Enhance Cowork with Microsoft Copilot Plugins

Microsoft has introduced a range of plugins for Copilot Cowork, enhancing its capabilities with new skills and connectors tailored for various domains. By leveraging these plugins, organizations can optimize their workflow and extend Cowork's functionality significantly.

Understanding Copilot Plugins

Plugins for Copilot Cowork can offer either specialized skills or connectors. Skills enhance Cowork with domain-specific knowledge, which may include financial analysis, legal research, or HR processes. Conversely, connectors facilitate links to external data sources, allowing Cowork to access or act on information beyond the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Discovering and Acquiring Plugins

To find the available plugins for Cowork, navigate directly through the plugin menu:

• Initiate a conversation in Cowork or head to the Cowork home page.
• Click the + icon and choose the Customize option.
• Either scroll through the options or utilize the search field to locate a specific plugin by its name or category.
• Select a plugin to view comprehensive details, including descriptions, the publisher, and the skills or connectors it provides.

Tip: If a desired plugin doesn't appear, consult your IT administrator, as some plugins may need organizational approval for visibility.

Managing Your Plugins

Once you've acquired plugins, you can manage their activity easily. You have the option to enable or disable any of the plugins at your convenience:

• Open the Sources & Skills panel, then toggle the switch next to the desired plugin name.
• Enabled plugins will display their skills along with Cowork’s built-in capabilities as chips in the side panel.
• Connector statuses for your enabled plugins can be checked within their respective details.
• Disabling a plugin will hide its skills and connectors until you enable it again.

If your panel becomes too cluttered, consider disabling unused plugins and reactivating them when needed.

Connecting to External Services

Many plugins come equipped with connectors that link Cowork to various external services. When using a connector for the first time, a one-time sign-in is typically required for access authorization:

• Start a conversation where you intend to utilize a plugin connector, or select it from the side panel.
• When prompted, follow the provided link to sign in and authorize access to that service.

Note: You only need to sign in once per connector, as Cowork retains your authorization unless revoked by you or your administrator.

Admin-Installed Plugins

In some cases, plugins may be deployed by your organization’s IT admin. While you cannot remove these plugins, you can enable or disable them for your sessions:

• Access the Sources & Skills panel and toggle the relevant plugin on or off.

Important: If an admin-deployed plugin links to an external service, you still need to complete the sign-in procedure yourself.

Removing a Plugin

If you've acquired a plugin yourself and no longer need it, you can easily remove it:

• Open the Customize dialog by selecting the + button.
• Locate the plugin you wish to remove and select Delete from Cowork.

This action will remove the plugin's skills and connectors from future conversations, but will not disrupt any ongoing discussions using it.

Uploading Your Own Plugin

If you possess a plugin package, you can upload it to Cowork directly from the Customize page:

• Click the + button, choose Customize, then select the Plugins tab.
• Upload the plugin package (in .zip format).
• Specify who can access the plugin—only you, or selected users within your organization.

If you later upload a new version of a shared plugin, you can easily update access through the plugin's detail page.

The Functionality of Plugin Skills

The skills integrated from plugins work seamlessly within the Cowork ecosystem:

• Plugin skills automatically activate based on contextual conversation needs, with notifications appearing similarly to built-in skills.
• In instances of skill naming conflicts, Cowork uses an internal algorithm to prioritize the appropriate skill.
• Active skills remain visible in the side panel throughout the conversation, allowing users to track which capabilities are in use.

By utilizing plugins effectively, users can significantly enhance their Cowork experience, streamline operations, and gain access to a broader range of capabilities.

Requesting New Plugins

If you find that a necessary plugin isn't available, engage with your IT administrator. They can request the development of new plugins through the Microsoft 365 admin center or collaborate with partners to create custom solutions suitable for your organization.