Summary
Microsoft currently has eight products with “Sales” in the name. One of them has been renamed six times in three years. They span two platforms, have three different billing models, and the documentation doesn’t always make clear which one it’s talking about.
If you search for “Microsoft Sales Copilot”, you’ll find results for at least three different things. This article untangles what each product actually does, which platform it runs on, and what you pay.
Six Names in Three Years
The product now called “Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot” has had six different names since 2022.
Name | Date | What happened |
|---|---|---|
Microsoft Viva Sales | June 2022 | Launched as part of the Viva employee experience suite |
Microsoft Sales Copilot | July 2023 | Renamed to reflect AI branding; Viva Sales folded in |
Microsoft Copilot for Sales | 2024 | Informal name used in some documentation |
Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales | 2024 | Formal name after M365 Copilot integration; sold as $50/user/month add-on |
Sales solution in Microsoft 365 Copilot | October 2025 | Bundled into M365 Copilot at no extra cost |
Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot | November 2025 | Current official name |
If your contract references “Viva Sales” or “Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales”, it’s talking about the same product that’s now included with Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Six name changes in three years creates real problems: outdated documentation, ambiguous contracts, and procurement teams spending hours chasing clarification on what they’re actually licensed for.
Sources: Microsoft Viva Sales is now part of Microsoft Sales Copilot | Welcome to Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot
The Bundled Solution vs the Agents
Here’s the core distinction that most documentation glosses over.
Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot is a solution. It brings CRM data into Outlook and Teams so sellers can view customer records, update opportunities, and get meeting preparation summaries without switching applications. It connects to Dynamics 365 Sales or Salesforce. It’s included with M365 Copilot at no additional cost.
Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot is included functionality. Sales agents are separate, consumption-based products.
Sales agents are something different. They’re autonomous or semi-autonomous AI tools that perform specific sales tasks: researching leads, qualifying prospects, preparing deal summaries, even sending outreach emails. They run on top of the solution, and most of them cost extra.
Microsoft currently offers eight sales-related AI products. One is the bundled solution. Seven are agents.
Two Platforms, Seven Agents
The agents split across two platforms, and the split determines what you pay.
M365 Copilot Platform
These agents are accessed through Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat (the free AI chat interface included with M365 subscriptions). They work with both Dynamics 365 and Salesforce.
Agent | What it does | Status |
|---|---|---|
Sales Agent | Turns contacts into qualified leads; researches prospects, sets up meetings, sends outreach | Public preview |
Sales Chat | Sales-focused insights hub within Copilot Chat; helps reps prepare for meetings using natural language | Public preview |
Sales Development Agent | Fully autonomous lead qualification and engagement; works after hours; hands off to humans when ready | Frontier Program (early access for select customers) |
Billing: All three consume Copilot Credits on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Watch the names: Sales Agent and Sales Development Agent sound similar but are different products. Sales Agent launched in preview in May 2025. Sales Development Agent was announced at Ignite (Microsoft’s annual technology conference) in November 2025 and is only available through Microsoft’s Frontier Program, an early access scheme for select enterprise customers. The Development Agent is more autonomous and more capable.
Sources: New sales agents accessible in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft Ignite 2025: Powering Frontier Firms
Dynamics 365 Sales Platform
These agents are built into Dynamics 365 Sales. They require D365 Sales licences and don’t work with Salesforce.
Agent | What it does | Status | Target role |
|---|---|---|---|
Sales Qualification Agent | Researches leads, determines fit, sends outreach; can operate autonomously or in research-only mode | Generally available | Sales Development Rep |
Sales Close Agent (Research) | Consolidates CRM updates, emails, meeting notes, and web research; surfaces deal risks | Public preview | Sales Rep |
Sales Close Agent (Engage) | Manages end-to-end sales cycle for high-velocity deals; handles objections, drives to closure | Preview | Sales Rep |
Sales Research Agent | Natural language research across sales data for complex business questions | Public preview | Sales Leader |
Billing: These agents consume Copilot Credits. Dynamics 365 Sales Premium includes 1,000 Copilot Credits per user per month. The credits are shared across all users in the organisation rather than assigned individually, so a 100-user tenant gets a pool of 100,000 credits per month. If you exhaust the pool, you pay for additional credits.
