilot Studio.

The following Topics are available in the current package version:

Topic	Type	Trigger	Enabled (default)	When to use
[Admin] - User Context - Setup	Topic	On redirect	On	Set user context for retrieval topics from different sources including external systems like Workday, SAP SF, and so on. Required.
[Example] - Crafted Response	Topic	By agent	Off	Display a verbatim message that includes an Official Answer badge for more control over certain situations.
[Example] - Sensitive Topics	Topic	By agent	Off	Edit responses for sensitive topics to help users navigate potentially harmful conversations.
[System] - Log Telemetry Event	Topic	On redirect	On	Log events and other details for internal debugging and agent management purposes.
[System] - On Error	System Topic	On error	On	Edit general error messages for common scenarios to improve engagement and task completion.
[System] - Reset Conversation	Topic	Activity received	Off	Times out User context cache to help fetch the latest user context data.
[System] - User Context - Init variables	Topic	On redirect	On	Improve performance by updating and caching user context attributes to default values. No customizations available.
[System] - User Context - Validate	Topic	Activity received	On	User context attributes refreshed. No customizations available.
Conversation Start	System Topic	On conversation start	On	Initializes the user context attributes with default values. The maker can customize the welcome message.

Empathy and clarification are handled by built-in agent instructions, not topics. For details, see Built-in instructions for empathy and clarification.

Customize the Topics as an Environment Maker

Refer to these instructions to customize the Topics as an Environment Maker.

Terms to know:

JTBD - Jobs to be done.

[Admin] User Context - Setup

Default: On

Topic JTBD: Redirect User Context retrieval topics and attributes from other data sources to improve response relevancy.

Maker JTBD: Maker needs to add redirection of the User Context retrieval topics from the external systems your Employee Self-Service agent connects to. Or, if Makers configure other Topics to retrieve User Context attributes from other systems, then they should also be added as Topic redirections in this Topic.

Maker - What to customize:

Requirement to use: None.

Step	Action	Expected result
1	Open the Employee Self-Service agent in Copilot Studio.	Employee Self-Service agent available to customize.
2	Navigate to Topics to see the list of Topics.	Shows Custom Topics.
3	Select [Admin] User Context - Setup.	Opens custom topic in the design canvas.
4	Add a redirect to another Topic where it sets the user context, such as one from an external system solution.	Maker able to set user context.
5	Save the changes.	Your changes are saved.

[Example] Crafted Response

Default: Off

Topic JTBD: Configure topics with an Official answer badge in the UX to give users confidence that the response is coming directly from an official source. Verbatim responses don't have citations and references, so this badge assures the user that the answer is legitimate. You can also add Actions to the response such as "Click here to create an HR ticket."

Maker JTBD: Update the Set Official Answer Response variable with the message that you want to display as an official answer. When you test this message in the Maker experience, you should see your crafted response.

Maker - What to customize: Enable the Topic if you want crafted responses. Update the trigger phrases and sample response.

Step	Action	Expected result
1	Open the Employee Self-Service agent in Copilot Studio.	Employee Self-Service agent available to customize.
2	Navigate to Topics to see the list of Topics.	Shows Custom Topics.
3	Select [Example] - Crafted Response.	Opens custom Topic in the design canvas.
4	Select the first node Triggered by agent.	Topic node expands to show the description of what the Topic does.
5	Customize the Topic description to include specific keywords that the agent shouldn't respond to and instead redirected elsewhere.	Topic description updates.
6	Select the second node Set Official Answer Response.	Topic node expands to show the value that can be customized.
7	Customize the To value field with a message. This message displays for your chosen queries instead of generated AI output.	Topic value updates.
8	Save the changes.	Changes are saved.
9	Test the configured trigger word using the test pane within Copilot Studio.	Results generate with the Official Answer badge.

[Example] Sensitive Topics

Default: Off

Topic JTBD: Customizing responses for topics that are sensitive and triggered by the Employee Self-Service agent triggers HR sensitivity. The current generic Copilot Chat response is "I'm really sorry that you're feeling this way, but I'm not able to help. It's important to talk to a mental health professional or someone you trust about what you're going through."

Maker JTBD:

The Employee Self-Service agent starter is "Consulting with a professional is the best way to get assistance with this request. Please contact a representative for further support." Action: ends conversation.

The triggers are:

This topic should only trigger when users mention explicitly sensitive, confidential, or legal concerns such as harassment, abuse, discrimination, unethical behavior, or retaliation in the work place. It activates in situations involving:

• Requests for HR consultation relating to sensitive matters
• Privacy concerns
• Hostile work environments
• Workplace violence
• Legal action
• Reporting of severe misconduct

Important

This topic must not trigger for general HR-related inquiries such as:

• Accessing benefits information such as W2 forms and health benefits
• Routine workplace questions
• Performance concerns
• Other non-sensitive matters

It should only activate when explicit terms like harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace violence, or legal support are mentioned.

