How to Create a File Group in Microsoft Copilot Studio

A file group combines locally uploaded documents into a single knowledge source in Microsoft Copilot Studio. It is useful when an agent should first choose the right document—such as a policy for a particular region or customer type—and then search that document for an answer. A group can contain up to 500 files, subject to the agent and environment limits.

Requirements and limitations

• Use locally uploaded files: Files added through separate OneDrive or SharePoint knowledge sources cannot be placed in an uploaded-file group.
• Enable Dataverse search: Copilot Studio uses Dataverse search to index and query uploaded files. If file-based knowledge cannot be added, ask the environment administrator to verify this setting.
• Allow indexing time: Newly uploaded or changed files may not be available to the agent until their status is Ready.
• Review environment capacity: Uploaded documents use Dataverse file storage, so practical capacity depends on the environment as well as Copilot Studio limits.

What a file group contains

• Name and description: Identify the source and help generative orchestration decide when it is relevant.
• Instructions: Tell the agent how to choose among the files in the group. Instructions can refer to available global variables when routing depends on context such as region or customer category.
• Files: The uploaded documents whose content the agent can use to ground an answer.

File groups versus individual files

An individually uploaded file appears as its own knowledge source. A file group presents several uploaded files as one source and lets you provide instructions for selecting the most relevant file.

With individual sources, the agent searches the available knowledge sources for matching passages. With a well-configured group, the instructions help narrow the choice of file before matching passages inside it. This is especially useful when documents cover parallel versions of the same subject, such as policies that vary by location, product, or service tier.

Create a group while uploading files

1. Open the agent and select Add knowledge from the Overview or Knowledge page. You can also add knowledge from the properties of a generative answers node.
2. Drag files into the Add knowledge dialog, or browse to select them.
3. Open the Add to agent menu and choose Upload as a group.
4. Enter a specific name and description. Describe the subject and when the group should be used.
5. Select Create.

The new group appears in the agent's Knowledge area. Open it and add instructions that distinguish the documents from one another; a vague instruction such as “search these files” does little to improve routing.

Create a group from files already in the agent

1. On the Knowledge page, open the menu for an individually uploaded file and select Create file group.
2. In the dialog, select the other uploaded files that belong in the group. OneDrive and SharePoint sources are not listed because they are different knowledge-source types.
3. Select Create.

The selected files stop appearing as separate knowledge sources and are shown inside the new group instead.

Write useful file-group instructions

The description helps the agent decide whether the group is relevant to a question. The instructions help it select the right file within that group. Keep these jobs separate and make the routing conditions explicit.

For example, suppose an airline stores separate baggage-policy documents for domestic and international trips and for different cabin classes. The group description can identify the collection as baggage policies. Its instructions can tell the agent to choose a document using the travel type and cabin class already available in the conversation or in approved variables.

If you leave the instructions blank, the agent can search across the files in the group, but it loses this additional routing guidance. Test representative questions after every change to make sure the intended document is being selected.

View, add, or remove files

Select the group name—or open its menu and choose Edit—to reach the knowledge details page. From there you can review the included files, change the name, description, or instructions, and upload additional documents. Depending on the files already attached to the agent, the interface may also offer Select from uploaded files.

To remove a document, open the group and select the delete icon beside that file. A group must retain at least one file. Removing a file also removes its indexed content from the agent; re-upload the document if it is needed again. Select Save after editing the group.

Delete a file group

You can delete a group from its menu on the Overview or Knowledge page, or from the menu beside Save on the knowledge details page. Confirm the target carefully: deleting the group removes the grouped files and their indexed data from the agent's knowledge configuration. To restore them, upload or configure the files again.

After creating or editing a group, wait until indexing finishes and test questions that should route to different documents. Clear descriptions, specific instructions, and distinct file contents make the grouping useful; placing unrelated documents in one group does not.