Welcome to Forward Deployed! We’ve rebranded to reflect our broader focus on technologies and business solutions that go beyond low code. In our first episode as the Forward Deployed podcast, we’re joined by Julie Sato, Principal Product Manager for SharePoint, to explore the newly released SharePoint Knowledge Agent. Julie walks us through how this AI-powered tool helps users organize content, extract metadata, and improve searchability across SharePoint, all with no code. Whether you're a site manager, content creator, or everyday information worker, this episode shows how Knowledge Agent is transforming how we manage and retrieve content.   To learn more and get started with SharePoint Knowledge Agent, explore the following resources: Launch blog post: https://aka.ms/KnowledgeAgentLaunch Intro video: https://aka.ms/KAvideo Simulation: https://aka.ms/KAdemo Metadata blog post: https://aka.ms/KAmetadatablog

What if your daily Copilot prompts could turn into automated actions? In this episode, Heather Orta-Olmo joins Sean, Wendy, and Jocelyn to introduce the Workflows Agent, a new way to build personal automations inside Microsoft 365 Copilot. From summarizing meetings to creating planner tasks and blocking focus time, Heather shares how this conversational experience empowers users to automate without knowing a single API. We talk prompt tips, collaboration hacks, and yes, how to avoid flooding your inbox with recursive flows. This episode is your guide to getting started, getting better, and getting more done with Workflows Agent.   Want to dive deeper? https://aka.ms/LCA-CopilotNewAgentsBloghttps://aka.ms/LCA-WorkflowsAgentVideo  

What does it take to roll out Copilot Studio at scale? Andrew Gaskins of Lumen joins the podcast to unpack how admins can lead innovation through governance. From zone strategies to CoE reviews, Andrew walks us through the battle-tested blueprint that helped Lumen deploy thousands of agents while keeping costs in check. If you're wondering how to balance freedom and control in your agent strategy, this episode is your playbook.   Andrew’s previous episode: https://thelowcodeapproach.podbean.com/e/the-power-of-building-a-community-w-andrew-gaskins/

When security becomes the strategy, everything changes. Ilya Grebnov, Deputy CISO for Business Applications, joins the podcast to explain how Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative (SFI) transformed the way engineers think, build, and ship. He walks through the principles behind “secure by design,” how Microsoft balances usability with protection, and what it takes to earn customer trust in a world of evolving threats. From tightening the smallest controls to rethinking global infrastructure, this conversation shows what it means to lead with security first, and why that mindset is shaping the future of agents, AI, and cyber defense.

Downtime is expensive. Managed Availability makes sure you never have to pay it. In this episode, Shivani Pradhan and Mauktik Gandhi join us to walk through how the Power Platform and Dynamics 365 Foundations team built a system that’s resilient by design. With built-in failovers, isolated “islands,” and one-minute recovery, when the unexpected happens, you stay up and running. All with one push of a button.

What exactly are Agent Flows, and how do they change automation in Copilot Studio? Heather Orta-Olmo and Derah Onuorah join Sean, Wendy, and Ken to explain how flows work, when to use them instead of Power Automate, and why human-in-the-loop (or man in the middle) is key. With stories from Philips and a preview of intelligent approvals, this episode shows how Agent Flows are powering the next wave of intelligent automation.   Jump into the conversation at aka.ms/LowCodeTopicRequest

How do you balance speed and safety in the age of AI agents? In this episode, Priya Vaidyanathan joins Sean, Wendy, and Ken to talk about zone governance. They explain how the framework helps organizations innovate quickly while maintaining security, what it means to segment environments into zones, and how real customers, such as Heineken, are implementing it in practice. With customer examples and a look ahead to PPCC, this episode is a roadmap for governing AI without slowing it down.

What if your project manager had an AI teammate? In this episode, the Planner team’s Shree Shasta Kumar and Milan Kumar Mohapatra join us to introduce the Project Manager Agent. They explain why Microsoft built it, how it integrates with Teams and meetings, and the guardrails in place to keep outputs grounded and secure. From automating status reports to capturing tasks in real-time, this episode shows how AI is taking on the busywork so humans can focus on leading. Learn more here: https://aka.ms/PMA-skills-Teams-meetings-channels

AI won’t do everything for us, but it can clear space for the work that matters. In this episode, Phil Topness shares how AI enables organizations to shift from merely checking boxes to unlocking creativity and connection. We discuss adoption journeys, the importance of governance and data readiness, and how executive sponsors can establish a vision that drives measurable value. Phil also explains the role of champions, the importance of telling success stories, and how to balance small efficiency gains with bold, high-impact use cases.

Prompt engineering can feel like a secret language. April Dunnam returns to explain how Prompt Coach helps everyone speak it more clearly. From refining prompts to checking compliance and teaching best practices, Prompt Coach provides users with a smoother start to using Copilot and agents. We also cover when to roll it out, how it supports adoption, and why prompt libraries matter.   Prompt Coach is open source. Explore it and the community prompt libraries here: https://github.com/pnp/powerplatform-prompts https://github.com/pnp/copilot-prompts

Inventory matters. This week, we bring on Mik Ferland to take a look under the hood of the new Power Platform Admin Center. Mik explains why inventory comes first, how it works tenant-wide, and what is next for apps and flows. You'll also learn when to use Manage, Monitoring, or Licensing, and what you can expect at PPCC.   Explore the public GitHub repo here: aka.ms/CodeApps

This week we go full pro code. Guests Casey Burke and Marcel Ferreira share how Power Platform is opening doors for professional developers with bring-your-own-code, generative UX, GitHub integration, and automated testing. Whether you’re a pro dev curious about low code or a maker looking to understand the deeper stack, this episode delivers technical insights, practical guidance, and a preview of what’s next at PPCC.   Find the repo at aka.ms/CodeApps

Triple digits!!! A hundred episodes of stories, guests, governance tangents, and Ken being recognized in public for his voice. In this episode, Sean hosts a quiz show that stirs up everything from favorite guest moments to culinary metaphors, while Wendy, Jocelyn, and Ken weigh in on how the podcast has shaped adoption, security, and community. It’s a milestone worth celebrating and worth listening to. Thanks for being part of the journey!

Data security in the age of AI requires more than just basic protections. It's an ongoing, evolving challenge. In this episode, Jen Kemmerer, Senior Cloud Solution Architect specializing in data security, breaks down how organizations can manage sensitive information in the era of AI and Microsoft Purview. From the rise of AI-powered agents to tools like DSPM for AI, Jen explains how businesses can stay ahead of data security risks while embracing AI innovations. Tune in for actionable insights on keeping your data safe and navigating the evolving landscape of security and AI.

The automation world is shifting and Carsten Groth is here to guide you through it. In this episode, you'll learn why AI-driven automation is the next big thing and how large language models are leaving robotic process automation in the dust. From eliminating tedious tasks to integrating AI with legacy systems, Carsten’s insights will have you rethinking your entire automation strategy. Don’t settle for old-school RPA. Tune in to learn how AI can supercharge your processes.

Rolling out Copilot across thousands of employees worldwide is no small feat. Getting people across time zones, languages, and roles to not just use it but actually embrace it? That takes real strategy.   Matt Kirby from Hewlett Packard Enterprise joins us to share how they made Copilot adoption stick at enterprise scale. From live, unscripted demos that flipped skeptics to building community-driven learning hubs, Matt breaks down the practical steps that kept momentum alive and avoided the usual one-and-done training trap.

Change is hard. Rafsan makes it make sense. IT pro, MVP, and on-the-ground change agent, Rafsan Huseynov joins us to talk about what it really takes to roll out AI and Copilot agents across a global enterprise. From dealing with shadow IT to wrangling zone strategies and tech debt, Rafsan shares practical, hard-earned advice on how to drive adoption, win over skeptics, and keep innovation from getting stuck in POC purgatory. If you’re looking for the blueprint to scale responsibly without killing momentum, this will hit home. 

Welcome to the governance glow-up. Zohar Raz breaks down what’s new in Managed Governance and how the Power Platform Admin Center is making life easier for admins across the board. We talk green zones, guardrails, and how to let employees build with freedom without opening the floodgates. Plus, what it really means to manage agents, apps, flows, and costs at scale (and why SharePoint permissions might be your best friend). 

Pizza puffs, pipelines, and Power Platform. This one’s got it all.We’re joined by Austin Laugesen to talk Managed Operations. What is it? Why does it matter? And how can it help admins and makers work smarter without stepping on each other’s toes? From test automation to deployment flexibility to observability (yes, it’s different from visibility), Austin breaks down how Managed Ops. helps you monitor, improve, and scale with confidence. We also cover how Power Platform plays nice with Azure DevOps and GitHub, how alerts and metrics are evolving, and why the pizza puff deserves more hype.

Licensing is hot topic, but we’ve got the experts to cool it down. In this episode, we’re joined by Principal Product Managers Amiya Patra and Isha Sahni to break down how Microsoft Copilot licensing works. From free trials to PAYGO to full licenses, they unpack what you need to know about billing models, usage tracking, and upcoming tools that make it easier to manage. Whether you're just getting started or scaling enterprise-wide, this episode has the clarity you’ve been waiting for to understand Copilot cost controls.Want to try out the cost estimator? https://microsoft.github.io/copilot-studio-estimator/