Scans
Run a read-only scan whenever you need a fresh picture, and compare snapshots over time to show progress.
A scan is how Copilot Insights takes a fresh look at your tenant. It reads licence, usage and agent metadata on a read-only basis and saves the result as a point-in-time snapshot. Run one whenever you want current numbers, then compare snapshots over time to show how adoption and governance are improving. A scan never touches the content of prompts, chats or files.
Run a scan
- Open Scans from the sidebar.
- Choose Run scan.
- Copilot Insights reads the latest metadata and builds a new snapshot — nothing is needed from you.
- When it finishes, the Overview dashboard and every feature page reflect the new snapshot.
Your first scan runs automatically when you connect a tenant — see Getting started.
What a scan reads
- Licence metadata — which Copilot licences are assigned, and whether they are active.
- Usage metadata — adoption signals such as last activity dates, never the content of any activity.
- Agent metadata — the Copilot Studio agents in your tenant, their owners and governance attributes.
A snapshot is metadata only
A snapshot records counts, states and dates — not prompts, chats or files. It is read-only in and read-only out, and Copilot Insights can never write back to your tenant. See Security & privacy.
Scan history and comparing snapshots
Every scan is kept in your scan history, so each snapshot becomes a marker you can compare against. That is what turns a single reading into a trend: reclaimable spend coming down, adoption going up, unowned agents being resolved.
This is most useful at renewal. Scan when you start acting on Recommendations, then scan again before the conversation with finance, and the two snapshots evidence the progress you have made.
How often you can scan
Scan cadence depends on your plan:
| Plan | Scan cadence |
|---|---|
| Free | One scan, ever |
| Pro | One scan per calendar month |
| Enterprise / MSP | Unlimited |
When you reach your plan's cadence — for example a second scan in the same month on Pro — Copilot Insights shows an upgrade prompt instead of running the scan. Your existing snapshots stay available to view and compare. See Plans & billing for the full comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Does running a scan change anything in my tenant?
No. A scan is strictly read-only — it reads metadata and writes nothing back. Copilot Insights can never reassign a licence or change an agent.
What happens to my old snapshots when I run a new scan?
They stay in your scan history. A new scan adds a snapshot rather than replacing the last one, which is exactly what lets you compare progress over time.
I've used my scan on the Free plan — what now?
Free allows one scan ever. To scan again you can upgrade: Pro allows one scan per calendar month and Enterprise / MSP is unlimited. See Plans & billing.