diff --git a/hooks/scripts/__tests__/personalization-score.test.mjs b/hooks/scripts/__tests__/personalization-score.test.mjs
index 96feea1..18fbdc0 100644
--- a/hooks/scripts/__tests__/personalization-score.test.mjs
+++ b/hooks/scripts/__tests__/personalization-score.test.mjs
@@ -5,61 +5,80 @@ import { join } from 'node:path';
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
 import { calculateScore } from '../personalization-score.mjs';
 
-// Step 5 (remediation): the shipped voice profile is a PII-free placeholder
-// carrying the sentinel below. Detection must key on the sentinel — NOT the old
-// `[Your Name]` heuristic — so the placeholder earns 0 of the 25 voice points,
-// and a populated profile (sentinel removed) earns them.
+// M0-7: the scorer now reads INSTANCE data from the EXTERNAL data root
+// (getDataRoot, stubbed via LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA), mirroring the migration's
+// dests, and falls back to the plugin tree only for back-compat. The placeholder
+// sentinel still keys voice detection (Step-5 remediation): the placeholder earns
+// 0 of the 25 voice points; a populated profile (sentinel removed) earns them.
 const SENTINEL = '<!-- VOICE_PLACEHOLDER -->';
 
-// A >50-line body that contains NEITHER the sentinel NOR `[Your Name]`, so the
-// only thing distinguishing placeholder from real profile is the sentinel.
+// A >50-line body with NEITHER the sentinel NOR `[Your Name]`, so the sentinel is
+// the only thing distinguishing placeholder from real profile.
 const LONG_BODY = Array.from({ length: 60 }, (_, i) => `- voice characteristic line ${i + 1}`).join('\n');
 
-function makePluginRoot() {
-  const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'lis-personalization-'));
-  mkdirSync(join(root, 'assets', 'voice-samples'), { recursive: true });
-  return root;
+function makeRoots() {
+  const dataDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'lis-score-data-'));
+  const pluginRoot = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'lis-score-plugin-'));
+  mkdirSync(join(dataDir, 'voice-samples'), { recursive: true });
+  return { dataDir, pluginRoot };
 }
 
-function writeVoice(root, content) {
-  writeFileSync(join(root, 'assets', 'voice-samples', 'authentic-voice-samples.md'), content, 'utf-8');
+function writeExternalVoice(dataDir, content) {
+  writeFileSync(join(dataDir, 'voice-samples', 'authentic-voice-samples.md'), content, 'utf-8');
 }
 
-describe('calculateScore — voice samples (sentinel-based placeholder detection)', () => {
-  let root;
+describe('calculateScore — reads external instance data (M0-7)', () => {
+  let dataDir, pluginRoot;
+  const saved = { LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA: process.env.LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA };
 
   afterEach(() => {
-    if (root && existsSync(root)) {
-      rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    for (const d of [dataDir, pluginRoot]) {
+      if (d && existsSync(d)) rmSync(d, { recursive: true, force: true });
     }
-    root = undefined;
+    dataDir = pluginRoot = undefined;
+    if (saved.LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA === undefined) delete process.env.LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA;
+    else process.env.LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA = saved.LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA;
   });
 
-  test('placeholder with the sentinel scores 0 voice points (even >50 lines, no [Your Name])', () => {
-    root = makePluginRoot();
-    writeVoice(root, `# Voice Profile (placeholder)\n${SENTINEL}\n\n${LONG_BODY}\n`);
+  test('external placeholder with the sentinel scores 0 voice points (even >50 lines, no [Your Name])', () => {
+    ({ dataDir, pluginRoot } = makeRoots());
+    process.env.LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA = dataDir;
+    writeExternalVoice(dataDir, `# Voice Profile (placeholder)\n${SENTINEL}\n\n${LONG_BODY}\n`);
 
-    const { score, personalized } = calculateScore(root);
+    const { score, personalized } = calculateScore(pluginRoot);
 
     assert.equal(score, 0, 'placeholder must not earn the 25 voice points');
     assert.equal(personalized, 0);
   });
 
-  test('a real profile (no sentinel, >50 lines) earns the 25 voice points', () => {
-    root = makePluginRoot();
-    writeVoice(root, `# My Voice Profile\n\n${LONG_BODY}\n`);
+  test('a real EXTERNAL profile (no sentinel, >50 lines) earns the 25 voice points', () => {
+    ({ dataDir, pluginRoot } = makeRoots());
+    process.env.LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA = dataDir;
+    writeExternalVoice(dataDir, `# My Voice Profile\n\n${LONG_BODY}\n`);
 
-    const { score, personalized } = calculateScore(root);
+    const { score, personalized } = calculateScore(pluginRoot);
 
-    assert.equal(score, 25, 'a populated profile must earn the 25 voice points');
+    assert.equal(score, 25, 'a populated external profile must earn the 25 voice points');
     assert.equal(personalized, 1);
   });
 
-  test('a short placeholder (<50 lines) also scores 0 voice points', () => {
-    root = makePluginRoot();
-    writeVoice(root, `# Voice Profile (placeholder)\n${SENTINEL}\n`);
+  test('profile absent at external profile/user-profile.md → 0, no crash (graceful degradation)', () => {
+    ({ dataDir, pluginRoot } = makeRoots());
+    process.env.LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA = dataDir;
+    // nothing seeded — no voice, no profile, no scaffolds anywhere
 
