All Content
Timespan
explore our new search
Comparison: Power Virtual Agents for Teams vs Standalone
Image Source: Shutterstock.com
Power Virtual Agents
Sep 30, 2023 7:41 AM

Comparison: Power Virtual Agents for Teams vs Standalone

by HubSite 365 about Holger Imbery - (The Cognitive Services Ninja)

power virtual agent | power platform | azure | principal architect

Citizen DeveloperPower Virtual AgentsM365 Hot News

Discover differences between Power Virtual Agents For Teams and standalone subscriptions and choose the best for your needs.

Understanding Power Virtual Agents Teams and Standalone

Every month, many participants question the decision between the standalone paid offer and the combined offer of Power Virtual Agents included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions during the Power Virtual Agents in a Day Workshop. Yes, there are significant differences between these two and a conclusion is provided in this article. Different features and subscriptions have their specific advantages.

Power Virtual Agents for Microsoft Teams is a feature enabling users to create conversational interfaces within Microsoft Teams while using data stored in Microsoft Dataverse for Teams and other standard connector sources. It is included in select Microsoft 365 subscriptions. In choosing which plan suits your needs, it becomes essential to compare the key capabilities. These include the Power Virtual Agents for Microsoft Teams plan and the standalone subscription, presented in comparison within this article.

A detailed list of differentiating factors between these licenses can be seen in the Microsoft Power Platform Licensing Guide. Other capacity considerations are covered in topics like the Quotas, limits, and configuration values.

The offerings of the selected Microsoft 365 subscriptions vs. standalone subscription for Power Virtual Agents vary. For instance, the standalone subscription has extensive capabilities like bot deployment to channels, enables premium connectors for triggering flows from Power Virtual Agents, allows the use of Power Virtual Agents bot as a Bot Framework skill, and the ability to generate secrets for secure web access and more.

Moreover, the standalone version allows extending Power Virtual Agents bots with Microsoft Bot Framework skills, custom dialogues development with Bot Framework Composer, and triggering a handoff to a live agent.

Conclusion: Power Virtual Agents Standalone vs Teams

Based on numerous factors provided, if you need bot integration into other channels such as Microsoft Teams, require premium connectors to use as a voice bot in a call center, relay them to a human, or utilize the bot as a skill, it is recommended to use the standalone version of Power Virtual Agents.

However, if you have a select Microsoft 365 subscription and do not require these features, using Power Virtual Agents for Microsoft Teams for creating conversational interfaces within Microsoft Teams is a fitting option. For more information on Power Virtual Agents, click here.

More about Power Virtual Agents

Power Virtual Agents offer a platform for creating intelligent, responsive chatbots that can be connected to various backend sources for advanced functionalities. Utilization can be standalone or as part of Microsoft Teams, each with distinct features and use cases.

These bots, coded with Microsoft Bot Framework skills and Bot Framework Composer, can be integrated into multiple channels, including Microsoft Teams. This integration improves the overall experience, allowing for a seamless transition from a bot to a human, if needed.

Read the full article Comparing Power Virtual Agents Teams and Standalone

Power Virtual Agents - Comparison: Power Virtual Agents for Teams vs Standalone

Learn about Comparing Power Virtual Agents Teams and Standalone

Power Virtual Agents are an integral part of the Microsoft ecosystem with two distinct modes - as a standalone feature or as part of a combined offer in the broader Microsoft 365 subscriptions. However, the choice between the two depends entirely on your specific requirements and this article seeks to aid you in making that decision.

First and foremost, it's crucial to understand what Power Virtual Agents are and what role they play. These are features utilized in creating conversational interfaces within Microsoft Teams, leveraging data stored in Microsoft Dataverse for Teams and other data sources via standard connectors. This component is included in select Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

To determine which plan suits your needs best, consider a comparison of the main capabilities of the Power Virtual Agents feature in Microsoft Teams plan and the standalone offer. Such a comparison can give you a better understanding of each plan's specific strengths and capabilities.

A common question that may arise is - "Is Power Virtual Agents entirely free and do differences exist between the two offerings?" Yes, significant disparities exist. Understanding these differences forms the key to where you place your bet on these agents. This article will guide you on the comparison details and a final conclusion on the recommendations.

A comprehensive list of discrepancies can be found in the Microsoft Power Platform Licensing Guide. This guide will give you an in-depth understanding of the differences, ensuring that you can make an informed decision. Furthermore, the Quotas, limits, and configuration values provide a roadmap for capacity considerations for the agents.

There are certain factors that you may need to consider, such as deploying a bot to channels like Microsoft Teams, any other channel supported by the Power Virtual Agents, availability of Power Automate connectors, web security etc. Some of the features like ability to generate secrets or to extend Power Virtual Agents bots with Microsoft Bot Framework skills are not available in the Microsoft Teams Plan, whereas they are available in the standalone version.

When it comes to the conclusion based on the comparison table, you may need to factor in whether you need to integrate your bot into other channels such as Microsoft Teams or not, whether you need premium connectors, whether or not you wish to hand off conversations to a human. If these are your requirements, then it is recommended to go with the standalone version of Power Virtual Agents.

On the other side, if you own a select Microsoft 365 subscription and do not require these features, the combined offering would be a better fit for you. Further, if your requirement is to integrate your bot into other channels such as Microsoft Teams, if you want to use premium connectors, want to use the bot as a skill or handoff conversations to a human, then you are better off using the standalone version of Power Virtual Agents.

Therefore, depending on your requirements, you should choose the version of Power Virtual Agents that best fits your needs.

More links on about Comparing Power Virtual Agents Teams and Standalone

Power Virtual Agents: Standalone vs Microsoft Team...
Feb 14, 2022 — Hey Everyone, This video focuses on the key differences between Power Virtual Agents as a standalone chatbot service vs in Microsoft Teams.
What is the difference between building a chatbot in MS team ...
Sep 14, 2021 — I am new to power virtual agent. Please help me to understand the difference between building a chatbot in MS team and building a chatbot in web ...
Power Virtual Agents overview
May 23, 2023 — Power Virtual Agents is available as both a standalone web app, and as a discrete app within Microsoft Teams. Most of the functionality between ...

Keywords

Power Virtual Agents Teams, Standalone Power Virtual Agents, Comparing Power Virtual Agents, Teams vs Standalone Agents, Power Agents comparison, Teams Power Virtual Agents, Standalone Power Agents, Power Virtual Standalone vs Teams, Microsoft Power Virtual Agents Compare, Power Virtual Agents Teams Standalone Analysis