Create a group of files to serve as a knowledge source for the agent in Copilot Studio.

Querying a group of files makes it easier for agents to find the relevant content.

File grouping requirements

1. Only locally uploaded files are supported.
2. Copilot Studio agents require Dataverse search to utilize this knowledge source. If you are unable to add a Dataverse-enabled knowledge source, such as uploading a file or adding a Dataverse table to the agent, ask your administrator to enable Dataverse search in your environment.

Note :

1. OneDrive and SharePoint files are not supported.
2. Copilot Studio agents require Dataverse searching to utilize this knowledge source. If you are unable to add Dataverse files to the agent, ask your administrator to enable Dataverse searching in your environment.

Components of a file group

A file group has the following three components:

1. Name and Description : These fields help the agent understand what the knowledge is about.
2. Instructions : This field tells the agent how to use this group of files for the user's query.
3. Knowledge : Files containing information that forms the basis for the agent.

The difference between a group of files and individual files.

Each individual file is a separate knowledge source. A file pool uses multiple files as a single knowledge source and employs instructions to help the agent find the correct file and return accurate information to the user.

For example, a file group is useful when an organization has information that depends on specific individual factors, such as geographic location or job title.

When you use individual files as knowledge sources, the agent searches all those knowledge sources simultaneously. The answer depends on one or more pieces of information that the agent finds in one or more files.

When using file clusters, the agent searches for information in two stages. In the first stage, the agent uses knowledge instructions to find the correct file. In the next stage, the agent searches for matching data segments within the files that meet the instructions' requirements to answer the user's question. This approach will return more accurate answers from the correct file.

Create a file group using the new files.

To upload a group of files, follow these steps:

1. Select Add knowledge from the Overview or Knowledge page , or Properties of the Generative Answers node.
2. In the Add knowledge dialog box , upload one or more files by dragging and dropping or browsing to the file location.
3. After adding the files, from the Add to agent drop-down menu , select Upload as a group .
4. Update the file group name and its description.
5. Select Create .

After you add a file group as a knowledge source by selecting Create , the file group icon will be displayed on the Overview page ( Knowledge section ) or on the Knowledge page .

Add instructions to help the agent filter file groups for more precise searching. For more specific instructions, you can add system-wide variables to help the agent find knowledge relevant to the user's specific situation.

You can select the same group of files at any time to review, add or remove files inside, or change their name, description, or instructions.

Create a file group using existing files.

You can start a file group from individual files once the agent already has the individual files added.

1. Select the three dots (.) in the knowledge source row and choose Create file group .
2. The Create file group dialog box displays all individual files that have been previously uploaded to the agent. However, it does not include files from SharePoint or OneDrive knowledge sources. You can select one or more files in addition to the previously selected files to create a file group.
3. Select Create to create a file group.

After you select Create , the individual files will no longer be displayed as separate knowledge sources in the Overview page ( Knowledge section ) or in the Knowledge page . Instead, they will be displayed as files within a file group.

View files in a file group

To view the details of a file group, such as the individual files it contains, select the file group name or select the three dots (.) and choose Edit . This will take you to the Knowledge details page .

Add a file to a file group.

You can add new files to a file group at any time. You can drag and drop files or browse your device and select "Add files" to add them to the file group. This second option is only available if individual files have already been added to the agent. If other types of knowledge sources, even if they are files, are already present, the " Select from uploaded files" option will be disabled.

1. On the Overview or Knowledge page , select the file group you want.
2. Drag and drop or select the option to upload one or more desired files, or use the Select from uploaded files option .

Note : Any changes to a group of files must be saved using the Save button .

Delete a file from a group of files.

You can delete a file from an existing group of files until only one file remains. A group of files needs at least one file.

To delete a file from a file group:

1. On the Overview or Knowledge page , select the desired file group.
2. Select the trash can icon to delete the file.
3. Repeat these steps for each file you want to delete.

Important note :

Deleting a file also removes its name, description, instructions, and indexed data from the agent. This action is permanent and irreversible. To restore the file, re-upload it. Any changes to the file group must be saved using the Save button .

Delete the file group

You can delete file groups from the Overview , Knowledge , or Knowledge details page .

1. Overview page : In the Knowledge section , select the three dots (.) in the file group row and then select Delete .
2. Knowledge Page : Hover over the file group row, select the three dots (⋮), and then select Delete .
3. On the Knowledge details page : Select the three dots (.) next to the Save button and choose the option to delete the file group.

Important note :

Deleting a file group also deletes the files, their names, descriptions, instructions, and indexed data. This action is permanent and irreversible. To restore the files, upload a new file group.

File grouping guide

Instructions is a diverse text field where users can include system-wide variables such as a user's location or date of birth to create requests for the agent to perform knowledge searches.

1. Geographic scenario: If a file group contains multiple files on a different topic depending on location, the user can instruct the agent to search only within the user's location knowledge base.

The file group has no instructions.

If no instructions are provided within a group of files, the agent will search all knowledge sources within that group of files instead of using specific requirements to find the most relevant information within a subset of files.

The difference between instructions and descriptions

The description helps the agent using the generative orchestration select the right knowledge source to find the answer. Additional instructions provide requirements that help the agent choose the appropriate knowledge source based on a global variable, thereby creating a more personalized experience for the end user's needs.

Example of a file group

1. Context : Contoso International Airlines wants to build a bot for customers to ask questions about upcoming trips. One of the most common questions is about baggage policy.
2. Example scenario : Baggage policies vary depending on the type of travel (domestic or international), class of travel (economy, business, or first class), and other attributes.
3. Example solution : Contoso has a group of PDF files, each detailing a policy and providing a separate document for each customer class. In this case, each criterion, such as "flight type" and "seat type," can be set as a variable. These variables help the agent filter the knowledge base to find the most relevant information and provide the most accurate response.