SharePoint: Your Embedded Apps with Custom Copilot Integration!

Key insights

• Custom Copilot Integration: Integrating a custom Copilot into SharePoint Embedded applications enhances user interaction with AI-driven assistance tailored to your organization's content, improving productivity and user experience.


• Single Sign-On (SSO): Deploying a Custom Copilot with SSO ensures seamless user experiences by allowing interactions without additional authentication prompts. Key steps include setting up app registration in Azure Active Directory and building the SharePoint Framework component.


• Agent Builder: SharePoint's Agent Builder provides a straightforward, point-and-click interface for creating Copilot agents. It allows customization of queries, integration of multiple data sources, and sharing via simple hyperlinks.


• SharePoint Embedded Features: This cloud-based system enables app developers to harness Microsoft 365's collaborative functions, security tools, and Copilot capabilities. It supports file management through "File Storage Containers" using Microsoft Graph APIs.


• App-Managed Content: Content stored by SharePoint Embedded apps is accessible only through the owning application, utilizing Microsoft 365's rich content management features such as versioning and collaboration on Office documents.


• Billing and Costs: The storage partition created by SharePoint Embedded apps is billed separately from other Microsoft 365 entitlements through an Azure subscription based on storage usage and API calls.

Introduction to Custom Copilot Integration

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, enhancing user experiences and productivity is paramount for organizations. Microsoft 365 has been at the forefront of this transformation, offering innovative solutions that integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into everyday applications. One such advancement is the integration of custom Copilot functionality into SharePoint Embedded applications. This initiative, showcased in a recent demo by Marc Windle from Microsoft, highlights the potential of AI-powered assistance in transforming how users interact with SharePoint Embedded apps. The demo, part of the Microsoft 365 & Power Platform weekly call on November 5, 2024, provides a comprehensive overview of integrating AI-driven assistance into SharePoint Embedded applications. This integration not only enhances user experiences but also boosts productivity by offering tailored support based on the organization's content. In this article, we will explore the various aspects of integrating custom Copilot into SharePoint Embedded apps, the tools and resources available, and the potential challenges and tradeoffs involved.

Deploying a Custom Copilot with Single Sign-On (SSO)

One of the key components of integrating a custom Copilot into SharePoint Embedded applications is ensuring a seamless user experience. To achieve this, Microsoft emphasizes the importance of implementing Single Sign-On (SSO). SSO allows users to interact with the Copilot without the need for additional authentication prompts, thus streamlining the user experience. Microsoft's Copilot Studio provides the necessary tools to create custom Copilots that can be embedded into SharePoint sites. A detailed guide is available to assist developers in publishing a custom Copilot to a SharePoint site with SSO support. The guide covers essential steps such as:

• Setting up app registration configurations in Azure Active Directory.
• Configuring a Generative Answers node for the Copilot, utilizing SharePoint or OneDrive as data sources.
• Building the SharePoint Framework (SPFx) component to host the Copilot.
• Deploying the component to the SharePoint site.

By following these steps, developers can embed a Copilot that accesses and interacts with SharePoint content, providing users with AI-driven assistance grounded in the site's data. However, balancing the ease of use with security considerations is crucial. While SSO simplifies user access, it also necessitates robust security measures to protect sensitive data.

Utilizing Agent Builder in SharePoint

For those seeking a more straightforward approach to creating Copilot agents, SharePoint's Agent Builder offers a user-friendly, point-and-click interface. This tool is designed to simplify the creation and deployment of Copilot agents, making it accessible even for individuals without extensive technical expertise. With Agent Builder, users can:

• Build Copilot agents that can query SharePoint data.
• Customize agents with predefined queries to guide users effectively.
• Integrate multiple data sources to enhance the agent's capabilities.
• Share the agent via simple hyperlinks, which can be embedded in SharePoint pages or used in Teams.

This method democratizes the creation of Copilot agents, enabling a wider range of users to leverage AI-driven assistance. However, it is important to consider the tradeoffs between ease of use and customization. While Agent Builder simplifies the process, it may offer less flexibility compared to more advanced development tools.

Understanding SharePoint Embedded Applications

SharePoint Embedded is a cloud-based file and document management system that integrates seamlessly with any application. It is an API-only solution that allows developers to harness the power of the Microsoft 365 file and document storage platform. This makes it suitable for enterprises building line-of-business applications and independent software vendors (ISVs) developing multitenant applications. One of the key features of SharePoint Embedded is its ability to integrate advanced Microsoft 365 features into applications. These features include collaborative functions from Office, Purview's security and compliance tools, and Copilot capabilities. By leveraging these features, organizations can enhance their applications with powerful content management and collaboration tools. However, integrating these features requires careful consideration of the associated challenges. For instance, ensuring data security and compliance with organizational policies is critical when embedding external functionalities into applications. Additionally, developers must balance the need for advanced features with the potential complexity they introduce.

App-Managed Content Experiences

SharePoint Embedded applications provide a unique approach to managing content within a Microsoft 365 tenant. When a consumer uses a SharePoint Embedded application, a new storage partition is created within their tenant. This partition is dedicated to the application and does not have a user interface. Instead, it is accessible only via APIs, ensuring that documents remain within the consumer's Microsoft 365 tenant. This approach offers several benefits, including:

• Isolation and security of app-managed content within the tenant boundary.
• Access to core content management features like support for any file type, folder structure, searching, sharing, automatic versioning, and more.
• Collaboration features such as view, edit, and co-authoring Office documents in Office Web and Desktop.

However, there are challenges associated with this model. For example, developers must ensure that the application provides a user-friendly experience for accessing and managing content. Additionally, they must navigate the complexities of integrating with Microsoft Purview compliance and security settings.

Cost and Billing Considerations

Understanding the costs and billing associated with SharePoint Embedded content is crucial for organizations considering its integration. Microsoft 365 customers have different entitlements related to storage, usage, and features based on their licenses. The storage partition created by a SharePoint Embedded app in a consumer's Microsoft 365 tenant is billed separately through an Azure subscription. This billing model is based on a pay-as-you-go metered consumption model, which considers total storage and the number of API calls. While this approach offers flexibility, it also requires organizations to carefully monitor their usage to avoid unexpected costs. In conclusion, integrating custom Copilot functionality into SharePoint Embedded applications presents a significant opportunity for organizations to enhance user experiences and productivity. By leveraging Microsoft's tools and resources, developers can create AI-driven assistance tailored to their organization's needs. However, it is essential to carefully consider the tradeoffs and challenges associated with this integration, from ensuring data security to managing costs effectively. As organizations continue to explore the potential of AI in their applications, the insights gained from this integration will be invaluable in shaping the future of digital transformation.

Keywords

Custom Copilot SharePoint, SharePoint Embedded Apps, Add Copilot to SharePoint, Custom AI in SharePoint, Enhance SharePoint with Copilot, Integrate Copilot in Apps, SharePoint App Development, AI Tools for SharePoint.