Export and import copilots using solutions

Important

Power Virtual Agents capabilities and features are now part of Microsoft Copilot Studio following significant investments in generative AI and enhanced integrations across Microsoft Copilot.

Some articles and screenshots may refer to Power Virtual Agents while we update documentation and training content.

You can export and import copilots using solutions so you can move your copilots across multiple environments.

Solutions can be useful if you use different environments for different purposes, or you employ ring-deployment methodologies. For example, you might have an environment to test and validate copilots, another environment to test copilots for only a subset of users, and a production environment where you share copilots with customers.

Note

You can't export topic-level or node-level comments when you export a copilot.

Prerequisites

Important

This article contains Microsoft Copilot Studio preview documentation and is subject to change.

Preview features aren't meant for production use and may have restricted functionality. These features are available before an official release so that you can get early access and provide feedback.

If you're building a production-ready copilot, see Microsoft Copilot Studio Overview.

Things to know

  • You can't export topic-level or node-level comments when you export a copilot.

  • Removing a copilot from a solution doesn't remove its components from the solution. You should remove the components separately.

    Warning

    Don't remove unmanaged copilot components, such as copilot topics, directly from the Power Apps portal unless you've removed the copilot from the solution.

    You should only make changes to topics from Copilot Studio. Removing or changing a copilot's components from Power Apps will cause the export and import to fail.

  • You can't export managed solutions. When you create a solution, it's unmanaged by default. If you change it to a managed solution, you won't be able to export it. You'll need to create a new solution.

  • It isn't possible to export a solution that contains a copilot with periods (.) in the name of any of its topics.

  • If your copilot has a large number of components (for example, more than 250 topics or more than 100 entities), export it using the classic Power Apps portal instead.

Create a solution to manage export and import

You use solutions to export copilots from one environment and import them into another. The solution acts as a "carrier" for the copilots. You can export and import multiple copilots in one solution.

  1. In Copilot Studio, open the copilot you want to export.

  2. Go to Settings, select Copilot details, and then select Export.

    Screenshot of the Copilot details tab in Copilot Studio, with the Export button highlighted.

  3. Select Go to Power Apps Solutions.

    Screenshot of the copilot export prompt.

  4. In Power Apps, on the Solutions tab, select New solution.

    Screenshot of the Power Apps Solutions page, with the New solution button highlighted.

  5. Enter the following information for the new solution:

    Field Description
    Display name The name to show in the list of solutions. You can change it later.
    Name The unique name of the solution, generated from Display name. You can only change it before you save the solution.
    Publisher Select the default publisher or create a new one. Consider creating a single publisher and use it consistently across all environments for your solution. Learn more about solution publishers.
    Version Enter a number for the version of your solution. The version number is included in the file name when you export the solution.
  6. Select Create.

Add your copilot to the solution

  1. The solution you created should be open in Power Apps. If it isn't, select it in the list of solutions.

  2. Select Add existing, and then select Chatbot.

  3. In the Add existing chatbots list, select the copilot or copilots you want to export, and then select Add.

Note

For a Classic chatbot:

If you're using skills, remove the skill's environment variable Current Value by selecting Remove from this solution.

Screenshot showing the Remove from this solution button.

Removing a copilot from a solution doesn't remove its components from the solution. You must remove the components separately.

Warning

Don't remove any unmanaged copilot subcomponents (such as copilot topics) directly from the Power Apps portal, unless you have removed the copilot itself from the solution.

You should only make changes to topics from within the Copilot Studio portal.

Removing or changing the copilot subcomponents from within Power Apps will cause the export and import to fail.

Export the solution with your copilot

You export and import copilots by exporting and importing the solutions that contain them from one environment to another.

Important

If your copilot has a large number of components (for example, more than 250 topics or more than 100 entities), see Export using the classic experience.

  1. In the Power Apps Solutions page, select the solution that contains your copilot, and then select Export solution.

    Screenshot of the Export solution button in Power Apps.

  2. In the Before you export pane, select Next.

  3. Enter or select the following options:

    Option Description
    Version number Copilot Studio automatically increments your solution version. You can accept the default or enter your own.
    Export as Select the package type, either Managed or Unmanaged. Learn more about managed and unmanaged solutions.
  4. Select Export.

The export can take several minutes to complete. Watch the status message at the top of the Solutions page. When the export is finished, your browser downloads a .zip file. The file name is in the format SolutionName_Version_ManagementType.zip; for example, MyBotPublisher_1.0.0.0.1_Unmanaged.zip.

Import the solution with your copilot

  1. In Power Apps, select the environment where you want to import your copilot.

    Screenshot of selecting a Power Apps environment.

  2. In the Solutions page, make sure that no solutions are selected, and select Import solution.

    Screenshot of the Power Apps Solutions page, with the Import solutions button highlighted.

  3. In the Import a solution pane, select Browse, select the .zip file that contains the solution with your copilot, and then select Next.

  4. Select Import.

  5. Wait a few moments while the import completes. View the results, and then select Close.

    If the import isn't successful, select Download Log File to download an XML file that contains details about what caused the import to fail. The most common reason an import fails is that the solution didn't contain some required components.

  6. If your copilot has user authentication enabled, you'll need to configure it again.

  7. In the Objects pane, select Chatbots. Then select the copilot's name to open the copilot in the Copilot Studio portal.

    Screenshot of a list of copilots and environments in Copilot Studio.

    You can also open Copilot Studio directly and then open your copilot in the environment you imported it to.

Important

Add components to a copilot in a custom solution

If you add components, such as topics or flows, to your copilot in Copilot Studio, you must also add them to the copilot in your unmanaged solution.

  1. Open your solution in the Power Apps portal.

  2. Select Chatbots, and then select your copilot in the list.

  3. Select Commands (), select Advanced, and then select +Add required objects.

    Screenshot highlighting the Add required components option under the Commands menu in Power Apps.

Upgrade or update a solution with a copilot

Learn how to upgrade or update a solution.

Remove an unmanaged layer from a managed copilot

Managed and unmanaged solutions exist at different levels in a Microsoft Dataverse environment. To learn more, go to Solution layers.

When you edit a managed component, such as a topic or a flow, it gets an unmanaged "Active" layer. To show the latest updates after you deploy the solution, you'll need to remove that layer.

Use the See solution layers option to see all solutions that a component is a part of. You can also see one "Active" solution on top of all other solutions if you've changed something directly.

  1. Open your solution in the Power Apps portal.

  2. Select Chatbots, and then select your copilot in the list.

  3. Select Commands (), select Advanced, and then select See solution layers.

    Screenshot highlighting the See solution layers option under the Commands menu in Power Apps.

  4. In the Solution Layers page, select the unmanaged layer, and then select Remove unmanaged layer.