SharePoint Showcase: Announcements at Microsoft Ignite 2025
Microsoft Ignite is where innovation meets impact, and this year, SharePoint is front and center leading the next wave of digital and agentic transformation. With over 1,800 tenants already embracing the Knowledge Agent public preview, we’re excited to share the journey with you as SharePoint continues to evolve as the knowledge platform for Copilot and agents. For this month’s Showcase, we’ll walk through the major announcements from Ignite. Be sure to check out the pre-Ignite post where you can see all the SharePoint and OneDrive sessions to add to your schedule. The Copilot + SharePoint advantage As organizations increasingly rely on AI to drive action and surface insights from their enterprise data, the depth and quality of those experiences depend on more than just access, they require true understanding. While many AI tools can retrieve SharePoint content, Copilot distinguishes itself by comprehensively reasoning over SharePoint content, including elements like metadata, intranet site pages, the full richness of Office files, and encrypted files with sensitivity labels. Copilot can reason over metadata in SharePoint Metadata is essentially data about data. In the context of SharePoint document libraries, it refers to structured information that describes or supplements a file. Populated metadata improves discoverability, supports workflows, and enables automation – especially useful for scenarios like product catalogs, marketing assets, contracts, legal documents, and more. Agents built in SharePoint can already reason over metadata, and now Microsoft 365 Copilot can too. Large language models are creative but not always consistent, so metadata provides the guardrails for accurate, repeatable answers. When grounded in SharePoint document libraries with populated metadata, Copilot delivers answers that are more accurate, precise, and reliable. Copilot uses metadata to provide accurate answers to questions that require precision and consistency. Understanding metadata in SharePoint is now rolling out in general availability for Microsoft 365 Copilot (starting at Ignite 2025) Copilot can reason over intranet content Organizations often store critical information about programs, policies, and projects on SharePoint pages. Copilot’s ability to reason over intranet pages unlocks this rich source of institutional knowledge, surfacing answers and context that would otherwise remain hidden. Understanding SharePoint page content is generally available for Microsoft 365 Copilot. Copilot can reason over the full richness of Office files Copilot speaks the language of Office files fluently, able to understand the full depth of your content. For example, when grounded in a PowerPoint file, Copilot can understand both the text and image content, helping to provide complete and accurate answers. Understanding embedded images in PowerPoint files is generally available for Microsoft 365 Copilot. Copilot can reason over encrypted files with sensitivity labels And, while some AI platforms can read encrypted files and others can respect sensitivity labels, other AI solutions lack the depth and security that Copilot provides. This means Copilot can deliver insights from the most sensitive and protected content in your organization, all while maintaining compliance and respecting access controls. Reading encrypted content while respecting sensitivity labels and DLP policies is generally available for Microsoft 365 Copilot. These 4 examples of advanced reasoning over metadata, intranets, Office files, and encrypted content are uniquely available from Copilot - ensuring responses reflect the full spectrum of your organizational knowledge. Knowledge Agent public preview updates Knowledge Agent, in Public Preview since September, delivers a new wave of AI-powered features in SharePoint designed to streamline content management and boost Copilot capabilities. These features blend curated organizational knowledge with advanced AI, transforming SharePoint into a dynamic, intelligent knowledge hub that gives your organization a competitive edge. We’ve seen over 1800 tenants sign up for public preview in the last 2 months – we truly appreciate and action on your feedback (see the 2 updates below!). Let’s hear from some customers on their Knowledge Agent experience so far: Customers leveraging the auto-fill metadata capabilities are already noticing the impact. Mars Inc., called auto-filled metadata a “total game-changer” for their corporate legal department. “I love to start with enterprise tooling whenever I can,” said Kelly Mickelson, head of legal operations and Chief of Staff at Mars. “This takes seconds to set up, and instantly, you can know what’s in the corpus of documents.” Mott MacDonald, a UK-based engineering firm, has also seen traction with Knowledge Agent features. “It’s opening up new possibilities for intelligent curation, process efficiency, and accelerating AI adoption across our organization,” Simon Denton, an IT Architect at the engineering firm, said. The team at Allegis Global Solutions, a global provider of workforce management, is also experimenting with the opportunities unlocked by Knowledge Agent. Cory Chea, Technical Product Manager, shared, “These features are seriously impressive.” Try Knowledge Agent in public preview with confidence Sharing below two important updates based on top asks and questions from the community: Site level opt-in now available: Enable Knowledge Agent on specific sites, validate scenarios, gather feedback, and build confidence before rolling out broadly. Previously it was only possible to opt-in for public preview at the tenant level. Learn more about opting into the public preview for Knowledge Agent. GA Licensing model: At general availability – still targeting early calendar year 2026 – Knowledge Agent will be fully included as part of the Microsoft 365 Copilot license. On-demand page and list creation Microsoft 365 Copilot is evolving as a content creation destination, and SharePoint content like pages and lists are now available to create directly from Copilot chat. SharePoint page agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot chat Currently these new skills are accessed by @ mention of the agent (e.g. “@SharePoint list agent create a list of my top selling products by geography based on the table in /[document]” or "@SharePoint page agent create a page on /[SharePoint site] summarizing Project X progress and milestones"). SharePoint list agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot chat Creating SharePoint pages and lists directly from Microsoft 365 Copilot is now available via the Frontier program. Agents in SharePoint access and admin updates Agents created in SharePoint are now available in Copilot chat and