check before: 2026-04-01
Product:
Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft Viva
Platform:
Online, World tenant
Status:
Change type:
Admin impact, New feature, Updated message, User impact
Links:
Details:
Summary:
Microsoft 365 Copilot's Workforce Insights agent now uses the SupervisorIndicator attribute from MODIS to customize manager identification based on HR definitions, improving accuracy in insights and analytics without changing reporting hierarchies or access controls. Rollout begins early April 2026 and requires no admin action if the attribute is present.
Details:
Updated March 27, 2026: We have updated the content and timeline. Thank you for your patience.
[Introduction]
We're introducing a new capability in Workforce Insights agent that allows organizations to customize how managers are identified. This enhancement uses the SupervisorIndicator attribute from the Microsoft Organizational Data Ingestion System (MODIS) to align Copilot responses, insights, and analytics with your organization's formal manager definition. This helps ensure accurate and consistent manager‑related metrics without altering your reporting hierarchy or access controls.
[When this will happen]
Frontier Preview: Rollout begins in early April 2026 (previously late March).
Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
Created:
2026-03-25
updated:
2026-03-28
Task Type
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Docu to Check
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MS How does it affect me
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MS Preperations
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MS Urgency
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MS workload name
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summary for non-techies**
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Direct effects for Operations**
Manager Identification Accuracy
If the SupervisorIndicator attribute is not properly configured or reviewed, it may lead to incorrect manager identification, resulting in misleading insights and analytics for the organization.
- roles: HR Manager, Data Analyst
- references: https://learn.microsoft.com/copilot/microsoft-365/workforce-insights-agent, https://learn.microsoft.com/viva/organizational-data
User Experience with Insights
Users may receive inaccurate or irrelevant insights related to their managers, affecting their ability to make informed decisions based on the data provided by the Workforce Insights agent.
- roles: End User, Team Leader
- references: https://learn.microsoft.com/copilot/microsoft-365/workforce-insights-agent, https://learn.microsoft.com/viva/organizational-data
Configutation Options**
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Data Protection**
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explanation for non-techies**
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** AI generated content. This information must be reviewed before use.
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change history
| Date | Property | old | new |
| 2026-03-28 | MC prepare | If your tenant uses SupervisorIndicator, ask your organizational data admin to:
Review the values in this attribute to ensure accuracy for Copilot and Workforce Insights queries. Ensure your organization has at least 50 active Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses. No other admin action is required at this time. Learn more: Use your organizational data in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Viva | Microsoft Viva | Microsoft Learn Workforce Insights agent | Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn [Compliance considerations] No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization. https://learn.microsoft.com/copilot/microsoft-365/workforce-insights-agent https://learn.microsoft.com/viva/organizational-data | If your tenant uses SupervisorIndicator, ask your organizational data admin to:
Review the values in this attribute to ensure accuracy for Workforce Insights queries. Ensure your organization has at least 50 active Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses. No other admin action is required at this time. Learn more: Use your organizational data in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Viva | Microsoft Viva | Microsoft Learn Workforce Insights agent | Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn [Compliance considerations] No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization. https://learn.microsoft.com/copilot/microsoft-365/workforce-insights-agent https://learn.microsoft.com/viva/organizational-data |
| 2026-03-28 | MC MessageTagNames | New feature, User impact, Admin impact | Updated message, New feature, User impact, Admin impact |
| 2026-03-28 | MC Summary | Microsoft 365 Copilot and Workforce Insights agent will use the SupervisorIndicator attribute from MODIS to customize manager identification based on organizational HR definitions, improving accuracy in insights and analytics without changing reporting hierarchies or access controls. Rollout begins late March 2026. | Microsoft 365 Copilot's Workforce Insights agent now uses the SupervisorIndicator attribute from MODIS to customize manager identification based on HR definitions, improving accuracy in insights and analytics without changing reporting hierarchies or access controls. Rollout begins early April 2026 and requires no admin action if the attribute is present. |
| 2026-03-28 | MC Last Updated | 03/24/2026 23:48:52 | 2026-03-27T22:39:34Z |
| 2026-03-28 | MC Messages | [Introduction]
We're introducing a new capability in Workforce Insights agent and Microsoft 365 Copilot that allows organizations to customize how managers are identified. This enhancement uses the SupervisorIndicator attribute from the Microsoft Organizational Data Ingestion System (MODIS) to align Copilot responses, insights, and analytics with your organization's formal manager definition. This helps ensure accurate and consistent manager‑related metrics without altering your reporting hierarchy or access controls. [When this will happen] Frontier Preview: Rollout begins in late March 2026. | Updated March 27, 2026: We have updated the content and timeline. Thank you for your patience.
[Introduction] We're introducing a new capability in Workforce Insights agent that allows organizations to customize how managers are identified. This enhancement uses the SupervisorIndicator attribute from the Microsoft Organizational Data Ingestion System (MODIS) to align Copilot responses, insights, and analytics with your organization's formal manager definition. This helps ensure accurate and consistent manager‑related metrics without altering your reporting hierarchy or access controls. [When this will happen] Frontier Preview: Rollout begins in early April 2026 (previously late March). |
| 2026-03-28 | MC How Affect | Who is affected
Organizations using Workforce Insights agent or Microsoft 365 Copilot with organizational data provided through MODIS What will happen If your tenant already provides the SupervisorIndicator attribute through MODIS, Workforce Insights agent and Microsoft 365 Copilot will automatically begin using it to identify managers. Many organizations define "manager" differently based on HR policies (for example, including contractors or interns, or excluding certain job families). This capability allows your organization's definition to take precedence over the default hierarchy‑based definition. When SupervisorIndicator is present, it becomes the authoritative signal for manager status used in: manager‑related questions and responses, organizational insights, analytics and metrics (such as manager counts and manager‑to‑IC ratios). This change aligns Copilot insights and analytics with your HR‑defined manager criteria without impacting: reporting hierarchy, manager-employee relationships, access controls, delegation, privacy enforcement. If your tenant does not provide the SupervisorIndicator attribute, manager identification will continue using organizational hierarchy (employees with direct reports). The feature is enabled automatically when the attribute is present-no admin toggle is required. | Who is affected
Organizations using Workforce Insights agent with organizational data provided through MODIS What will happen If your tenant already provides the SupervisorIndicator attribute through MODIS, Workforce Insights agent will automatically begin using it to identify managers. Many organizations define "manager" differently based on HR policies (for example, including contractors or interns, or excluding certain job families). This capability allows your organization's definition to take precedence over the default hierarchy‑based definition. When SupervisorIndicator is present, it becomes the authoritative signal for manager status used in: manager‑related questions and responses, organizational insights, analytics and metrics (such as manager counts and manager‑to‑IC ratios). This change aligns insights and analytics with your HR‑defined manager criteria without impacting: reporting hierarchy, manager-employee relationships, access controls, delegation, privacy enforcement. If your tenant does not provide the SupervisorIndicator attribute, manager identification will continue using organizational hierarchy (employees with direct reports). The feature is enabled automatically when the attribute is present-no admin toggle is required. |
| 2026-03-28 | MC Title | Microsoft 365 Copilot: Customize how managers are identified in Workforce Insights agent and Copilot responses | (Updated) Microsoft 365 Copilot: Customize how managers are identified in Workforce Insights agent and Copilot responses |
| 2026-03-28 | MC End Time | 05/01/2026 09:00:00 | 2026-06-30T09:00:00Z |
Last updated 1 week ago ago
