add-node

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.

1. Auto-discover the agent directory:

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   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:

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   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.

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.

• 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()

• 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.