Unily and Microsoft Boost Workplace Productivity with New Graph Connector & Copilot Integration

At the recent Microsoft Build conference, Unily and Microsoft jointly announced the development of a new Microsoft 365 Graph Connector and Copilot integration. This collaboration aims to enhance enterprise productivity by seamlessly integrating Unily's intranet capabilities with Microsoft's AI-driven tools.

Unily's Integration with Microsoft 365​

Unily, a leading provider of intranet solutions, has developed a Microsoft Graph connector that allows organizations to index content from their Unily intranet directly into Microsoft 365. This integration enables users to search for Unily content through Microsoft Copilot and other Microsoft Search clients, streamlining access to critical information. Supported content types include applications, documents, brand assets, FAQs, forms, quizzes, ideas, locations, mandatory read articles, media content, stories, and knowledge articles.

Capabilities and Benefits​

The Unily Graph connector offers several key capabilities:

• Comprehensive Content Indexing: Users can search for a wide range of Unily content types within Microsoft 365 applications.
• Natural Language Queries: With Copilot, users can ask questions in natural language and receive answers based on Unily content. For example:
• "What are the company holidays for 2025?"
• "What events are planned for national heritage month?"
• "What training programs are available?"
• Semantic Search: Copilot leverages semantic search to find relevant content based on keywords, personal preferences, and social connections, enhancing the relevance of search results.

Limitations and Considerations​

While the integration offers significant benefits, there are some limitations to be aware of:

• Access Control: The connector does not index restricted content, supporting only content without "Manage Read Access."
• Audience Customization: Currently, Copilot responses are not customized for specific audiences as defined in Unily, such as utilizing the 'target audience' property.
• Access Control Lists (ACLs): The connector does not support ACLs, meaning all data indexed using the Unily Knowledge connector is visible to all Microsoft 365 users in the tenant.

Prerequisites for Deployment​

To deploy the Unily Graph connector, organizations need to meet the following prerequisites:

• Administrative Access: The individual configuring the connector must be a search administrator for the organization's Microsoft 365 tenant.
• Unily Instance URL: The organization's Unily instance URL is required, typically formatted as [url]https://[your-organization-name].unily.com[/url].
• Authentication Credentials: A Client ID and Client Secret are necessary for authentication. These credentials can be obtained directly from Unily.

Configuration Steps​

The setup process involves several key steps:

• Display Name: Assign a recognizable display name to identify the connector within Microsoft 365.
• Unily URL: Enter the organization's Unily URL.
• Authentication Type: Use OAuth 2.0 for authentication by entering the Client ID and Client Secret.
• Limited Audience Rollout: Optionally, deploy the connection to a limited user base to validate its functionality before a broader rollout.

Custom Setup Options​

For organizations requiring more tailored configurations, the custom setup offers additional options:

• Users: Manage access permissions. Note that all data indexed using the Unily connector is currently visible to all Microsoft 365 users in the tenant.
• Content: Add or remove available properties from the Unily data source, assign schemas, and define semantic labels.
• Sync: Configure the refresh interval to determine how often data is synced between Unily and the Microsoft Graph connector index.

Enhancing Microsoft 365 Copilot with Graph Connectors​

Microsoft Graph connectors play a pivotal role in enhancing Microsoft 365 Copilot by allowing organizations to ingest unstructured, line-of-business data into Microsoft Graph. This ingestion enables Copilot to reason over the entirety of enterprise content, providing more comprehensive and contextually relevant responses. By integrating external data sources through Graph connectors, organizations can:

• Ground Copilot in More Content: Bring external data into Microsoft Graph, allowing Copilot's responses to be based on a broader range of work content and context.
• Enable Natural Language Search: Enhance the knowledge layer in Copilot by ingesting content into Microsoft Graph, facilitating natural language queries.
• Surface Relevant Results: Improve the discoverability of external content alongside files, documents, and data from Microsoft 365 applications.

Building Custom Graph Connectors​

For organizations with unique data sources, Microsoft provides the capability to build custom Graph connectors. This process involves:

• Choosing Data Sources: Identify the external data sources to ingest.
• Using the Microsoft Graph Connectors API: Utilize the API to create and manage external data connections.
• Creating the Connection: Configure search and activity settings for the connection.
• Defining and Registering the Schema: Apply semantic labels and property attributes to the schema.
• Ingesting and Managing External Items: Manage access to content and ensure secure integration.

