add-node
Add or modify a node in an existing Copilot Studio topic. Use when the user asks to add a question, message, condition, variable, or other node to a topic. Do NOT use this for generative answers or knowledge search — use /add-generative-answers instead.
Skill body
Add Node to Topic
Add a new node to an existing Copilot Studio topic, or modify an existing one.
In Copilot Studio, the elements inside a topic’s actions array are nodes (SendActivity, Question, ConditionGroup, etc.). These are different from actions (actions/*.mcs.yml), which are connector-based TaskDialogs. This skill handles nodes within topics.
For generative answers (SearchAndSummarizeContent, AnswerQuestionWithAI), use the /add-generative-answers skill instead — it has the specific patterns, follow-up ConditionGroup logic, and disambiguation guidance needed to set them up correctly.
Instructions
- Auto-discover the agent directory:
Glob: **/agent.mcs.ymlNEVER hardcode an agent name.
- Parse the arguments to identify:
- The node type (SendActivity, Question, SetVariable, ConditionGroup, etc.)
- The target topic file
- If modifying an existing node, which node to modify
- Look up the node schema:
node ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/schema-lookup.bundle.js resolve <NodeType> -
Read the existing topic file to understand its current structure.
- Generate or modify the node with:
- A unique ID (format:
<nodeType>_<6-8 random alphanumeric>) - All required properties from the schema
- Appropriate default values
- A unique ID (format:
- Determine the correct insertion point in the actions array and present the plan to the user before writing.
Common Node Types
| Node | Purpose | Key Properties |
|---|---|---|
SendActivity |
Send message | kind, id, activity |
Question |
Ask user input | kind, id, variable, prompt, entity |
SetVariable |
Set/compute value | kind, id, variable, value |
SetTextVariable |
Set text with interpolation (YAML-only, no canvas) | kind, id, variable, value |
ConditionGroup |
Branching logic | kind, id, conditions |
BeginDialog |
Call another topic | kind, id, dialog |
EndDialog |
End topic | kind, id |
CancelAllDialogs |
Cancel all topics | kind, id |
Generative Orchestration Guidelines
When the agent has GenerativeActionsEnabled: true:
- Prefer AutomaticTaskInput over Question nodes for collecting user info (the orchestrator handles prompting automatically).
- Still use Question nodes when: conditional asks (ask X only if Y), or end-of-flow confirmations.
- Prefer topic outputs over SendActivity for returning results.
- Do NOT use SendActivity to show final outputs unless it’s a precise mid-flow message.
Power Fx Quick Reference
- Expressions start with
=:condition: =System.FallbackCount < 3 - String interpolation uses
{}:activity: "Error: {System.Error.Message}" - Variable init on first assignment:
variable: init:Topic.MyVar - Common:
Text(),Now(),IsBlank(),!IsBlank()
Example: Adding a Question Node
- kind: Question
id: question_k7xPm2
variable: init:Topic.UserName
prompt: What is your name?
entity: StringPrebuiltEntity
alwaysPrompt: true
interruptionPolicy:
allowInterruption: false
Important Notes
- Unique IDs: Use random 6-8 alphanumeric characters. Duplicate IDs cause Copilot Studio errors.
- Verify the node type exists in the schema before generating.
- For ConditionGroup, include at least one condition item with its own unique ID.