Module 13: Researcher, Analyst, and Microsoft-Built Agents
Lesson 13.3: Getting Started with Researcher
Lesson Promise
Use Researcher for deeper, multi-step, source-cited research while preserving source review and decision judgment.
Real-World Scenario
A strategy lead needs a structured report on market trends, competitor movement, customer pains, and risks for a new offer.
Core Concept
Microsoft describes Researcher as an agent for complex, multi-step research that can produce a structured, source-cited report and use web plus work content the user can access where available.
Researcher is not for every question. Simple drafting or quick summary can stay in Copilot Chat; deeper research belongs in Researcher.
A strong Researcher prompt includes research question, audience, scope, sources to use or avoid, output structure, citation expectations, and decision context.
Step-By-Step Workflow
- Define the research decision and audience.
- Set scope, geography, timeframe, and sources.
- Ask for a structured report with citations and confidence levels.
- Ask for opposing evidence, gaps, and assumptions.
- Review cited sources manually before using conclusions.
- Convert the report into a decision brief with open questions.
Prompt Lab
Bad Prompt
Research AI trends.
Better Prompt
Use Researcher to create a cited report on AI adoption trends for small businesses in North America, with risks and opportunities.
Expert Prompt
Use Researcher to prepare a decision brief for launching an AI training offer to small businesses. Include market trends, customer pains, competitor positioning, risks, opportunities, source-cited evidence, conflicting evidence, assumptions, confidence level, and questions we must answer before investing.
Hands-On Exercise
Create a Researcher prompt for a safe business question and design a citation-review checklist.
Deliverable
A Researcher report prompt plus citation-review and decision-brief template.
Agent Selection Review Checklist
Common Mistakes
- Using an agent because it sounds advanced instead of matching the task to the right tool.
- Treating Researcher reports, Analyst reports, or agent answers as final without reviewing sources, assumptions, and limits.
- Attaching sensitive data to an agent before checking purpose, permissions, and governance.
- Confusing built-in agents, organization-installed agents, Agent Builder agents, and Copilot Studio agents.
- Promising agent availability before checking license, admin approval, tenant controls, language, platform, and rollout.
Quiz / Checkpoint
What makes Researcher different from ordinary chat?
It is designed for deeper, multi-step research and structured, source-cited reports.
Official Sources To Verify
- Get started with agents in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app
- Get more agents in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app
- Get started with Researcher in Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Get started with Analyst in Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Build your own agent with Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Agent Builder in Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Build agents by using Agent Builder in Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat overview
- What Copilot license do I have
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