Recent Developments and Future Outlook​

Microsoft has been actively expanding the capabilities of Graph connectors to support Microsoft 365 Copilot extensibility. Recent updates include:

• New Graph Connectors: Introduction of connectors for platforms like Confluence on-premises and SharePoint Server, allowing indexing of pages, blogs, wikis, and documents from on-premises instances.
• Quick Setup Experience: A streamlined setup process for certain connectors, reducing configuration time from hours to minutes.
• Enhanced Indexing: Improvements to the Graph connectors SDK to facilitate better indexing when building custom connectors.

These advancements underscore Microsoft's commitment to providing flexible and efficient tools for integrating external data into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Conclusion​

The collaboration between Unily and Microsoft marks a significant step forward in enterprise productivity solutions. By integrating Unily's intranet capabilities with Microsoft's AI-driven tools through the Microsoft 365 Graph Connector and Copilot, organizations can enhance information accessibility, streamline workflows, and foster a more connected and efficient work environment.

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Source: WANE 15 https://www.wane.com/business/press...aph-connector-and-copilot-at-microsoft-build/

At the recent Microsoft Build conference, Unily and Microsoft jointly announced the development of a new Microsoft 365 Graph Connector and Copilot integration, marking a significant advancement in enterprise collaboration tools. This partnership aims to enhance the accessibility and utility of organizational data within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, particularly through the integration of Unily's intranet content with Microsoft's AI-driven Copilot.
Enhancing Data Accessibility with the Unily Graph Connector
The Unily Graph Connector is designed to index a wide array of content types from Unily's intranet platform, including applications, documents, brand assets, FAQs, forms, quizzes, ideas, locations, mandatory read articles, media content, stories, and knowledge articles. By integrating this connector, organizations can enable their users to retrieve relevant information seamlessly through Microsoft Search and Copilot interfaces. For instance, employees can pose natural language queries such as "What are the company holidays for 2025?" or "What training programs are available?" and receive accurate responses sourced directly from Unily's content repository. Integration with Microsoft Copilot
The collaboration extends to enhancing Microsoft Copilot's capabilities by grounding its responses in the rich, structured data provided by Unily's intranet. This integration allows Copilot to deliver more contextually relevant and precise answers to user queries, leveraging the comprehensive information stored within Unily. The semantic search capabilities embedded in Copilot further refine the relevance of search results by considering keywords, personal preferences, and social connections, thereby improving the overall user experience. Simplified Setup and Administration
To facilitate a smooth deployment, the Unily Graph Connector utilizes OAuth 2.0 for authentication, requiring administrators to input a Client ID and Client Secret obtained from Unily. The setup process is streamlined to ensure that organizations can quickly configure the connector and begin indexing their Unily content without extensive technical overhead. Additionally, the connector is designed to be managed through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, providing a centralized location for administrators to oversee and adjust settings as needed. Addressing Limitations and Future Enhancements
While the current iteration of the Unily Graph Connector offers substantial benefits, it does have certain limitations. Notably, it does not support access control lists (ACLs), meaning that all indexed data is visible to all Microsoft 365 users within the tenant. This could pose challenges for organizations that require more granular access controls. However, Microsoft has indicated that support for ACLs is planned for future updates, which will allow for more tailored access permissions and enhance data security. Broader Implications for Enterprise Collaboration
The introduction of the Unily Graph Connector and its integration with Microsoft Copilot exemplifies a broader trend towards creating more interconnected and intelligent enterprise environments. By enabling seamless access to a diverse range of organizational content through AI-driven tools, businesses can foster greater collaboration, improve information retrieval, and enhance overall productivity. This development also underscores the importance of partnerships between platform providers and enterprise solution developers in driving innovation and meeting the evolving needs of modern workplaces.
Conclusion
The collaboration between Unily and Microsoft in developing the Microsoft 365 Graph Connector and Copilot integration represents a significant step forward in enterprise data accessibility and AI integration. While there are areas for improvement, particularly concerning access controls, the current capabilities offer substantial value to organizations seeking to leverage their intranet content more effectively within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. As these tools continue to evolve, they are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of workplace collaboration and information management.

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Source: WPRI.com https://www.wpri.com/business/press...aph-connector-and-copilot-at-microsoft-build/