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How do I reference knowledge sources in the instructions?

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Posted on by AB-12031119-0

I am creating an agent in copilot studio, and using the instructions field right now. In my knowledgebase I have a bunch of txt files. How do I reference each file for each step of the instructions? For instance right now I have something like this:
- Score Specific using only written evidence strictly using the definitions and scoring rules in the document "Specific.txt" in your knowledge base
- Score Measurable using only written evidence strictly using the definitions and scoring rules in the document "Measurable.txt" in your knowledge base
etc.

But obviously, if possible, I would rather reference these txt files in like a variable or some other way, not just write them out as strings. I have read this article: Write agent instructions - Microsoft Copilot Studio | Microsoft Learn which states: "If your agent needs to call a specific agent object, you can name that object in your agent instructions. You can reference the following objects: Knowledge sources, Tools, ..., Type a slash (/), and then select the object from the menu that appears. You can also start typing the name of the object to see matching suggestions."

Well in my case, when I type a slash / or click on + Add I do not see the knowledge sources as possible things to add

So my question is, what should I do now and how do I actually add the knowledge sources in the instructions? Thanks in advance!

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Nada Brisville 16 on at

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Hello there,

You cannot explicitly reference a Knowledge source from the instructions. If you want granularity on the source used to answer specific questions, you need to reference a topic then within this topic > create generative answers > Search only selected sources > select your files.

Hope it helps.

Nada.

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DP_Prabh 354 on at

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Hi @AB-12031119-0,

In Microsoft Copilot Studio, you cannot reference individual knowledge base files (e.g., Specific.txt, Measurable.txt) as variables or slash (/) objects in the Instructions field. The / reference feature only works for agent objects like tools, actions, topics, or variables—not knowledge source files.

Why you don’t see them:
Knowledge sources are used through automatic retrieval (RAG) and are not exposed as selectable objects in the instruction editor.

What you should do:
Reference the files by name directly in the instructions, which is the supported approach.

Example:

Score Specific using the definitions and scoring rules in "Specific.txt". Score and measures are from the knowledge source. Score Measurable using the definitions and scoring rules in "Measurable.txt".

The agent will retrieve the relevant content from the knowledge base automatically when those file names are mentioned.

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Pravishi Singh 8 on at

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Hello,

In Microsoft Copilot Studio, you usually don’t reference knowledge sources directly by name in the instructions. Instead, you add the sources first in the Knowledge section (such as SharePoint sites, websites, or uploaded files), and the agent automatically searches them when answering questions.

In the Instructions field, you can simply guide the agent on how to use those sources. For example:

“Use the configured knowledge sources to answer questions and reference the source when relevant.”

This helps ensure the agent prioritizes information from your connected sources instead of relying only on general AI knowledge.

In short: add sources in Knowledge → guide usage in Instructions → test responses to confirm the agent cites the right information.

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