⚠️ Preview feature: subject to change before GA.
What it does
Extends Copilot's capabilities beyond built-in knowledge by connecting it to external processes and data sources. Three plugin types: Prompt plugins (AI Builder prompts → Dataverse), Custom connector plugins (Power Automate custom connectors for non-Microsoft systems), and Certified connector plugins (Copilot Studio, e.g. Salesforce, DocuSign).
Key facts
- Microsoft retired the dedicated plugins article in September 2026 and folded it into Extend Copilot with Copilot Studio. As of April 2026 extensibility is configured primarily in Copilot Studio, not the Copilot Service admin centre. Existing plugins keep working and need no action.
- Enabled at: Copilot Service admin center → Productivity → Copilot for questions and emails → Plugins → enable toggle
- Publishing takes up to 15 minutes after enabling a plugin before it appears to reps
- Access can be scoped to: all agents with Copilot, or specific security roles
- Plugin interaction data stored as Copilot transcript records in Dataverse
- Prerequisites: AI Builder environment (prompt plugins); existing Power Automate custom connector (custom connector plugins); Copilot Studio access (certified connector plugins)
When to use / skip
Use when reps need Copilot to reach into external systems or run complex processes beyond KB and email. Skip for standard deployments where built-in capabilities are enough.
Configuration decisions
- Which plugin type is appropriate: Prompt plugins for Dataverse-based processes; Custom connector plugins for external system integration; Certified connector plugins for well-known SaaS tools
- Access scoping: restrict by role if only specific teams should use a particular plugin
Gotchas
- Preview status. Configuration and behaviour are subject to change. Don't build production workflows on this until GA.
- 15-minute publish delay. Reps won't see the plugin immediately after enabling. Factor this into testing and training.
- Custom connector must exist first. If the Power Automate connector isn't built yet, the plugin can't be configured. Easy to miss when scoping the work.
Consultant notes
- Preview status applies here as with all Preview Copilot features: regulated production deployments need explicit client sign-off before this goes live. Flag it as a roadmap feature until GA.
- Custom connector as a prerequisite for custom connector plugins is the dependency that gets missed in project planning. If the Power Automate connector doesn't exist yet, building it is a separate piece of work that needs its own scope entry.
- The 15-minute publish delay is worth noting in the training plan. Trainers enabling plugins during a live session and then waiting for them to appear creates unnecessary confusion if it's not expected.
Source last updated: check Microsoft Learn | Check this after feature reaches GA or new plugin types are added. Source repointed 2026-09-22 after Microsoft consolidated this page into Extend Copilot with Copilot Studio.