Module 02 Addition: The Copilot Studio Overview Page
Insert this section BEFORE the "Four Building Blocks" section in Module 02.
Purpose: Give participants a visual mental model of where the building blocks live in the UI, before explaining what they are.
🗺️ Your Home Base: The Overview Page
Before we dive into the four building blocks, let's orient you in the new Copilot Studio interface. When you open any agent, you'll land on the Overview page — this is your main authoring surface.
Why this matters: Everything you build in this course lives on the Overview page. Understanding this layout now will save you time in every lab.
What the Overview Page Looks Like
The Overview page is a single scrollable canvas showing all your agent's components at once. You no longer navigate to separate tabs for each feature — it's all visible in one view.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ [Agent Name] [Publish] [...] │
│ [Description] [⚙️] │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Instructions [Edit] │
│ You are a helpful IT assistant... │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Triggers [+ Add trigger] │
│ (Event-based autonomous activation) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Knowledge [+ Add knowledge] │
│ ● Contoso IT SharePoint │
│ ● Guest WiFi Guide.docx │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Tools [+ Add a tool] │
│ (Connectors, Agent Flows, Workflows) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Topics [+ Add a topic] │
│ ● Available devices │
│ ● Request device │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Channels [+ Add channel] │
│ ● Teams and Microsoft 365 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘On the right side, you always have the Test pane — a live chat window for testing your agent as you build it.
Overview Page Sections at a Glance
| Section | What you do here | Corresponds to... |
|---|---|---|
| Instructions | Define agent persona, tone, and behavior rules | Building block 4: Instructions |
| Triggers | Add event-based triggers for autonomous behavior | Autonomous agents (Module 10) |
| Knowledge | Connect SharePoint, documents, websites | Building block 1: Knowledge |
| Tools | Add connectors, flows, and APIs | Building block 2: Tools |
| Topics | Define conversational entry points | Building block 3: Topics |
| Channels | Publish to Teams, websites, etc. | Module 11: Publishing |
💡 Tip: You can do everything from the Overview page. You don't need to navigate away to add knowledge, create a topic, or test — it's all right here.
Navigation: How to Get Around
Left sidebar (always visible):
- Home — Create a new agent using natural language
- Agents — Your list of agents
- Flows — Your Agent Flows (separate from the agent view)
- Connections — Manage your connector connections
Within an agent:
- The Overview tab is your main view
- Topics tab takes you to the full topic list
- Analytics, Activity, Settings are also accessible
🏗️ Creating a New Agent: The Natural Language Flow
One more thing before we dive in. When you create a new agent in the new Copilot Studio, the experience starts with natural language:
- Go to Home in the left sidebar
- Type a description of what you want your agent to do
- AI provisions a starter agent for you — suggesting a name, instructions, knowledge sources, topics, and even trigger phrases
- You land on the Overview page with the agent ready to customize
This is exactly what you'll do in Module 06. For now, just know that the Overview page is your destination after creation.
→ Continue to: The Four Building Blocks
Now that you know where everything lives, let's understand what each piece does.