Announcing Partner Center to certify and publish Power Platform Copilot Connectors and Plugins
We are thrilled to announce the inclusion of Power Platform Connector offer type through Microsoft 365 and Copilot Program in Partner Center. This is a key milestone in our AI ecosystem evolution announced at //Build 2024 which will ensure our Partners get accelerated go-to market for copilot capabilities by being available to all Microsoft Copilot users. Copilot Extensions are a critical component of what supercharges Microsoft Copilot and creating a plugin is one of the easiest ways to get started.
With this launch we are enabling the following capabilities for the Enterprises:
- Certify & Publish Power Platform connectors- Enterprises can author the connectors in Power Automate and leverage Partner Center to certify them to make it available worldwide.
- Certify connector based plugins from Microsoft Copilot Studio– Enterprises can leverage their Existing connectors in Microsoft Copilot Studio and extend them as plugins. In turn, these plugins can also be certified through Partner Center to be available in Microsoft Admin Center (MAC) for IT enablement for use inside of Copilot for Microsoft 365.
- Modernized publishing & distribution though mainstream Commercial Marketplace-that enables ISVs to validate and certify Copilot connector plugins at-scale and in a trustworthy & standardized manner.
- Visibility on movement of Copilot connector and plugin through certification- that enables quicker turnaround for Enterprises to rectify the errors in the connector and plugin & resubmit the offer by fixing the issues.
Over the last six months, we’ve forged strong partnerships with leading Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) spanning various industries, including Docusign, Zoho, Litera, Deskdirector, Elastic, Plumsail, and Data8. Together, we’ve extended Copilot for Microsoft 365 by integrating their existing Power Platform connectors as plugins, seamlessly connecting business applications with Copilot for Microsoft 365. Our primary objective was to subject these plugins to rigorous testing through the new Certification experience via Partner Center, ensuring standardized certification and expediting go-to-market strategies with minimal manual intervention. This process not only accelerates the release of new features but also provides complete transparency across all stages, a crucial requirement from our partners.
Building on this success, we’re excited to expand the access to Partner Center certification to our entire dynamic community of ISVs and Enterprise customers. This initiative aims to further enrich our robust ecosystem of over 1200 connectors, empowering them to be seamlessly integrated as Copilot plugins.
How can you extend your existing Power Platform Connector to Copilot Plugins ?
Offering great low-code tools for plugin creation is a priority for us, and Copilot Studio is where makers and professional developers can extend custom connector / certified connector into copilot plugin. Learn more about Authoring a connector-based plugin.
What can be certified as a Power Platform Connector offer in Partner Center?
Power Platform Offer in Partner Center supports certification for following scenarios:
- Certifying Power Platform custom connector – Create a custom connector in Power Automate.
- Certifying version upgrade to the existing Power Platform certified connector- Upgrade the version of existing Power Platform certified connector in Power Automate.
- Certifying Power Platform custom connector and associated Copilot plugin- Create a custom connector in Power Automate and extend it as Copilot Plugin through Copilot Studio
- Certifying Version Upgrade to the existing Power Platform certified connector and associated copilot plugin- Upgrade the version of existing certified connector in Power Automate and extend it as Copilot Plugin through Copilot Studio
Get Started with Partner Center
- To get started you will need to sign-in/sign-up for Partner Center. If you’re new to Partner Center you will be required to submit additional material to verify and establish your account (see Getting Started with Partner Center).
- Once you are signed into Partner Center you will want to add yourself to the Microsoft 365 and Copilot program (see Enrolling in Partner Center programs). This will allow you to submit Power Platform connector.
- Under Marketplace offers, you will now see the Microsoft 365 and Copilot program listed and when you choose to create a New Offer, Power Platform Connector will be an option.
- You will then name your offer, submit your power platform Copilot connector & plugin package (see packaging guidelines), that Microsoft will certify (see Verified Publisher certification process for certification process), and finally publish. Certified connector will be available on Power Automate, Power Apps & Logic Apps and the Certified Copilot plugins will be ready for IT enablement in the Microsoft Admin Center. The Copilot plugin will then appear as an installed plugin in Copilot for Microsoft 365.
What our Partners are saying about the new certification experience?
“Data8 Ltd, a proud Data Quality Independent Software Vendor, are very excited to be using the amazing features provided by Microsoft and its Copilot Studio. We are thrilled to share our passion for data quality by extending Copilot for Microsoft 365 using Power Platform and brining these essential services into the age of AI”
“Through our partnership with Microsoft, we are revolutionizing the way organizations do business. Docusign’s integration with Copilot for Microsoft 365 and Copilot for Sales harness the power of AI to drive intelligent automation and innovation, leverage Power Platform Plugins and Microsoft Copilot Studio. Meeting people where they work, these integrations empower organizations to accelerate revenue, reduce risk and create better experiences from the agreements that run their business. Together we are not just streamlining processes, we are redefining what’s possible in the digital era.”
“The previous certification process for our system used to take 2-5 weeks for testing. However, with the new and improved process through Partner Center, we have been able to reduce the time significantly. The entire process is now fully automated, which means that you can expect a much faster and smoother experience. One of the key features of the new certification process is the ability to identify and rectify any errors as soon as they occur. This means that any issues can be resolved quickly and efficiently, saving you time and effort.”
Learn more with following resources:
Click here for //Build2024 Breakout session on Build Microsoft Copilot extensions with Copilot Studio
Authoring a connector-based plugin
