> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://devdocs.xbox.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Insights Management Commands

> Reference for PlayFab Insights management and data control Kusto commands to inspect queries, alter retention, create custom tables, and ingest or purge data.

Insights management commands allow users to express more control over or to gather additional information on their data system. The commands fall into two primary categories:

1. Management - These commands allow users to view more information about queries, commands, retention, and alter retention
2. Data Control - These commands allow users to create and drop custom tables, ingest local and cloud data, and purge data from their DB

> [!NOTE]
>
> PlayFab Insights Management will be retired 3/31/2026. We recommend using [Data Connections](/services/playfab/data-analytics/export-data/data-connection-adx.md) to manage your performance and cost going forward. If your title is still using **Insights**, continue to see this article for best practice details. For more information, see [Insights Retirement Blog](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2025/11/playfab-insights-management-getplayerinsegment-apis-retired-starting-march-31/).

Some commands aren't available in evaluation mode.

| Category | Commands |
| - | - |
| Management | .show queries .show running queries .show commands-and-queries .show table policy retention .alter table policy retention |
| Data Control | .create table .drop table .set .append .set-or-append .set-or-replace .ingest into table .purge table |

## Management

**.show queries**
Returns a list of currently executing queries by the user, or by another user, or by all users.
Usage: `.show  queries`
Example: `.show queries | where StartedOn > ago(1d)`
This command shows all queries that executed in the last day
**.show running queries**
Shows all currently executing queries
Usage: `.show running queries`
Example: `.show running queries`
This command shows all currently running queries.
**.show database policy caching**
Shows the current caching policy on the database
Usage: `.show database DatabaseName policy caching`
Example: `.show database myDatabase policy caching`
This command shows the current caching policy for the specified database.
**.show table policy caching**
Shows the current caching policy on the table
Usage: `.show database DatabaseName.TableName policy caching`
Example: `.show database myDatabase.myTable policy caching`
This command shows the current caching policy for the specified table.
**.show commands-and-queries**
Returns a table with admin commands and queries that have reached a final state. These commands and queries are available to query for 30 days.
Usage: `.show commands-and-queries`
Example: `.show commands-and-queries | where StartedOn > ago(1d) | where State != "Completed"`
This command shows all commands and queries that failed in the last day
**.show table policy retention**
Shows tables' effective retention policy taking cluster and database rules into account
Usage: `.show table(s) (<table_name> [, ...]) policy retention`
Example: `.show table ['events.all'] policy retention`
This command shows the current retention policy for the "events.all" table.

**.alter table policy retention** (restricted to accounts on consumption pricing model)
Change the current retention policy on one or more tables to \<retention\_policy>
Usage: `.alter tables (<table_name> [, ...]) policy retention <retention_policy>`
Example: `.alter table ['events.all'] policy retention softdelete = 90d`
This command sets data in the "events.all" table to be removed from the table after 90 days.

## Data Control

**.create table** (restricted to performance level 2 and above)
Creates a new empty table. The command must run in context of a specific database. If the table already exists the command returns success.
Usage: `.create table TableName ([columnName:columnType], ...)`
Example: `.create table ['custom.logs'] (Level:string, Timestamp:datetime, Id:string, Message:string)`
This command creates a new table called "custom.logs" with four columns. **IMPORTANT Custom tables must begin with "custom.".**

**.drop table** (restricted to performance level 2 and above)
Drops the specified table. Note: This action can't be undone.
Usage: `.drop table TableName [ifexists]`
Example: `.drop table ['custom.logs']`
This command drops the table named "custom.logs".

**.set** (restricted to performance level 2 and above)
Creates a table with results of Query Or Command
Usage: `.set  TableName [with (PropertyName = PropertyValue [, ...])] <| QueryOrCommand`
Example: `.set [‘custom.recentEvents’] <| [‘events.all’] | where Timestamp > now() – time(1h)`
This command creates a table "custom.recentEvents" containing the results of the above query

**.append** (restricted to performance level 2 and above)
Appends an existing table with results of QueryOrCommand
Usage: `.append  TableName [with (PropertyName = PropertyValue [, ...])] <| QueryOrCommand`
Example: `.append [‘custom.recentEvents’] <| [‘events.all’] | where Timestamp > now() – time(1h)`
This command adds to existing table "custom.recentEvents" with the results of the above query

**.set-or-append** (restricted to performance level 2 and above)
Create or appends to a table with results of QueryOrCommand
Usage: `.set-or-append  TableName [with (PropertyName = PropertyValue [, ...])] <| QueryOrCommand`
Example: `.set-or-append [‘custom.weekEvents’] <| [‘events.all’] | where Timestamp > now() – time(7d)`
This command appends data from the above query to table "custom.weekEvents". If the table doesn't exist, create it.

**.set-or-replace** (restricted to performance level 2 and above)
Replaces the data of the table if it exists (drops the existing data shards), or creates the target table if it doesn't already exist. The table schema is preserved unless one of extend\_schema or recreate\_schema ingestion property is set to true. If the schema is modified, the modification happens before the actual data ingestion in its own transaction, so a failure to ingest the data doesn't mean the schema wasn't modified.
Usage: `.set-or-replace  TableName [with (PropertyName = PropertyValue [, ...])] <| QueryOrCommand`
Example: `.set-or-replace [‘custom.dayEvents’] <| [‘events.all’] | where Timestamp > now() – time(1d)`
This command replaces the data in table "custom.dayEvents" with the above query.

**.ingest into** (restricted to performance level 2 and above)
Ingests data into a table by "pulling" the data from one or more cloud storage artifacts.
Usage: `.ingest  into table TableName SourceDataLocator [with ( IngestionPropertyName = IngestionPropertyValue [, ...] )]`
Example: `.ingest into table [‘custom.myData’] (h’<your url here>’) with(ignoreFirstRecord=true)`
This command pushes data into table "custom.myData" from your cloud storage listed in the url.

**.purge table** (restricted to performance level 2 and above)
Permanently deletes data in table from the database
Usage: `.purge table [TableName] in database [DatabaseName] allrecords with (noregrets='true')`
Example: `.purge table [‘custom.toPurge’] in database MyDatabase allrecords`
This command purges all data from table "custom.toPurge", permanently deleting it from your data system.


## Related topics

- [Insights Best Practices](/services/playfab/data-analytics/legacy/insights/best-practices.md)
- [Performance and retention](/services/playfab/data-analytics/legacy/insights/performance-retention.md)
- [Insights](/services/playfab/data-analytics/legacy/insights/overview.md)
- [Insights Export](/services/playfab/data-analytics/legacy/insights/export.md)
- [Connecting Grafana to Insights](/services/playfab/data-analytics/legacy/connectivity/connecting-grafana-to-insights.md)