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Enable Windows Update for Business reports

After verifying the prerequisites are met, you can start to set up Windows Update for Business reports. The two main steps for setting up Windows Update for Business reports are:

  1. Add Windows Update for Business reports to your Azure subscription. This step has the following phases:

    1. Select or create a new Log Analytics workspace for use with Windows Update for Business reports.
    2. Enroll into Windows Update for Business reports using one of the following methods:

  2. Configure the clients to send data to Windows Update for Business reports. You can configure clients in the following three ways:

Important

Windows Update for Business reports is a Windows service hosted in Azure that uses Windows diagnostic data. You should be aware that Windows Update for Business reports doesn't meet US Government community compliance (GCC) requirements. For a list of GCC offerings for Microsoft products and services, see the Microsoft Trust Center. Windows Update for Business reports is available in the Azure Commercial cloud, but not available for GCC High or United States Department of Defense customers.

Add Windows Update for Business reports to your Azure subscription

Before you configure clients to send data, you'll need to add Windows Update for Business reports to your Azure subscription so the data can be received. First, you'll select or create a new Log Analytics workspace to use. Second, you'll enroll Windows Update for Business reports to the workspace.

Select or create a new Log Analytics workspace for Windows Update for Business reports

Windows Update for Business reports uses an Azure Log Analytics workspaces that you own for storing the client diagnostic data. Identify an existing workspace or create a new one using the following steps:

  1. Sign in to the Azure portal at https://portal.azure.com.
    • Although an Azure subscription is required, you won't be charged for ingestion of Windows Update for Business reports data.
  2. In the Azure portal, type Log Analytics in the search bar. As you begin typing, the list filters based on your input.
  3. Select Log Analytics workspaces.
  4. If you already have a Log Analytics workspace, determine which Log Analytics workspace you'd like to use for Windows Update for Business reports. Ensure the workspace is in a Compatible Log Analytics region from the table listed in the prerequisites.
  5. If you don't have an existing Log Analytics workspace or you don't want to use a current workspace, create a new workspace in a compatible region.

Note

  • You can only map one tenant to one Log Analytics workspace. Mapping one tenant to multiple workspaces isn't supported.
  • If you change the Log Analytics workspace for Windows Update for Business reports, stale data will be displayed for about 24 hours until the new workspace is fully onboarded. You will also need to reconfigure the Windows Update for Business reports settings to enroll again.

Enroll into Windows Update for Business reports

Enroll into Windows Update for Business reports by configuring its settings through either the Azure Workbook or from the Microsoft 365 admin center. Use one of the following methods to enroll into Windows Update for Business reports:

Enroll through the Azure Workbook (recommended method)

  1. In the Azure portal, select Monitor > Workbooks from the menu bar.

    • You can also type Monitor in the search bar. As you begin typing, the list filters based on your input.

  2. When the gallery opens, select the Windows Update for Business reports workbook. If needed, you can filter workbooks by name in the gallery.

  3. Select the Get started button when prompted by the workbook to open the Windows Update for Business reports enrollment flyout.

  4. In the flyout, specify which Subscription and Azure Log Analytics Workspace you want to use for Windows Update for Business reports.

    • If you need to create a new Log Analytics workspace, select Create new workspace and follow the prompts to create a new workspace.

  5. Select Save settings to save the settings and enroll into Windows Update for Business reports.

    Tip

    If a 403 Forbidden error occurs, verify the account you're using has permissions to enroll into Windows Update for Business reports.

  6. The initial setup can take up to 24 hours. During this time, the workbook will display that it's Waiting for Windows Update for Business reports data.

    • Enrolling into Windows Update for Business reports doesn't influence the rate that required data is uploaded from devices. Device connectivity to the internet and how active the device is influences how long it will take before the device appears in reporting. Devices that are active and connected to the internet daily can expect to be fully uploaded within one week (usually less than 72 hours). Devices that are less active can take up to two weeks before data is fully available.
Enroll through the Microsoft 365 admin center

  1. Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center and sign in.

  2. Expand Health, then select Software Updates. You may need to use the Show all option to display Health in the navigation menu.

  3. In the Software Updates page, select the Windows tab.

  4. When you select the Windows tab for the first time, you'll be asked to Configure Settings. This tab is populated by data from Windows Update for Business reports. Verify or supply the following information about the settings for Windows Update for Business reports:

    • The Azure subscription
    • The Log Analytics workspace

  5. The initial setup can take up to 24 hours. During this time, the Windows tab will display that it's Waiting for Windows Update for Business reports data.

    • Enrolling into Windows Update for Business reports doesn't influence the rate that required data is uploaded from devices. Device connectivity to the internet and how active the device is influences how long it will take before the device appears in reporting. Devices that are active and connected to the internet daily can expect to be fully uploaded within one week (usually less than 72 hours). Devices that are less active can take up to two weeks before data is fully available.

  6. After the initial setup is complete, the Windows tab will display your Windows Update for Business reports data in the charts.

    Note

    The device counts in the Windows tab may vary from the Microsoft 365 Apps tab since their requirements are different.

Next steps

Once you've added Windows Update for Business reports to a workspace in your Azure subscription and configured the settings through the Microsoft 365 admin center, you'll need to configure any devices you want to monitor. Enroll devices into Windows Update for Business reports using any of the following methods: