Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 is designed to help you be more productive and efficient with the power of artifical intelligence (AI). You can use Copilot to summarize a file, create content, bring information together, and more. Copilot for Microsoft 365 draws on information from your contacts, messages, chats, and files, including files that are shared with you.
But what if you need it to bring in information from other sources, such as the internet? If your admin has enabled connections to other data sources, such as web content, you can use those connections to bring in additional data to Microsoft Copilot. This article describes data sources like plugins or connectors, what you should know before using these data sources, and where to find more information.
Data sources for Copilot can include Bing web search, ChatGPT plugins, Microsoft Teams message extensions, and Microsoft Power Platform connectors.
What to know before you use plugins or connectors
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Microsoft Copilot only shares data with and searches in plugins or connectors that are enabled for Copilot. You can only use data sources that are approved by your Microsoft 365 admin and that are acquired by you or your admin.
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Data sources, such as plugins or connectors, don't grant access beyond what you already have. For example, if you don't have access to a particular internal document, using a plugin or extension isn't going to make that document available to you.
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Some plugins or connectors are provided by third parties, not by Microsoft. Plugins, connectors, apps, and add-ins are individually governed by their terms of use and privacy policies, and are licensed to each user (not to the organization). Such services are covered by the terms between each user and the plugin or connector. You can view the privacy policy and terms of service in the app store before adding or using a data source.
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When you use a plugin or connector, queries based on your prompts, conversation history, and Microsoft 365 data can be shared with the plugin or extension to generate a response or complete a command.
How to find and use additional data sources with Copilot
Additional data sources can include plugins, connectors, apps, and add-ins that are acquired and deployed by your admin. The following table describes some examples.
|
Data source |
Procedure |
|---|---|
|
Bing web search in Copilot chat |
1. Open the chat experience by using one of the following methods:
2. In the box where you type your prompts, select the Apps icon. This action opens the Plugins dialog box. 3. Turn on the Bing web search toggle to let Microsoft 365 Chat use content from the internet in addition to your company data. |
|
Microsoft Teams message extensions |
1. Open Teams. 2. Select + Apps, and search for message extensions. 3. Select the extension you want to use. |
|
AI apps and add-ins |
1. Go to appsource.microsoft.com and sign in. 2. Go to Categories > AI + machine learning. 3. Use filters, such as Products, to narrow down the list of results. 4. Select the app or add-in you want to use. |
What happens to my data sources if an admin turns them off?
If an admin removes the ability to use a data source, such as an connector or plugin, you won't be able to use it. However, your settings as a user are saved, so that if an admin later on re-enables the ability to use that data source, you're able to use it as before.
