# Labeler instances

Configure the automatic labelers that classify your telemetry — which labeler runs, on what scope, and which label it writes into.

A **labeler instance** is one automatic labeler, switched on for a service. It's the configuration behind the automatic paths on the [Labels](/docs/platform/labels.md) page: it decides *which* labeler runs and *which* label it writes into.

## What it is

A **labeler type** (some are deterministic rules like counting tool calls or detecting language; others use a model), a **scope** — the unit of telemetry it reads — and the **telemetry label** whose value it sets.

Each type declares its supported scopes, and some are grouped into a **family** so you can create several related instances at once. An instance can target one service or every service in the tenant; a service's list shows both its own and the tenant-wide ones.

## How it's populated

Once enabled, it runs as your telemetry is processed. Enabling one doesn't relabel what you already have — expect labels on new sessions, not backfilled history.

## How to read it in the dashboard

The table lists name, description, scope, the label it writes into, and status.

Each row opens a drawer of assignments for that row's **label** on the selected service. It's scoped to the label rather than the instance, so if several instances write to the same label their assignments appear together.

## How to act on it

1. **Point each instance at a purposeful label.** The label is what you'll filter and group by, so name it for the question you want to answer.
2. **Check the assignments before you trust it.** A mis-classifying labeler is worse than no label, because it looks authoritative in a chart.
3. **Disable rather than delete** when unsure — that stops new assignments but keeps the configuration.
4. **Enable it before the traffic you want labelled**, since it won't relabel what's already there.

## Availability

Requires **Organization Admin**; other roles see an access-denied message. A service must be selected, since both the list and the drawer are scoped to one.

## See also

- [Labels](/docs/platform/labels.md) — what labels are, and the manual and rule-based ways to apply them.
- [Custom charts](/docs/platform/custom-charts.md) — group a metric by a label a labeler produced.