Introduction
Netwoven is enabling AI frontier firms to innovate and scale with intelligent solutions. As a Senior HR Manager at Netwoven, I’m always looking for ways to make HR information more accessible, timely, and user-friendly for our employees. With Copilot Studio, I discovered a powerful yet approachable platform to build an AI assistant that could answer questions about HR policies, holidays, time off, and more available 24/7, right where employees need it.
Getting Started: Surprisingly Intuitive
Despite not having a technical background, I found the setup process refreshingly intuitive. From uploading knowledge sources to configuring response behavior, Copilot Studio guided me through each step. I didn’t need to write code or rely on IT, just a clear understanding of what our employees needed and a willingness to experiment.
Challenges Along the Way
Of course, no new tool is without its quirks. A few key challenges stood out:
Sharing for Testing
Initially, I struggled with how to share the agent for testing. Testers couldn’t access it unless I gave them edit permission, which wasn’t ideal. After some trial and error, I figured out the right sharing settings to allow view-only access for testers.
Holiday Confusion
When asked “What is the next holiday?”, the agent sometimes returned incorrect dates-even though I had uploaded both 2025 and 2026 holiday calendars. It turned out the agent wasn’t interpreting the current date correctly, which led to mismatches.
Date Accuracy
This was the trickiest part. The agent didn’t always recognize the actual current date, which affected its ability to answer time-sensitive questions. I found a workaround, but syncing the agent with real-time data is an area I’d love to explore further with the Copilot Studio team.
A Personal Win
One of the most rewarding moments? My teenage kids were genuinely impressed that I built an AI assistant! They asked questions, tested them out, and gave me feedback. Seeing their excitement reminded me how empowering it is to build something impactful-even if you’re not a developer.
Making HR More Accessible
Today, our employees can ask questions about retirement plans, PTO policies, holiday schedules, and more—anytime they need. It’s a small but meaningful step toward making HR more responsive and employee friendly. And it’s just the beginning. I’m excited to continue refining the assistant and exploring new ways to support our team with AI.