Sources: AI Agents in Dynamics 365 Sales | Sales Close Agent overview
The Cost of Getting It Wrong
The difference between the bundled solution and the agents has budget implications. If you assume “Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot” includes the Sales Agent, you’ll budget incorrectly: the solution is included, but the agent is pay-as-you-go. If you buy D365 Sales Enterprise expecting the Sales Qualification Agent, you’ll find it requires D365 Sales Premium. If you’re still paying $50/user/month for a “Copilot for Sales” add-on, you’re paying for something that’s now included with M365 Copilot.
For a 200-person sales team, a redundant add-on alone costs $120,000 a year.
Choosing the Right Tool
The right choice depends on your CRM platform and who’s using it.
If you use Salesforce: Your only options are the M365 Copilot platform agents (Sales Agent, Sales Chat, Sales Development Agent) and the bundled Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot solution. The D365 Sales agents don’t connect to Salesforce.
If you use Dynamics 365 Sales: You have access to everything, but the D365 native agents are purpose-built for specific roles:
Role | Goal | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
Sales Development Rep | Generate pipeline | Sales Qualification Agent |
Sales Rep | Close deals | Sales Close Agent |
Sales Leader | Strategic insights | Sales Research Agent |
If you just want CRM data in Outlook and Teams: The bundled solution (Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot) does this without agents. It’s included with M365 Copilot.
What You Pay
The licensing breaks into three tiers.
Included with M365 Copilot: Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot (the solution) comes at no extra cost. You need M365 Copilot ($30/user/month) plus a CRM licence (D365 Sales or Salesforce).
Pay-as-you-go: The M365 Copilot platform agents (Sales Agent, Sales Chat, Sales Development Agent) consume Copilot Credits. You pay for what you use. See our guide to Microsoft AI costs for how Copilot Credits work.
Included in D365 Premium, then PAYG: The Dynamics 365 Sales agents draw from the 1,000 credits/user/month pool included with D365 Sales Premium. Once the pool is exhausted, additional usage is billed as consumption.
Product | Billing model |
|---|---|
Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Included with M365 Copilot |
Sales Agent | PAYG (Copilot Credits) |
Sales Chat | PAYG (Copilot Credits) |
Sales Development Agent | PAYG (Copilot Credits) |
Sales Qualification Agent | D365 Premium pool, then PAYG |
Sales Close Agent | D365 Premium pool, then PAYG |
Sales Research Agent | D365 Premium pool, then PAYG |
Renewal Implications
The October 2025 bundling change has practical consequences for contracts.
If you’re paying for “Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales” as a separate add-on: | That $50/user/month line item is now redundant if you also have M365 Copilot. The functionality is included. At renewal, remove the add-on and keep M365 Copilot. That’s $50/user/month in savings. |
If you bought “Copilot for Sales” without M365 Copilot: | The standalone add-on no longer exists as a separate product. To retain the same functionality, you now need M365 Copilot at $30/user/month. If your users don’t already have it, that’s a new cost. If they do, you’re covered. |
If your contract still references “Viva Sales” or “Microsoft Sales Copilot”: | These names are obsolete. The product has been folded into M365 Copilot. Check whether you’re paying for a legacy SKU that should have been retired. |
If you’re unsure what your current contract includes or whether you’re paying for redundant SKUs, a contract review can identify savings before you sign.
The Complete Picture
Here’s every sales-related AI product Microsoft currently offers, in one table.
Product | Platform | Type | Status | Billing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sales in Microsoft 365 Copilot | M365 Copilot | Solution | Generally available | Included |
Sales Agent | M365 Copilot | Agent | Preview | PAYG |
Sales Chat | M365 Copilot | Agent | Preview | PAYG |
Sales Development Agent | M365 Copilot | Agent | Frontier (early access) | PAYG |
Sales Qualification Agent | D365 Sales | Agent | Generally available | D365 Premium pool |
Sales Close Agent (Research) | D365 Sales | Agent | Preview | D365 Premium pool |
Sales Close Agent (Engage) | D365 Sales | Agent | Preview | D365 Premium pool |
Sales Research Agent | D365 Sales | Agent | Preview | D365 Premium pool |
🖐 Get clarity on what you’re actually licensed for. Learn more: Microsoft Licensing Services for Enterprises.
Need Help?
Microsoft’s sales AI portfolio is confusing by design: it spans two platforms, uses consumption billing, and has been renamed repeatedly. If you’re trying to forecast costs, negotiate a Microsoft agreement, or understand what you’re actually licensed for, get in touch.
We don’t sell Microsoft licences, so our advice is unbiased.