the Agent Store No-code, custom-built agents are transforming how organizations automate, manage, and scale business processes. One of the easiest ways to get started is right in SharePoint. Microsoft’s legal team is a great example: they use agents built in SharePoint to help 3,000 marketers quickly find legal and compliance answers. By comparing manual search times to agent-assisted responses, they found marketers worked 2.97x faster. See also how our public affairs team at Microsoft uses agents built in SharePoint to help drive critical content discovery. And now, it’s even easier to access these agents. Agents created in SharePoint can now open directly in Copilot Chat, so you can start using them instantly without leaving your workflow. You can also download them from the Agent Store in Microsoft 365 Copilot and the Teams app store, giving you multiple ways to bring automation and intelligence into everyday tasks. Streamlining agent management in Microsoft 365 admin center Managing agents at scale is becoming simpler and more transparent. We recently introduced a unified experience that gives organizations better visibility and control. Admins can now view all agents used inside Copilot chat, including those built in SharePoint, in a single pane of glass within the Microsoft 365 admin center, making it easier to track and manage. They also have the ability to block agents when necessary and access related information, such as agent sources, to make informed decisions quickly. Managing agents built in SharePoint from the Microsoft 365 admin center is generally available. Reporting is getting a major upgrade as well. Agent usage reporting in Microsoft 365 admin center will initially cover any agents used in Copilot chat, including agents built in SharePoint, proving a comprehensive view of how agents are being used across the organization. These reports will include billing and license-level insights, helping admins understand cost and adoption trends. And soon, this data will also surface in the Viva Insights Copilot Dashboard, bringing even more clarity to agent performance and impact. Agent usage reporting in Microsoft 365 admin center is generally available. Additional SharePoint updates at Ignite Modern work demands more than just tools, it requires solutions that seamlessly connect people, content, and processes. From AI-driven FAQs to integrated workflows, these updates will help deliver greater impact across your organization. eSignature in Microsoft 365 is now generally available eSignature in Microsoft 365 is now generally available! eSignature allows you to quickly and securely send documents for signature to people both inside and outside of your organization. Direct from SharePoint: Create signature requests for Word and PDF documents without leaving SharePoint. Keeps your content within the Microsoft trust boundaries while it’s reviewed and signed and includes Purview logging. Trusted providers: Supports Adobe and DocuSign for secure, compliant signing . eSignature is available on the Microsoft 365 Monthly Enterprise Channel. eSignature in Microsoft 365 is now generally available. Viva Amplify: Promote a SharePoint news post is now generally available We are bringing Viva Amplify capabilities to SharePoint enabling you to distribute your news posts to multiple channels across Outlook, Teams, Viva Engage, and other sites. No need to switch apps or recreate content. Leveraging Amplify’s robust analytics shows how your message performs across channels, so you can reach the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Promote a SharePoint news post is now generally available. FAQ web part We’ve added new capabilities to the SharePoint FAQ web part, making it easier than ever to keep your FAQs accurate, engaging, and up to date. What’s New: AI-suggested updates: Get on-demand update suggestions based on changes in reference files or new visitor questions. Review and apply them with ease to keep content fresh and relevant. AI workflows in SharePoint Import existing FAQs: Quickly bring in your existing FAQ content with simple copy-and-paste, without AI overwriting your crafted knowledge. Use SharePoint Pages as references: Ground your answers in trusted internal content by linking to current or selected SharePoint pages. Copy and share Q&A links: Share direct links to specific questions and answers—helping visitors find exactly what they need faster. These new FAQ web part capabilities are in now in public preview. SharePoint Admin Agent Public Preview The new SharePoint Admin Agent uses AI to simplify governance at scale. It monitors inactive sites, overshared content, and permissions sprawl, then applies policies like archiving or adjusting access to reduce risk. The agent highlights high-activity sites for proactive governance as Copilot adoption grows, automates manual tasks, and optimizes storage costs, delivering secure, compliant, and efficient operations. Learn more. The SharePoint Admin Agent is now in public preview, available in the SharePoint Admin Center for organizations with Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses. Simplified workflows with AI Managing and automating business processes in SharePoint is now more intuitive than ever. With AI workflows you can build workflows directly within SharePoint lists and libraries using a new refreshed and streamlined interface, also available in the Workflows app. AI workflows in SharePoint Redesigned template library: Offers intuitive, “Madlib-style” editing in plain language, making it easy to customize workflows to fit your needs. Natural language to action: You can turn natural language instructions into automated workflows instantly, reducing complexity and accelerating process automation. Improvements enable teams to automate routine tasks quickly, minimize manual effort, and keep work moving efficiently within the context of your SharePoint files and lists. AI workflows are coming soon! Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) Storage Coming soon, we’re adding flexibility for admins to pay-as-you-go for additional SharePoint storage needs – making it easy to set budgets and control costs, so you only pay for what you need. This feature seamlessly integrates with Archive to simplify your data lifecycle. PAYGO storage is coming soon! What to do next? Join us at Ignite! If you are attending Microsoft Ignite either in person or online, don’t miss our session SharePoint the Knowledge Platform for Copilot & Agents showcasing the Knowledge Agent in action, and much more! Also stop by our Expert Meetup booths to interact directly with our product experts and get hands on with demos for SharePoint and OneDrive. See you next month! Stay tuned every month from the SharePoint Showcase series for the latest news, practical tips and more!
