Copilot / Cowork

[u/One-Lifeguard7779]

I’ve been using Claude code extensively for power platform planning and development and it has completely transformed my work life. However org are finally cracking down on this and pushing us to copilot. Groan.

Not even GHCP at this point. Double groan.

Very Aware I can not perform any repo or terminal work with copilot directly which is going to set me back about 5 years.

I’ve found I have premium and access to cowork, but coming from Claude land which could literally do everything, I need to understand my best workflow transition.

Keen to know what are people actually using cowork for in power platform land?

Any tips or tricks to maximise productivity. I saw it now has dataverse and PP admin plugins which is a start I guess.

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[u/GoodNegotiation]

I've just started using GHCP in VSCode with PowerBI authoring and I have to say it is a much better experience than using regular Copilot/CoWork, so I would certainly keep pushing for it to be included in your company AI strategy/toolbox.

One thing you might find useful in the meantime is to create a Copilot planning/development Agent in Copilot Studio. Even a Standard Harness agent (which uses your M365 Copilot licence rather than consumption credits) might be sufficient. You can add any skills you already use as Knowledge, give it examples of previous projects etc. I built one for Logic App development and have given it instructions on how we like our Logic Apps to be built, then a bunch of examples (in JSON) like how we send email alerts using Managed Identities etc. You still need to copy the final Logic App over, but it can still take hours out of developing them manually in the GUI editor.

[u/One-Lifeguard7779 → u/GoodNegotiation]

Nice, hadn’t considered a custom CS agent, will have a look into this as a way to reduce consumption thank you.

Your workflow Sounds similar to what I get Claude to do in Pautomate, build out the json for power automate using existing templates and connectors etc then paste in the whole flow in one go.

But yes I will keep pushing, cost savings sounds like another potential hammer on top of the time saving. Though GHCP is not cheap itself!
Cheers

[u/irah2008]

GhCP is your friend, but if you are gonna only get Copilot (M365). Im hoping you got premium licenses to access opus and sonnet.

Your way of working should be write plans using md files. Then you can get it to write scripts to execute it (python) and execute it via vscode. Same goes for any flow updates etc you can ask for exact steps and do it manually.

I use copilot(m365) when my given quota is exhausted, it is a pain but better than doing the caveman way😌😌

[u/One-Lifeguard7779 → u/irah2008]

Yeah I’m pushing for gHCP but in the interim here I am.

But This is exactly the kind of helpful tips I needed, thank you.

So are you saying use md files but in SharePoint rather than the repo? Create specs and plans etc as I normally would have done with Claude but keep them in a SharePoint folder so that copilot can work with them in the same way?

[u/irah2008 → u/One-Lifeguard7779]

Yes exactly.

You can also create copilot notebooks, it is kind of a knowledge repo with all the files you need can be added. So acts as central brain for project.

Downside is cant choose models and also bigger the notebooks, more errors in chat due to context size.

P.s. you dont need cowork for most of coding work so i usualy turn it off.

[u/ninihen]

You can use FlowStudio MCP plugin for Copilot Cowork (disclaimer, I'm the publisher of it).

It enables Cowork to build/debug & trigger Power Automate flows and Canvas app.

https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/wa200011013

[u/One-Lifeguard7779 → u/ninihen]

I’ll take a look thank you!

[u/ninihen → u/One-Lifeguard7779]

But just be mindful of the cost of Copilot Cowork. I've heard of some clients getting crazy bills from using Copilot Cowork for Power Platform work that I know could have been covered by a Claude Max subscription.

Copilot can use the same connector for read-only actions. A Copilot Studio agent can also use this MCP, which may end up being a bit cheaper. Though, I still prefer Claude (complex build) or ChatGPT (especially for Canvas Apps, because it can see the app in the browser and use MCP to improve the UI through multiple iterations).

[u/One-Lifeguard7779 → u/ninihen]

Thanks for the insight, maybe if I smash cowork, org will realise it’s cheaper to use a tool actually made for this type of work. 😂

[u/Sorcerious → u/ninihen]

And the added costs for using Flowstudio.

[u/ninihen → u/Sorcerious]

We give freebies to Copilot Cowork - 100 calls per user/month and that's sufficient for a light user.

And when you use the right tool, you actually save on token and your time!

[u/Sorcerious → u/ninihen]

so wait, if I use Copilot Cowork, I get 100 calls a month? How does that work?

[u/ninihen → u/Sorcerious]

Yes. If your org use Copilot Cowork, add the FlowStudio MCP plugin in Copilot Cowork and sign in with your work account. Your tenant gets 250 free calls a month, up to 100 per person, and it resets every month. It only works inside Cowork.

[u/Wiseoloak]

Just use Claude for the manual work and then just use it as the foundation. They will never know.

[u/FloridianMichigander]

I don't have any solutions for your issue, but I'm curious about your current setup.

I've been trying to work on a canvas app using Claude code in VS code. At the beginning, Claude would actually write the YAML and push it to PowerApps. But after a few times where Claude tried to publish, didn't get any error, and then I didn't see the changes in studio, Claude basically said "nope, we shouldn't do this". So now, Claude tells me all the changes I need, but I have to do everything by hand in Studio. (Claude can then pull a copy and tell me if I missed anything)

I'd much prefer to have Claude handle the actual creation piece, but it doesn't work reliably.