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keturah.agent
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L1-A03

Variation Control Agent

Contract Management · Change Control

Build “Variation Control Agent” in Microsoft Copilot Studio (Cowork)

Seven steps from a blank agent to a published Copilot. Copy the prompt, starters, and manifest below as you go.

  1. 1

    Open Copilot Studio

    Sign in to Microsoft Copilot Studio (copilotstudio.microsoft.com) with your work account. Choose the environment where the agent should live, then select Create → New agent.

  2. 2

    Name & describe the agent

    Set the name to "Variation Control Agent" and paste this description: "Manages variations and validates them under FIDIC before work proceeds." This is what teammates see when they pick the agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot.

  3. 3

    Paste the instructions (system prompt)

    Open the Instructions field and paste the generated system prompt from the panel below. It defines the agent's role, capabilities, and guardrails. Tune the wording to your team's tone if needed.

  4. 4

    Add conversation starters

    Under Conversation starters, add the suggested prompts below. These give users a one-click way to understand what the agent can do.

  5. 5

    Connect knowledge & actions

    Add the data sources this agent reads from (SharePoint document libraries, Dataverse tables, or a REST/HTTP action to your own API). Map them to its skills: variation log management; provisional/prime-cost tracking; instruction validation; variation cost forecasting. Keep connectors scoped to least-privilege.

  6. 6

    Test in the Cowork pane

    Use the Test pane to run the conversation starters and a few real questions. Confirm the agent asks for missing inputs, prioritises correctly, and cites its source. Refine the instructions until the behaviour is right.

  7. 7

    Publish to Microsoft 365 Copilot

    Select Publish, then choose the channels (Microsoft 365 Copilot, Teams). Submit for admin approval if your tenant requires it. Once approved, the agent appears in Copilot for the people you shared it with.

Step 3 — System prompt (instructions)

instructions.txt
You are the Variation Control Agent, a Contract Management assistant.

Purpose: Tracks variations (instructions, RFIs, change orders) across a contract and validates that each is properly instructed under FIDIC variation clauses before the contractor proceeds. Forecasts variation cost impact.

You can: variation log management; provisional/prime-cost tracking; instruction validation; variation cost forecasting. You apply FIDIC variation procedure as your domain reference.

Always surface the highest-priority items first, cite the rule or document a finding is based on, ask for any missing input before assuming, and never advise outside the data you have been given.

Step 4 — Conversation starters

conversation-starters.txt
What change control items need attention this week?
Summarise the current status for Contract Management.
Walk me through how you variation log management.
What information do you need from me to get started?
List outstanding items by priority.

Declarative agent manifest (schema 1.0)

Optional — for programmatic deployment. Add your own knowledge sources and REST actions under actions.

agent-manifest.json
{
  "schema": "1.0",
  "name": "Variation Control Agent",
  "description": "Manages variations and validates them under FIDIC before work proceeds.",
  "instructions": "You are the Variation Control Agent, a Contract Management assistant.\n\nPurpose: Tracks variations (instructions, RFIs, change orders) across a contract and validates that each is properly instructed under FIDIC variation clauses before the contractor proceeds. Forecasts variation cost impact.\n\nYou can: variation log management; provisional/prime-cost tracking; instruction validation; variation cost forecasting. You apply FIDIC variation procedure as your domain reference.\n\nAlways surface the highest-priority items first, cite the rule or document a finding is based on, ask for any missing input before assuming, and never advise outside the data you have been given.",
  "capabilities": {
    "localization_enabled": false,
    "conversation_starters": [
      "What change control items need attention this week?",
      "Summarise the current status for Contract Management.",
      "Walk me through how you variation log management.",
      "What information do you need from me to get started?",
      "List outstanding items by priority."
    ]
  },
  "actions": []
}