Maker - What to customize

Enable the Topic if your organization wants to use it. Update the trigger phrases and sample response text.

Step	Action	Expected result
1	Open the Employee Self-Service agent in Copilot Studio.	Employee Self-Service agent available to customize.
2	Navigate to Topics to see the list of Topics.	Shows Custom Topics.
3	Select [Example] - Sensitive Topics.	Topic opens in the design canvas.
4	Select the first node Triggered by agent.	Topic node expands to show the description of what the Topic does.
5	Customize the Topic description to include specific keywords that the agent shouldn't be respond to and instead redirect elsewhere.	Topic description updates.
6	Select the second node Message.	Topic node expands to show the value that can be customized.
7	Customize the Text field with a message that displays when the agent returns an official answer rather than AI-generated output.	Topic value updates.
8	Save your changes.	Changes are saved.
9	Test the configured trigger word using the test pane in Copilot Studio.	The customized message shows instead of an AI-generated message.

[System] On Error

Solution: These three templates are provided in this Topic:

1. LLM capacity
2. Responsible AI (RAI) customization
3. Error out bug

Default: On

Topic JTBD: Customized error messages instead of the default Copilot Chat error messages to help users better understand why they receive an error.

Maker JTBD: Configure each error. You can also add a call to action.

• OpenAIratelimit reached triggered when the LLM is at capacity.
• Employee Self-Service agent starter We're working on increasing the capacity for usage. Please wait for a couple of minutes before retrying the Employee Self-Service agent. We regret the inconvenience.
• ContentFiltered triggered the same as RAI questions. You can set what you want instead of the generic RAI.
  • Generic message: I'm really sorry that you're feeling this way, but I'm not able to help. It's important to talk to a mental health professional or someone you trust about what you're going through.
  • Employee Self-Service agent starter: Sorry, I can't chat about this. Start a fresh one by selecting New chat.
  • Employee Self-Service agent starter: Consulting with a professional is the best way to get assistance with this request. Please contact a representative for further support.
• Topicvarshowdebuginfo: Gives the conversation ID and time to help an engineer debug.
  • Employee Self-Service agent starter: Users see the conversation ID and time.

Maker- What to customize:
Requirement to use: None
Edit the default template for each error message that you want to change to a custom response. Delete the Topic if you don't want any custom messages.

[System] Log Telemetry Event

Default: On

Topic JTBD: View telemetry in Application Insights to help the Maker with debugging tickets for any event. Example: A user gets an error from an external system solution when trying to create a ticket.

Maker JTBD: Install App Insights and configure the event and redirect message.

Maker- What to customize:
Customization is optional. Requirements to use:

1. Application Insights installed
2. Don't edit On redirect. Keep the default.
3. Edit EventName.
4. Edit Message.

To prevent incorrect responses, customize data retrieval Topics

Data retrieved from data sources can cause the LLM to return incorrect information. You can prevent these inaccurate responses by providing more context to the data retrieval Topics.

Example scenario

Asking "What's my company code?" Might cause Copilot to incorrectly determine that the current user's company code is the same as their manager's.

You can prevent this outcome by adding more context in each of the data retrieval Topics. The following examples could be added as instructions to the Topic that's responsible for retrieving the company code.

Example invalid requests

• What is my manager's company code?
• What is my director's company code?

Example valid requests

• What is my company code?

Configure knowledge sources

For information about configuring knowledge sources, see Configure knowledge sources.

Customize Starter prompts

Starter prompts help you roll out the Employee Self-Service agent efficiently to your organization. With starter prompts, users already have a few ready-to-go prompts to use. Creating starter prompts helps your organization decrease the time to value.

Tip

Identify the most asked questions by your users to form the base of your starter prompts. Identifying the most accurate answers to these questions helps build trust with your users.

1. Open the Employee Self-Service agent in Copilot Studio and navigate to the Overview page.
2. Select the Edit button in Starter prompts.
3. Add prompts categorized by Title.
4. Save your changes.
5. The starter prompts you created display in the Starter prompts section.

For categorized starter prompts and other tenant-level landing-page settings, see Configure the landing page for the Employee Self-Service declarative agent.

Customization checklist

After completing customizations, run FlightCheck to proactively validate topics, knowledge sources, connectors, and instructions before publishing.

Role	Verification steps	Result
Environment Maker	1. Access the Employee Self-Service agent from Copilot Studio. 2. Test all the customizations using the Copilot Studio test panel. Make sure to refresh the test panel for each change.	Pass/Fail

You need to repeat the steps to customize the agent if any of the verification steps fail.