Domain 1 of 3 · Chapter 14 of 22

Add agent flows to a topic

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Included in this chapter:

  • Where the topic stops and the agent flow starts
  • Three placements, and who picks the moment
  • Why a flow is missing from the Add tool panel
  • Adding the node, and why its position is the point
  • Filling the node's inputs from the conversation
  • What comes back, and where it lives
  • Turning a raw JSON response into a typed Record
  • Branch on a status, not on a sentence
  • Testing the wired topic, then publishing twice
  • How these choices show up in questions

Three placements for one published agent flow

ConsiderationAgent-level toolAgent-level tool, dynamic use clearedTopic-level tool
Who chooses the momentGenerative orchestration, from the tool's name and descriptionOnly a topic's Action node; the orchestrator will not select itThe topic path, when it reaches the Action node
Where it is availableThroughout the agentAnywhere a topic calls it explicitlyOnly the topic you added it to
How inputs are filledDynamically filled with AI, or overridden with a Custom valueMapped on each Action node that calls itMapped on the Action node
Reachable under classic orchestrationNo; in classic mode the agent responds only through topicsYes, through the topic's explicit callYes
Best fitMany phrasings, no fixed momentOne flow, several authored call sitesOne flow, one topic, one step

Decision tree

Meets the tool criteria?Trigger, response, publishednoFix eligibility firstIt never reaches the Add tool panelyesMust it run at one exactconversation step?noAgent-level toolGenerative orchestration selects ityesAlso needed elsewherein the agent?yesAgent-level tool plus an Action nodeClear dynamic use for authored callsnoTopic-level toolAvailable to this topic only
Cheat sheet

Cheat sheet

  • Add a published flow as an Action node at the required topic step
  • Make the flow agent-callable before adding it to a topic
  • Use a topic-level flow when execution timing must be explicit
  • Test the topic flow node with its actual parameter mappings
  • Map compatible topic values to each flow input
  • Store flow outputs in variables for later topic nodes
  • Parse untyped JSON before using record fields
  • Branch on a structured flow status rather than response prose

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References

  1. Agent flows in Microsoft Copilot Studio FAQ FAQ
  2. Add an agent flow as a tool to an agent - Microsoft Copilot Studio
  3. Add tools to custom agents - Microsoft Copilot Studio
  4. Modify an existing flow to use with an agent - Microsoft Copilot Studio
  5. Create an agent flow as a tool - Microsoft Copilot Studio
  6. Work with variables - Microsoft Copilot Studio
  7. Variables overview - Microsoft Copilot Studio
  8. Ask with Adaptive Cards - Microsoft Copilot Studio
  9. Add conditions to topics - Microsoft Copilot Studio
  10. Call an agent flow from an agent - Microsoft Copilot Studio
  11. Test your agent - Microsoft Copilot Studio
  12. Create and edit topics - Microsoft Copilot Studio