AI is everywhere. McKinsey reports that 78% of organizations use AI in at least one business function. Yet, for many enterprises, data access remains locked behind technical queries and BI backlogs. Business users often wait days—or weeks—for analysts to write SQL, DAX, or KQL just to answer everyday questions.

That’s where Microsoft Fabric Data Agent (preview) changes the game.  It allows non-technical users to ask questions in plain English and compiles the right query—SQL, DAX, or KQL—over governed Fabric data. It also connects to Microsoft Copilot Studio (preview), so custom Copilots can call the agent, collaborate with other agents, and trigger workflows.

Instead of hopping across tools, users can ask:

• “What changed in revenue last quarter?”

• “Where are we off plan vs. budget by region?”

and get trusted, audit-ready answers from a single source of truth, streamlining processes and supporting quicker decisions.

What is Fabric Data Agent

Put simply, Fabric Data Agent lets you ask a question and get the data answer without writing code. You ask the question; it writes the query. Then it pulls the data from where it lives — a Lakehouse, warehouse, semantic model, or even an event store — using your existing permissions.

What you can do:

• Ask once, search many: Query up to five sources (lakehouses, warehouses, semantic models, eventhouses).
• No code required: Plain English in, trusted queries out.
• Work where you work: Use directly, via Power BI/Copilot, or alongside Azure AI Foundry.

The next consideration is whether it is effective in practical, real-world situations. So, let’s move from how it works to what it delivered.

The results that we, at WinWire, have seen in recent engagements with our clients:

Life sciences — insights in minutes, not days: WinWire recently built a conversational research platform for a life sciences company that connects multiple enterprise data sources (Snowflake, SharePoint, Confluence, Jira). Scientists and commercial teams can ask questions in simple natural language and receive source-linked answers in minutes, replacing days of back-and-forth.

Microsoft Fabric Data Agent now makes this same conversational pattern available out of the box—secure, governed, and directly over Fabric lakehouses, warehouses, and semantic models.

Global Tech — 50K+ employees served: We developed an enterprise conversational platform for a global tech firm, supporting around 50K+ employees in HR, Legal, Finance, and Marketing. Built on Azure OpenAI with robust guardrails, it delivers real-time answers in a secure and compliant environment.

Fabric Data Agent brings this same model into Microsoft Fabric itself. Business users can now ask questions in plain English and remain within their existing permissions and governance controls—without needing a custom-built platform.

Building a Trusted Foundation with AI-Infused Data Management

Fabric Data Agent is only as effective as the data it runs on. That’s why we pair every deployment with WinAIDM to feed the agent governed, high-quality datasets.

For organizations aiming to maximize Fabric Data Agent’s value, having high-quality, integrated, and governed data is critical. WinWire’s WinAIDM (AI-Infused Data Management) accelerator helps create exactly that: it automates data onboarding, streamlines integration, enforces quality at scale, and builds trusted datasets. Fabric Data Agent can then leverage these datasets to deliver secure, real-time, conversational insights across the enterprise—whether on Microsoft Fabric or Azure Databricks

Bottom line: this isn’t a lab experiment anymore—it’s working in real enterprises and driving measurable results. With that in mind, here’s how to set up your agent so you can see similar results from day one.

How to Configure and Deploy Fabric Data Agent for Maximum Value

Practically speaking, the setup process is simple, which includes:

• Agent instructions: Purpose, sources, business terms, response rules.
• Source instructions: Tables, columns, relationships, filters, and logic.
• Example Q&As: Representative user questions paired with ideal answers.

Integrating Fabric Data Agent with Azure AI Foundry

• Authenticate and generate secure queries under each user’s identity.
• Utilize Fabric to retrieve and process the data.
• Route results into an agentic flow in Azure AI Foundry for synthesis and downstream actions.

Best practices for success

• Start with a semantic model; Reuse measures and relationships for accuracy.
• Layer instructions: Define global rules at the agent level; source-specific rules within each source.
• Align access: if users can access the agent, they already have data access.
• Use clear, consistent names: prevents query errors.
• Watch the first 100 questions: See what users actually ask, refine the instructions, and expand example Q&As where answers were weak.
• Call out gaps:  If the data isn’t there, say so—and point to the owner or the next step to fill it.

Current Limitations (as of preview)

• Text answers only (visuals are not yet supported).
• Typical response time: 10–30 seconds.
• No question-review UI in Fabric agent yet (Power BI Q&A has similar tools).

Why it matters for your business

• Open to everyone: Ask in plain English—no SQL, no scripts.
• Governed by design: Every answer is traceable and audit-ready.
• Faster work, fewer tickets: Reduce BI backlogs; accelerate decision making.

WinWire’s approach to Fabric Data Agents: Configure, Govern, Deliver

We help enterprises deploy Fabric Data Agents with confidence by focusing on:

• Semantic-first design → Well-defined, documented models for reliable answers.

• Tuned instructions: Adjust agents by providing precise instructions and curated Q&As.

• Conversational access everywhere: Extend to Power BI, Teams, and Power Apps.
• Built-in guardrails: governed, audit-ready, and compliant from day one.

Ready to see conversational, governed data access in action? WinWire can help you configure your first Microsoft Fabric Data Agent pilot in just two weeks. Contact us

For organizations looking to maximize impact, we can also integrate WinAIDM (AI-Infused Data Management) to ensure your underlying data is fully integrated, high-quality, and governance-ready—so your Fabric Data Agent delivers the most accurate, reliable insights from day one.

Experience conversational, secure insights while building a trusted, enterprise-grade data platform—all in a guided pilot tailored to your needs