# How to use Microsoft Copilot for recruiting with hyreflow (https://www.hyreflow.ai/blog/how-to-use-microsoft-copilot-for-recruiting)

By Niklas Huetzen, Co-founder, hyreflow. Published 12 Oct 2026.

> Microsoft Copilot can work as an AI recruiting assistant, but not on its own. Copilot has no candidate database, so by itself it works with the web and your Microsoft 365 files. Add hyreflow to a Copilot Studio agent as a Model Context Protocol tool, publish the agent to Microsoft 365 Copilot and Teams, and Copilot can search people databases, score candidates against a job description and find contact details with hyreflow from one prompt.

- Microsoft Copilot alone searches the web and your files, not a people database. With hyreflow connected, the candidates come from hyreflow's data providers.
- hyreflow connects through Copilot Studio, so you need Microsoft 365 Copilot or a Copilot Studio licence. The free Copilot chat is not enough.
- Setup takes more steps than in Claude or ChatGPT, and sharing the agent with a whole company needs an admin's approval.

Many recruitment firms run on Microsoft 365, so Copilot is the assistant already on the desk. Ask it for candidates and you get advice, a Boolean string and a few web links. hyreflow gives Microsoft Copilot the recruiting data it lacks.

## Can Microsoft Copilot source candidates on its own? [#can-microsoft-copilot-source-candidates-on-its-own]

Only partly. Microsoft Copilot can read a job description, write a Boolean string and score a CV you upload. It cannot search a people database or look up a personal email.

Microsoft's own overview says Copilot Chat is "primarily web grounded". A Microsoft 365 Copilot licence adds your organisation's emails, meetings, chats and documents. Neither holds candidates you have not met yet, and that is the gap hyreflow fills.

| Task                                         | Microsoft Copilot on its own      | Microsoft Copilot with hyreflow      |
| -------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| Read a job description and define the search | Yes                               | Yes                                  |
| Write a Boolean string                       | Yes                               | Yes                                  |
| Score profiles against the brief             | Only profiles you upload or paste | Yes, on profiles hyreflow found      |
| Search people databases                      | No                                | Yes                                  |
| Find personal emails and mobile numbers      | No                                | Yes                                  |
| Find the hiring manager behind a job advert  | No                                | Yes                                  |
| Push candidates to an ATS or a sequencer     | No                                | Yes, for tools connected in hyreflow |

The gain is worth the setup. LinkedIn's Future of Recruiting 2025 report surveyed 1,271 recruiting professionals. Those using generative AI reported saving "about 20% of their work week", though the survey does not measure Copilot or hyreflow specifically.

## What does Microsoft Copilot need to become an AI recruiting assistant? [#what-does-microsoft-copilot-need-to-become-an-ai-recruiting-assistant]

Microsoft Copilot needs an agent with a recruiting connector attached, and hyreflow is that connector. In Microsoft's world you build the agent in Copilot Studio and add hyreflow to it as a tool. The link between the two is the Model Context Protocol.

<Callout type="definition" title="MCP (Model Context Protocol)">
  MCP is "an open-source standard for connecting AI applications to external systems", in the words of its own documentation. hyreflow is a recruiting MCP server. It gives Microsoft Copilot tools to call during a conversation: search for people, find contact details, add someone to a sequence.
</Callout>

hyreflow is an AI sourcing and business development tool for recruitment agencies that runs inside the assistant you already use. Once hyreflow is connected, Copilot can call the data, contact, outreach and ATS tools in the [hyreflow catalog](/tools). One hyreflow credit balance covers all of them, so there is no separate subscription to each data provider.

You describe the result you want in plain language. The Copilot agent decides which hyreflow tools to call.

## How do you connect hyreflow to Microsoft Copilot? [#how-do-you-connect-hyreflow-to-microsoft-copilot]

You add hyreflow to a Copilot Studio agent with the MCP onboarding wizard, then publish the agent to Microsoft 365 Copilot and Teams. Nothing is installed on your computer. The steps below follow Microsoft's guide for connecting an existing MCP server, checked on 6 October 2026.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create or open an agent in Copilot Studio">
    Give the agent a clear name such as Recruiting assistant. Open its Tools page.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add hyreflow as a Model Context Protocol tool">
    Select Add a tool, then Add new MCP. Name the server hyreflow and paste the server URL from the [hyreflow connect page](/mcp?client=copilot-studio#walkthrough).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Describe what hyreflow does">
    Write a short description that names the jobs: candidate search, contact details, hiring managers and ATS updates. Microsoft notes that the agent uses this text to decide when to call the server.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose OAuth 2.0 with Dynamic discovery">
    hyreflow registers the client itself, so there is no client ID, secret or API key to enter. Select Create, then Next.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create the connection and sign in to hyreflow">
    Choose Create a new connection. Sign in to hyreflow in the browser window and pick the workspace Copilot may act on. Then select Add to agent.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Publish the agent to Microsoft 365 Copilot and Teams">
    Publish the agent, open Channels and pick the Teams and Microsoft Copilot channel. Keep Make agent available in Microsoft Copilot selected, then select Add channel. Without that option the agent appears in Teams only.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Copilot Studio supports one way of talking to an MCP server. Microsoft's guide states: "Currently, Copilot Studio supports the Streamable transport type." hyreflow uses that transport, so the URL works as it is.

