Forum Discussion
Copilot Agent Cannot Create a Word Document
I have created an agent to help users create their own SOPs. I would like for the final document provided to the user to be a word document, not simply the text response the agent provides in the chat window. Example of what the agent's final output is below.
You will notice at the very bottom, the agent states it will create a word file with the SOP for the user. This is based on the instructions I configured for the agent. Despite saying that it will create the word document, the agent does not actually do that. If prompted again to provide a word document, the same thing happens again.
This is strange given that when I use regular copilot, I can ask it to turn almost any response it gives me into a word document.
So what am I missing?
5 Replies
It seems that Copilot Agents have limitations when it comes to generating Word documents directly. As suggested, you might consider using a Power Automate flow to create a Word document from the SOP content. This approach involves filling a Word template and providing the document to the user as a download link or email attachment. Additionally, check for any updates or documentation on Copilot Agents' capabilities, and reach out to Microsoft support for further assistance if needed.
Thanks for raising this – it’s a great use case, and you’re not alone in running into this.
Copilot Agents in Copilot Studio can’t create actual Word documents by themselves, even if they say they will. Unlike the regular Copilot in Word or other M365 apps, agents don’t have direct access to files or documents.
To make this work, you’d need to connect a Power Automate flow that:
1. Takes the SOP content
2. Fills a Word template
3. And returns the document (e.g., as a download link or email attachment).It’s not automatic, but it’s doable with a bit of setup.
Hey, I hope that helps, I found a https://www.reddit.com/r/copilotstudio/comments/1i8d9sl/issues_with_copilot_studio_agent_ignoring/, which leads to this MS documentation.
If you click on the teams tab you'll see:Known limitations
- Customer satisfaction survey is a text-only version in Microsoft Teams instead of an adaptive card.
- Microsoft Teams can only render up to six suggested actions for user in one question node.
- A user can't send or upload attachments to the chat. If they try to send an attachment, the agent replies: Looks like you tried to send an attachment. Currently, I can only process text. Please try sending your message again without the attachment.
- This limitation applies to all channels, even if the channel or user-facing experience supports attachments (for example, if you're using the Direct Line API or Microsoft Teams).
- Attachments can be supported if the message is sent to a skill, where the skill bot supports the processing of attachments.
- For more information on skills, see Use Microsoft Bot Framework skills in Copilot Studio.
Long story short, you can build an agent, in copilot studio with file attachments, but you cannot use them. Thank you Microsoft!
I came here looking for an answer to the same question. What's Interesting is that the code it spits out seems like it should work...
This is one of those instances where I got excited that CoPilot could be very useful, but falls short.
Yeah. I find that to be the case with many MS products. The promise is there but when implementation time comes around it falls short. The weird part is that the normal "agent", meaning, when you simply use Copilot, it can convert docs it seems to be an issue with the agent, module, if you will.
