Summary

  • 2 minutes

In this module, you explore how knowledge, tools, and skills give an agent access to approved information, current data, external actions, and reusable task guidance. You can now:

  • Distinguish knowledge, tools, and skills, and choose between connector, Model Context Protocol (MCP), and workflow tools.
  • Add knowledge from files, websites, SharePoint, or Dataverse, and validate grounding, permissions, and citations.
  • Configure a connector tool with fixed values and information that AI fills from the conversation.
  • Connect an agent to an existing MCP server and review the tools it provides.
  • Add a ready-made skill, review its instructions, and refine when it activates.
  • Test tools in Preview, use activity details to identify problems, and refine the appropriate agent component.

In the exercise, you create the Contoso Equipment Advisor. The agent combines equipment policy knowledge, current SharePoint inventory, and a ready-made recommendation skill. You then refine the skill description so it also activates for broader workplace setup requests.