<Callout type="note">
  Sharing the hyreflow agent with the whole organisation needs an admin's approval in the Microsoft 365 or Teams admin centre. Microsoft also applies your company's Power Platform data policies to MCP servers, so a locked-down tenant may need IT to allow the connection first. A new tenant also needs an environment with Dataverse before it can hold an agent; the [setup guide](/docs/mcp-setup#microsoft-copilot-studio) lists what to check.
</Callout>

The same steps, kept current, are in the [hyreflow setup guide](/docs/mcp-setup#microsoft-copilot-studio).

## Which Microsoft Copilot licence does hyreflow need? [#which-microsoft-copilot-licence-does-hyreflow-need]

hyreflow needs a licence that includes Copilot Studio, because that is where the connection is made. The free Copilot chat that comes with Microsoft 365 has no setting for adding an outside connector. On sales calls this is the first Copilot question recruiters ask.

There are two routes, both from Microsoft's pricing page on 6 October 2026:

* **Microsoft 365 Copilot.** Microsoft says the Copilot Studio included with Microsoft 365 Copilot lets licensed users build and use internal agents "at no additional cost".
* **Copilot Studio on its own.** Microsoft sells it as a tenant-wide licence in packs of 25,000 Copilot Credits at $200.00 per pack per month. A pay-as-you-go meter is also offered.

Microsoft's Copilot Credits and hyreflow credits are two separate things. Microsoft charges for the agent's answers and actions. hyreflow charges for the recruiting data, and hyreflow plans start at $49 a month for 500 credits (6 October 2026). Ask your Microsoft admin which Copilot licence your firm already holds before buying anything.

## What prompt builds a candidate shortlist in Microsoft Copilot with hyreflow? [#what-prompt-builds-a-candidate-shortlist-in-microsoft-copilot-with-hyreflow]

Paste the job description into the hyreflow agent, then ask for the outcome and say how you want it run. A good sourcing prompt names the number of candidates, what rules someone out, and which contact details you want.

Prompt (Microsoft Copilot):

> Use hyreflow and turn this job spec into a ranked shortlist of 10 candidates. Pull each person's real work history before you score them, drop anyone who fails a must-have, and show me your reasoning. Then find a personal email for the ones who made the list. Tell me the cost before you spend anything.

What comes back: A ranked list of candidates who match the brief on evidence, a line on why each one made the cut, and a personal email or a LinkedIn profile for each.

Behind that one prompt, Copilot runs four hyreflow stages in order.

<Flow
  steps="[
  { title: 'Read the spec', detail: 'titles, must-haves, location' },
  { title: 'Search', detail: 'several people databases' },
  { title: 'Score', detail: 'against the brief' },
  { title: 'Contact details', detail: 'for those who made it' },
  { title: 'Shortlist', detail: 'ranked, with reasons', end: true },
]"
  caption="<><b>One prompt, four stages.</b> hyreflow looks up contact details last, and only for candidates who passed the scoring.</>"
/>

<WorksWith tools="['exa', 'aiark', 'prospeo', 'fullenrich', 'lemlist']" label="hyreflow tools this run can use" />

The full version of this prompt, with each step and its cost, is in the [job spec to shortlist playbook](/skills/job-spec-to-shortlist). The same workflow in another assistant is covered in [How to source candidates with Claude](/blog/how-to-source-candidates-with-claude).

## What else can Microsoft Copilot do for recruiters with hyreflow? [#what-else-can-microsoft-copilot-do-for-recruiters-with-hyreflow]

With hyreflow connected, Microsoft Copilot also runs the business development side of a desk. Each of these is a hyreflow playbook you start with one prompt:

* Find the hiring manager behind a job advert, with a verified email. See the [hiring manager playbook](/skills/find-the-hiring-manager-behind-a-job-ad).
* Send a candidate to market, also called an MPC or spec campaign. The walk-through is in [How to run an MPC or spec campaign with Claude](/blog/how-to-run-a-spec-campaign-with-claude), and the prompts work the same way in Copilot.
* Build a target account list for a niche and a region. See the [target account playbook](/skills/build-a-target-account-list).
* Get a morning list of new live jobs in your market. See the [daily BD brief playbook](/skills/daily-bd-brief).
* Push a finished shortlist into your ATS. See the [ATS shortlist playbook](/skills/push-a-shortlist-into-your-ats).