SharePoint at 25: The knowledge platform for Copilot and agents
Join us for a global digital event to celebrate the 25th birthday of SharePoint! Gear up for an exciting look at SharePoint’s historic moments along with an exclusive look ahead to the next chapter of SharePoint’s AI future! You will discover how SharePoint’s new content AI capabilities and intelligent experiences will transform the way people create, manage, and collaborate. Be sure to stick around after for our live Ask Microsoft Anything (AMA), where you can ask your questions about the exciting new SharePoint features directly to the product team! 🛠️ Don’t miss the SharePoint Hackathon in March 2026 Design, create, share! We are excited to invite you to a hackathon dedicated to crafting exceptional employee experiences using AI and the latest SharePoint features. More details coming soon.SharePoint Online Expands Version Expiration for Audio and Video Files
Microsoft is launching version expiration policies in SharePoint Online for audio and video files. The approach is the same as used for intelligent versioning of Office files stored in SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business and can be configured at the tenant, site, and document library level. If your tenant uses Clipchamp, this could be a way to save expensive SharePoint storage. https://office365itpros.com/2025/12/17/version-expiration-policy/
Set-PnpSensitivityLabel cmdlet not found after installing module
Hi All! I've been working on a script to set sensitivity labels for all files in a SharePoint folder. I'm using the cmdlet "Set-PnPSensitivityLabel" but it isn't found. I've uninstalled pnp.powershell. I've reinstalled it. I've updated it. I've imported it. (Repeated these steps twice) The cmdlet is still not found. I've listed all the cmdlets in the module and it is not being installed. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Alias for Refinable Managed Property Not Working in Search Queries
Hi, The alias for the refinable managed property has worked as expected in sortProperties for the past year, but it has recently stopped working and now returns an error. Using the original managed property name (RefinableDateSingle01) continues to work as expected. The error is shown below, together with the trace ID. Unfortunately, we are unable to switch to using RefinableDateSingle01 in sortProperties as it does not meet our business requirements. We are currently facing challenges due to the large number of SharePoint sites, many of which we do not have permission to access. As a result, we can only confirm that the refinable managed property RefinableDateSingle01 and its associated alias are configured correctly on the SharePoint sites where we have full access. What is the root cause of this issue, and how can it be resolved? https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/search/query { "requests": [ { "entityTypes": [ "listItem" ], "query": { "queryString": "* AND SiteId:\"siteId\"" }, "from": 0, "size": 50, "sortProperties": [ { "name": "RefinableDateSingle01", // This works when I use the refinable managed property name (RefinableDateSingle01), but it does not work when I use the alias I defined for this property "isDescending": false } ] } ] } 500 Internal Server Error (When I used alias in sortProperties) { "error": { "code": "InternalServerError", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "details": [ { "code": "InternalServerError", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "details": [ { "code": "InternalServerError", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "details": [ { "code": "InternalServerError", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "details": [ { "code": "InternalServerError", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "details": [ { "code": "InternalServerError", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "details": [ { "code": "InternalServerError", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "details": [ { "code": "InternalServerError", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "details": [ { "code": "FanoutDownstreamContradiction", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "details": [ { "code": "TwoStepFanout_FirstStepFailed", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "serviceName": "Xap", "moduleName": "SubstrateSearch.FanoutV2.MultiDimensionSearchFanoutPluginV3", "contactTeam": "3sdri", "httpCode": 500 }, { "code": "FanoutDownstreamContradiction", "message": "The call failed, please try again.", "target": "", "serviceName": "FanoutService", "moduleName": "Fanout", "contactTeam": "3STenantSearchDevs", "httpCode": 500 } ], "serviceName": "FanoutService", "moduleName": "Fanout", "contactTeam": "3STenantSearchDevs", "httpCode": 500 } ], "moduleName": "SubstrateFanoutSearchWorkflow", "httpCode": 500 } ], "moduleName": "AscUserSearchFanoutWorkflowV2", "httpCode": 500 } ], "moduleName": "AscUserSearchFanoutWorkflowV2", "httpCode": 500 } ], "moduleName": "G21AscWorkflow", "httpCode": 500 } ], "moduleName": "TenantFileSearchFederationWorkflow_ASC", "httpCode": 500 } ], "moduleName": "TenantFileSearchFederationWorkflow", "httpCode": 500 } ], "moduleName": "FederationWorkflow", "httpCode": 500 } ], "moduleName": "TopLevelWorkflowBase", "httpCode": 500 }, "Instrumentation": { "TraceId": "57c005b9-07fc-453b-8c73-2650d90670e0" } }
