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Microsoft Copilot Studio is changing how organizations build intelligent assistants on top of Microsoft 365 data. One of the most important capabilities in this platform is the ability to generate search query in Copilot Studio and perform search query in Copilot Studio using enterprise content.
Instead of relying on static answers, Copilot Studio agents can dynamically search SharePoint, OneDrive, and other Microsoft 365 sources to return accurate, permission-aware results. This is especially useful for IT teams, SharePoint admins, and business users who want copilots that respond with real information, not assumptions.
In this article, you’ll learn how to create search queries and perform search queries in Copilot Studio, how search actions work, and how to design Microsoft Copilot Studio agents that deliver meaningful answers using Microsoft Search.
This guide is based on a real Copilot Studio walkthrough and focuses on practical implementation.
Why Generate Search Query in Copilot Studio
Static chatbot responses do not scale well in Microsoft 365 environments. Content changes frequently, policies get updated, and documents move across SharePoint sites.
When you generate search query in Copilot Studio, your agent can:
- Retrieve the latest documents from SharePoint Online
- Answer questions using real enterprise data
- Reduce manual maintenance of topics and responses
- Improve answer accuracy and user trust
Search-driven agents are easier to maintain and far more useful in day-to-day business scenarios.
Understanding Search Queries in Microsoft Copilot
Before configuring anything, it’s important to understand how search queries in Microsoft Copilot actually work.
Copilot Studio relies on Microsoft Search and Microsoft Graph–connected content. When a user asks a question, the Copilot Studio agent:
- Interprets the user’s intent
- Extracts relevant keywords and entities
- Generates a structured search query
- Executes the query against approved data sources
- Uses the results to ground the response
This ensures that responses are accurate, secure, and based on content the user already has access to.
Data Sources Used by Copilot Studio Search Actions
When using Copilot Studio search actions, your agent searches only within configured enterprise data sources, such as:
- SharePoint Online sites and document libraries
- OneDrive for Business
- Microsoft 365 content indexed by Microsoft Search
Copilot Studio does not expose data users are not permitted to see. All results respect Microsoft Entra ID and SharePoint permissions.
How to Generate Search Query in Copilot Studio
Step 1: Capture the User’s Input
Every search flow starts with the user’s question. This could be something like:
- “Where is the latest IT security policy?”
- “Do we have onboarding documents for new hires?”
- “Show me the SharePoint governance guidelines.”
Copilot Studio captures this input as a variable, which becomes the basis for generating the search query.
Step 2: Create the Search Query
When you generate search query in Copilot Studio, the platform uses AI to analyze:
- User intent
- Key phrases
- Context from the conversation
The result is a refined search query string optimized for Microsoft Search. This step is critical because poorly generated queries lead to irrelevant results.
You can store the generated query in a variable and optionally review or refine it before execution.
In Copilot Studio, from a custom topic, you can add the create search query tool.
From your topic, click on the add node menu, then click on the add a tool link, and then you will see the “Generate a search query” tool; then add it.
Once you add the Generate search query tool to your topic, the system will automatically configure the user input parameter with “=System.Activity.Text.”
Since the Create search query tool returns a record data type, you need to store its output in a variable before using it in subsequent steps.
How to Perform Search Query in Copilot Studio
Once the search query is generated, the next step is to perform search query in Copilot Studio using a search action.
Step 3: Execute the Search Query
The search action sends the generated query to Microsoft Search, which:
- Searches indexed Microsoft 365 content
- Applies security trimming
- Ranks results by relevance
The response is returned as a structured set of results that your agent can use.
Similarly to the above “create search query” tool, you need to add the “perform search query” tool.
After adding the custom search tool to your topic, you must map its input parameter to the output of the Create search query tool. Since the custom search tool expects a string, ensure the value is passed in the correct format, as shown below.
Here the actual search query will be performed.
Step 4: Process and Display Search Results
Search results typically include:
- Document title
- URL
- Summary or snippet
- Source location
Your Copilot Studio agent can then:
- Show the top results to the user
- Summarize the content
- Provide clickable links
- Ask follow-up questions to narrow the search
Limiting the number of results usually improves clarity and user experience.
For instance, if the user asks “show me total sales of USA region”, Copilot Studio first generates a structured search query from the prompt. This query is passed to the custom search tool, which executes the search against the configured data source and produces the output displayed below.
YouTube Video Demo: Create and Perform Search in Copilot Studio
Copilot Studio Search Actions Explained
Copilot Studio search actions act as the bridge between user intent and enterprise content.
They allow Microsoft Copilot Studio agents to:
- Search dynamically at runtime
- Avoid hardcoded answers
- Respond with up-to-date information
Search actions are especially useful when dealing with large SharePoint environments where content is distributed across many sites.
Real-World Use Cases for Microsoft Copilot Studio Agents
IT Help Desk Assistant
An IT Copilot can generate search queries to find internal documentation for questions like:
- “How do I request VPN access?”
- “Where is the device compliance policy?”
This reduces support tickets and ensures consistent answers.
HR Knowledge Copilot
HR teams can use search queries in Microsoft Copilot to surface:
- Leave policies
- Benefits documentation
- Employee handbooks
Employees get quick answers without HR manually maintaining chatbot content.
SharePoint Governance Copilot
A governance-focused agent can search for:
- Site provisioning rules
- Naming conventions
- Security best practices
This is especially helpful in large tenants with decentralized SharePoint ownership.
Best Practices for Search Queries in Microsoft Copilot
- Generate focused search queries rather than broad ones
- Limit the number of returned results
- Use follow-up questions when intent is unclear
- Keep SharePoint content clean and well-structured
- Regularly review search relevance
Good search results start with good content management.
Limitations of Copilot Studio Search
While powerful, there are a few limitations to keep in mind:
- Results depend on Microsoft Search indexing
- Poorly tagged documents may not rank well
- Recently updated content may take time to appear
- Overly generic queries reduce accuracy
Design your agent flows to handle these scenarios gracefully.
Security and Compliance Considerations
Microsoft Copilot Studio agents never bypass security. All search queries:
- Respect user permissions
- Follow Microsoft 365 compliance rules
- Honor SharePoint access controls
This makes search-based agents safe for enterprise use.
Why This Matters for SharePoint and M365 Professionals
Knowing how to generate search query in Copilot Studio and perform search query in Copilot Studio is essential for building scalable, intelligent copilots.
Search-driven agents:
- Reduce manual support effort
- Improve knowledge discovery
- Increase Microsoft 365 adoption
For Global SharePoint readers, this is a foundational Copilot Studio skill.
Conclusion: Key Takeaways
Generating and performing search queries in Copilot Studio is a critical capability for building intelligent and scalable copilots on Microsoft 365. When you generate search query in Copilot Studio, your agent can translate natural language questions into structured queries that retrieve relevant enterprise data in real time.
By using Copilot Studio search actions, Microsoft Copilot Studio agents can rely on Microsoft Search to surface accurate, up-to-date information from SharePoint and other connected data sources. This approach improves response quality while ensuring that all results respect existing permissions through built-in security trimming.
Compared to static, rule-based bots, search-driven agents scale more effectively as content grows and changes. They reduce manual maintenance, adapt automatically to new information, and deliver consistent value across IT, HR, finance, and business scenarios.
If your goal is to build reliable and secure copilots, mastering how to perform search query in Copilot Studio is essential. It enables your agents to provide meaningful answers, maintain compliance, and fully leverage the power of Microsoft 365 search.
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