Why Can’t My Microsoft Foundry Agent Handle JSON/Excel Files in the New Version?

Yes, the new Foundry UI definitely doesn't auto-ingest files like the old version. You'll have to add your file to a data source or vector store prior to testing your agent. It's a bit of an adjustment!

I've faced similar issues switching between interfaces too. The new Foundry version feels quite different, and file handling can be inconsistent. In my experience, the agent only processed JSON correctly when the vector store created the step on its own in the old version, which isn't the case now. The documentation hasn't kept up, so you'll likely need to do a side-by-side comparison of both versions to see where it's falling short.

This really seems more like a feature gap in the new UI rather than an error on your part. The old version managed file handling automatically, making it easier for the agent to access the JSON without extra setup. In the new version, you maybe need to set up the file ingestion manually. For now, sticking with the old version or crafting a data source/vector store manually could be your best bet until they sort this out.

It sounds like the new version has changed how it handles file uploads and vector storage. Microsoft has been moving to separate the data ingestion step, so now you might need to upload files as external resources first before testing your agent. Have you checked if your uploaded file shows up as an asset or knowledge source in the workspace? It may not create it automatically like the old version did.