Basic Administrative Tasks for Copilot and Agents · Topic 4 of 5
Usage, Adoption and Prompts
AB-900: read the Copilot usage report and Copilot Analytics to track adoption, and manage prompts in the Prompt Gallery: save, share, schedule and delete.
- 5 min
- The usage report is under Reports > Usage in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Active users rate equals active users divided by enabled users.
- Copilot Analytics and the Copilot Dashboard measure readiness, adoption, impact and sentiment.
What it is
Once Copilot is switched on, an administrator needs to know whether people use it. The Microsoft Copilot usage report in the Microsoft 365 admin center shows how many licensed users are active and where. Copilot Analytics, including the Microsoft Copilot Dashboard, goes further and shows readiness, adoption, impact and user sentiment.
The second task is prompts. A prompt is the instruction a user types to Copilot. The Copilot Prompt Gallery lets users save, share, schedule and delete the prompts that work for them.
How it works
The Copilot usage report
Open it in the Microsoft 365 admin center: Reports > Usage, then under Reports select Microsoft Copilot, then Copilot. The Usage tab shows adoption and usage numbers. You can choose the last 7, 28, 90 or 180 days.
| Metric | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Enabled users | Unique users with a Copilot license in the period |
| Active users | Enabled users who tried a Copilot feature they started themselves |
| Active users rate | Active users divided by enabled users |
| Total prompts submitted | Prompts sent to Copilot Chat in the period |
| Adoption by app | Enabled and active users per app, such as Teams, Word, Excel |
Further down, a table lists each licensed user's last activity date per app. You can add or remove columns and export the report to a .csv file. Data usually arrives within 48 hours.
User names are hidden in usage reports by default, and a setting in the admin center reveals them. Opening the Copilot pane does not count as active use. Submitting a prompt does.
A separate Copilot Chat usage report covers chat engagement for every license, and the Copilot usage report covers licensed use inside apps. Admin center reports also include a Copilot readiness report that helps pick users to license, and an agents usage report.
Copilot Analytics and the Copilot Dashboard
The Microsoft Copilot Dashboard, from Viva Insights, gives leaders a view of readiness, adoption, impact and sentiment. It is aimed at business and IT decision makers rather than only admins. Copilot Analytics is the wider set of insights that measures the effect of Copilot on the business.
| Tool | Best for | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot usage report | Admin view of licensed and active users, prompts, per app adoption | Microsoft 365 admin center > Reports > Usage |
| Copilot Dashboard and Copilot Analytics | Readiness, adoption, impact and sentiment for leaders | Viva Insights |
| Audit log | Security and compliance investigation, not usage counts | Microsoft Purview |
The audit log is built for compliance. Counts calculated from it may not match the official usage reports.
Acting on what you find
Low activity can mean users have not been trained, so the admin points them to the Prompt Gallery and uses organizational messages to deliver targeted guidance inside the apps. Licenses that stay unused can be reassigned to people who will use them.
Managing prompts
The Copilot Prompt Gallery has three areas: Suggested (prompts created by Microsoft), Your prompts (saved by the user) and Teams (shared with a team). Users manage their own prompts.
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Save | Adds a prompt to Your prompts. Saved prompts are visible only to the user |
| Share | Gives a prompt to others through a link or to a team, for consistency across a group |
| Schedule | Runs a prompt automatically at a chosen time. Needs a Copilot license |
| Delete | Removes a saved prompt, or removes a scheduled prompt so it stops running |
| Turn off | Stops a scheduled prompt without removing it |
Scheduled prompts work in Copilot Chat, Teams and Outlook, and are on by default unless the optional connected experiences are turned off. Admins can use the analytics and export tools to see the prompts users saved, liked or shared.
A worked example
Three months after rollout, the admin opens the usage report and sees 500 enabled users but only 180 active. The active users rate is low. The per user table shows that Excel and PowerPoint have almost no activity. The admin sends an organizational message that points users to the Prompt Gallery and shares a team prompt that summarizes a weekly sales sheet. A manager schedules that prompt to run each Monday morning.
How the exam asks about this
- "See how many licensed users actually used Copilot in the last 28 days." The Microsoft Copilot usage report in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- "Show leaders readiness, adoption and impact of Copilot." Copilot Dashboard or Copilot Analytics.
- "Run the same prompt automatically each week." Schedule the prompt.
What to remember for the exam
- The usage report is under Reports > Usage in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Active users rate equals active users divided by enabled users.
- Copilot Analytics and the Copilot Dashboard measure readiness, adoption, impact and sentiment.
- Prompts can be saved, shared, scheduled and deleted from the Prompt Gallery.
- Scheduling a prompt needs a Copilot license.
Do not use the audit log to count active users. Use the usage report or the Copilot Dashboard.
Common mistakes
Confusing enabled with active. Enabled means licensed. Active means the user actually submitted a prompt or used a feature.
Expecting same day data. The report typically catches up within 48 hours.
Thinking saved prompts are shared automatically. A saved prompt is private until the user shares it.
Check yourself
Where do admins view the Microsoft Copilot usage report?
In the Microsoft 365 admin center, under Reports > Usage, then Microsoft Copilot.
What is the difference between enabled users and active users?
Enabled users have a Copilot license. Active users are enabled users who used a Copilot feature in the period.
Which prompt action runs a prompt automatically on a timetable?
Scheduling the prompt, which needs a Copilot license.
Topic 4 of 5 in Basic Administrative Tasks for Copilot and Agents
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