In-house talent acquisition teams are often on Microsoft 365 with Copilot as the only approved assistant. They use hyreflow in Copilot to source for their own open roles and sync candidates into an ATS such as Ashby, Lever or SmartRecruiters.

Most agencies have not connected an assistant to their tools yet. Bullhorn's 2026 GRID Industry Trends Report surveyed nearly 2,300 recruitment professionals and was published in February 2026. It found that only 10 percent of firms have implemented agentic AI across their full workflow.

<InlineCTA title="Connect hyreflow to Microsoft Copilot" action="Get the server URL" href="/mcp">
  New hyreflow workspaces start with 25 free credits. Each hyreflow tool shows its cost before it runs.
</InlineCTA>

## Where does recruiting with Microsoft Copilot and hyreflow fall short? [#where-does-recruiting-with-microsoft-copilot-and-hyreflow-fall-short]

<Limits>
  Microsoft Copilot is the slowest assistant to connect hyreflow to. Claude and ChatGPT take a URL in a settings screen; Copilot needs an agent built in Copilot Studio, a paid Microsoft licence and often an admin. Microsoft bills its own Copilot Credits on top of hyreflow credits. This guide describes the setup from Microsoft's documentation and does not report a measured run, so it quotes no cost or time for a shortlist in Copilot. hyreflow replaces the search, not the conversation, and InMail still needs a LinkedIn licence. Personal contact data is strongest in the US and the UK and weaker in the DACH region and Asia.
</Limits>

<Callout type="warning">
  Read every shortlist before it goes to a client. An assistant can rank someone highly who changed jobs last month, and the client will notice before you do.
</Callout>

## Questions recruiters ask about Microsoft Copilot and hyreflow [#questions-recruiters-ask-about-microsoft-copilot-and-hyreflow]

### Do I need a paid Microsoft Copilot licence to use hyreflow?

Yes. hyreflow connects through Copilot Studio, which comes with a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence or as its own licence. The Copilot chat included in standard Microsoft 365 plans cannot add an outside connector. If your firm has neither, hyreflow connects to the free plans of Claude and ChatGPT in a few minutes.

### Does the hyreflow agent work inside Microsoft Teams?

Yes. Copilot Studio publishes one agent to both Teams and Microsoft 365 Copilot. A recruiter can open the hyreflow agent in either place and get the same hyreflow tools and the same credit balance.

### Is GitHub Copilot the same thing as Microsoft Copilot for recruiting?

No. GitHub Copilot is a coding assistant inside editors such as VS Code. hyreflow connects to it as well, but recruiters want Microsoft 365 Copilot, the assistant in Teams, Outlook and the Copilot app.

### Does hyreflow work with the free Copilot app on my phone or in Windows?

Not as of 6 October 2026. Microsoft's documentation describes adding an MCP server in Copilot Studio, for work accounts. We found no setting for it in the personal Copilot app.

### What does hyreflow cost when I use it in Microsoft Copilot?

The same as in any other assistant. hyreflow plans start at $49 a month for 500 credits, as of 6 October 2026, and new workspaces get 25 free credits. Microsoft's licence and Copilot Credits are billed separately by Microsoft. The plans are on the [hyreflow pricing page](/pricing).

### Is hyreflow in Microsoft Copilot different from hyreflow in Claude or ChatGPT?

The hyreflow tools, playbooks and prices are identical. What differs is the assistant around them: its model, its limits and how it is set up. If you are comparing sourcing tools, see [hyreflow beside other AI recruiting tools](/blog/compare).

## Sources

- [Connect your agent to an existing Model Context Protocol (MCP) server](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot-studio/mcp-add-existing-server-to-agent), Microsoft Learn. Checked 6 Oct 2026
- [Connect and configure an agent for Teams and Microsoft Copilot](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot-studio/publication-add-bot-to-microsoft-teams), Microsoft Learn. Checked 6 Oct 2026
- [Overview of Microsoft Copilot Chat](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/overview), Microsoft Learn. Checked 6 Oct 2026
- [Microsoft Copilot Studio plans and pricing](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/pricing/copilot-studio), Microsoft. Checked 6 Oct 2026
- [What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP)?](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction), modelcontextprotocol.io. Checked 6 Oct 2026
- [The Future of Recruiting 2025](https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/resources/future-of-recruiting), LinkedIn Talent Solutions. Checked 6 Oct 2026
- [Bullhorn GRID report: Staffing firms using AI see stronger growth, faster placements](https://www.bullhorn.com/news-and-press/press-releases/bullhorn-grid-report-staffing-firms-using-ai-see-stronger-growth-faster-placements/), Bullhorn. Checked 6 Oct 2026
- [MCP setup, per client](https://www.hyreflow.ai/docs/mcp-setup), hyreflow docs. Checked 6 Oct 2026
- [hyreflow pricing](https://www.hyreflow.ai/pricing), hyreflow. Checked 6 Oct 2026