Table of Contents
Summary
- Users requesting Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses can now provide a business justification with their request.
- Admins will have visibility of the justification during the review process, facilitating informed decisions.
- The feature will be enabled by default, requiring no tenant configuration.
- Existing license request processes will remain unchanged, with no impact on user experience unless a request is made for a Copilot license.
- No compliance issues have been identified related to this change.
Admin Impact: Low
User Impact: Medium
Release Start: 01 Mar 2026
Release End: 30 Apr 2026
Services: M365, M365 Copilot
Category: Stay informed
Tags: New Feature, User Adoption, Admin Action
History
2/5/2026 Item Added to Message Center
Microsoft Message
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.