Add Node to Topic

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

1. Auto-discover the agent directory:

   Glob: **/agent.mcs.yml
   

   NEVER hardcode an agent name.

2. 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

3. Look up the node schema:

   node ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/schema-lookup.bundle.js resolve <NodeType>
   

4. Read the existing topic file to understand its current structure.

5. Generate or modify the node with:

   • A unique ID (format: <nodeType>_<6-8 random alphanumeric>)
   • All required properties from the schema
   • Appropriate default values

6. 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.