Avoid indexing business records → Retrieve data without indexing; Preserve source-system controls → Use existing permissions; Access current data at runtime → Use a real-time Power Platform connector.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Microsoft AB-620 Study Guide: Power Platform real-time knowledge connectors query the source system when the agent needs an answer. Microsoft indexes metadata needed to understand the available tables and fields, but the business records themselves are not copied into a separate content index. Because the request is executed through the established connection, the source system ' s permissions remain part of the access decision. This is materially different from a Copilot connector, which indexes external content into Microsoft Graph, and from Azure AI Search, which relies on a maintained search index. The real-time pattern is best when current operational records and source-enforced access are more important than broad document search. The connection must be governed with the same Power Platform data policies that apply to actions, and authentication should reflect whether access is user-delegated or provided by a service identity. Testing under users with different permissions is essential to confirm that the agent cannot return records a user could not access directly and that changes in the source appear without an indexing delay. Study Guide alignment: Integrate and extend agents in Copilot Studio > Connect to enterprise knowledge sources > Connect to Microsoft Power Platform connectors.

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