Generative Answers on SharePoint List

Overview

• Current Limitations: Native SharePoint integration for generative answers covers only SharePoint sites, not SharePoint lists.
• No Direct API: No direct semantic search API for searching data within SharePoint lists.
• Objective: Demonstrate three design patterns to search data in SharePoint lists using RESTful API.
• Key Considerations:
  • Understand data structure in the source.
  • Define the desired outcome when using the bot for search.

Design Patterns Demonstrated

Scenario 1: Unique ID Searching

Example: Leave Request Application

• Steps:
  • Employees provide a leave request ID to check status.
  • Use Power Automate flow to fetch data from SharePoint list based on ID.
  • Format and present response using generative answers.
• Details:
  • In Power Automate, use 'Get Items' action to search for record by ID.
  • Format and pass data back to chatbot.
  • Use custom data sources for integration not available natively in copilot studio.

Scenario 2: Text-Based Column Searching

Example: FAQ Tracker

• Challenges:
  • Power Automate doesn't support filtering multi-line text columns.
  • Target columns with unique identifiers and text-based data.
• Steps:
  • Capture user's question and understand intent via prompt builder.
  • Use 'Get Items' action to search FAQ Tracker's 'Title' column.
  • Provide formatted response and link to record.
• Details:
  • Use one-shot prompting with examples to extract required information.

Scenario 3: Multi-Line Text Column Searching

Example: Advanced Search Using Graph API

• Objectives:
  • Search across any column, especially multi-line text, using Graph API.
• Steps:
  • Understand the intent of user’s question.
  • Use Graph API to search across SharePoint list.
  • Format and return summarized response.
• Details:
  • Initialize necessary variables and format data for Graph API search.
  • Result limited to top three search hits presented back to co-pilot.

Important Points

• Custom Data Sources: Used when the data source is not covered by native copilot integrations.
• Optimizing Search: Focus on well-defined queries as custom data source limits results to top three hits.