Microsoft 365 Copilot: Business justification for Copilot license requests

Starting late March 2026, Microsoft 365 Copilot license requests will include an optional business justification field for users. Admins will see this justification during review to streamline approvals. The feature is on by default, requires no tenant configuration, and does not affect existing workflows or policies.

[Introduction]

To help organizations streamline approval workflows and improve governance, users who request a Microsoft 365 Copilot license will be able to submit a business justification with their request. Admins will see this justification during review, enabling faster and more informed decisions while reducing manual follow-ups.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 547731.

[When this will happen]

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in late March 2026 and is expected to complete by late April 2026.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected:

• Users who request Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses
• Admins who review, approve, or manage Copilot license requests

What will happen:

• Users requesting a Copilot license will see a new field to provide a business justification.
• Admins will see the justification as part of the review experience.
• The feature will be on by default with no tenant configuration required.
• Existing license request workflows will continue to function as they do today.
• There will be no impact to the user experience unless they request a Copilot license.
• No changes to admin policies, settings, or reporting.

Screenshot 1 - A license request will be created when the user clicks Request License:

Screenshot 2 - On the next screen, there is an option to provide a business justification for the request; this step is optional:

 

Screenshot 3 - View of the dropdown menu with business justification options:

 

[What you can do to prepare]

No action is required.

Optional steps:

• Notify helpdesk or approvers about the new justification field.
• Review or update internal documentation as needed.
• If you track license request metadata, ensure your internal workflows and tools account for the justification field.

[Compliance considerations]

No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.