-    const { score } = calculateScore(root);
+    const { score, personalized } = calculateScore(pluginRoot);
+
+    assert.equal(score, 0);
+    assert.equal(personalized, 0);
+  });
+
+  test('a short external placeholder (<50 lines) also scores 0 voice points', () => {
+    ({ dataDir, pluginRoot } = makeRoots());
+    process.env.LINKEDIN_STUDIO_DATA = dataDir;
+    writeExternalVoice(dataDir, `# Voice Profile (placeholder)\n${SENTINEL}\n`);
+
+    const { score } = calculateScore(pluginRoot);
 
     assert.equal(score, 0);
   });
diff --git a/hooks/scripts/personalization-score.mjs b/hooks/scripts/personalization-score.mjs
index 393b28a..f1a5dbb 100644
--- a/hooks/scripts/personalization-score.mjs
+++ b/hooks/scripts/personalization-score.mjs
@@ -1,26 +1,46 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 // Personalization score calculator for linkedin-studio plugin
-// Checks 8 asset categories for real user data vs placeholder templates
+// Checks 8 asset categories for real user data vs placeholder templates.
+// Instance data is read from the EXTERNAL data root (getDataRoot, M0); the plugin
+// tree is a back-compat fallback during the migration window (external wins).
 // Standalone: outputs SCORE:N|M/8 assets personalized
 // Import: export function calculateScore(pluginRoot) => { score, personalized, categories }
 
 import { readFileSync, existsSync, readdirSync } from 'node:fs';
-import { join, basename, dirname } from 'node:path';
+import { join, dirname } from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { getDataRoot } from './data-root.mjs';
+import { MOVE_FILES, COPY_FILES } from './migrate-data.mjs';
 
 const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 
+// Mirror the migration's external dests (single source of truth) so the scorer
+// reads exactly where migrate-data.mjs writes — never a drifted path
+// (migrate-data.mjs:13-16, STATE.md M0). Keyed by in-plugin source path.
+const DEST = Object.fromEntries([...MOVE_FILES, ...COPY_FILES].map(([src, dest]) => [src, dest]));
+
 export function calculateScore(pluginRoot) {
+  const dataRoot = getDataRoot();
   let score = 0;
   let personalized = 0;
   const categories = 8;
 
+  // Instance lives in the external root; fall back to the plugin tree for
+  // back-compat during the migration window. External wins when present.
+  const pick = (dataRel, pluginRel) => {
+    const dataPath = join(dataRoot, dataRel);
+    return existsSync(dataPath) ? dataPath : join(pluginRoot, pluginRel);
+  };
+
   // --- 1. Voice samples (25 points) ---
   // The shipped file is a PII-free placeholder carrying the VOICE_PLACEHOLDER
-  // sentinel. Key detection on the sentinel (deterministic) rather than the old
-  // `[Your Name]` heuristic: a populated profile removes the sentinel and earns
-  // the points; the placeholder (or any file still carrying it) scores 0.
-  const voiceFile = join(pluginRoot, 'assets', 'voice-samples', 'authentic-voice-samples.md');
+  // sentinel. Key detection on the sentinel (deterministic): a populated profile
+  // removes it and earns the points; the placeholder (or any file still carrying
+  // it) scores 0.
+  const voiceFile = pick(
+    DEST['assets/voice-samples/authentic-voice-samples.local.md'],
+    join('assets', 'voice-samples', 'authentic-voice-samples.md'),
+  );
   if (existsSync(voiceFile)) {
     const content = readFileSync(voiceFile, 'utf-8');
     const lineCount = content.split('\n').length;
@@ -31,7 +51,10 @@ export function calculateScore(pluginRoot) {
   }
 
   // --- 2. User profile (20 points) ---
-  const profileFile = join(pluginRoot, 'config', 'user-profile.local.md');
+  const profileFile = pick(
+    DEST['config/user-profile.local.md'],
+    join('config', 'user-profile.local.md'),
+  );
   if (existsSync(profileFile)) {
     const content = readFileSync(profileFile, 'utf-8');
     const placeholderCount = (content.match(/\[Your /g) || []).length;
@@ -41,8 +64,9 @@ export function calculateScore(pluginRoot) {
     }
   }
 
-  // --- 3. Case studies (15 points) ---
-  const caseDir = join(pluginRoot, 'assets', 'case-studies');
+  // --- 3. Case studies (15 points) --- dir; not in the move tables (migrated
+  // per-file) → brief-7.1 convention: external dest = in-plugin path minus assets/.
+  const caseDir = pick('case-studies', join('assets', 'case-studies'));
   if (existsSync(caseDir)) {
     let realCases = 0;
     try {
@@ -57,7 +81,7 @@ export function calculateScore(pluginRoot) {
   }
 
   // --- 4. Frameworks (10 points) ---
-  const fwDir = join(pluginRoot, 'assets', 'frameworks');
+  const fwDir = pick('frameworks', join('assets', 'frameworks'));
   if (existsSync(fwDir)) {
     let realFw = 0;
     try {
@@ -72,7 +96,10 @@ export function calculateScore(pluginRoot) {
   }
 
   // --- 5. High-engagement posts (10 points) ---
-  const postsFile = join(pluginRoot, 'assets', 'examples', 'high-engagement-posts.md');
+  const postsFile = pick(
+    DEST['assets/examples/high-engagement-posts.md'],
+    join('assets', 'examples', 'high-engagement-posts.md'),
+  );
   if (existsSync(postsFile)) {
     const content = readFileSync(postsFile, 'utf-8');
     const postCount = (content.match(/^## Post [0-9]/gm) || []).length;
@@ -81,7 +108,10 @@ export function calculateScore(pluginRoot) {
   }
 
   // --- 6. Demographics (8 points) ---
-  const demoFile = join(pluginRoot, 'assets', 'audience-insights', 'demographics.md');
+  const demoFile = pick(
+    DEST['assets/audience-insights/demographics.md'],
+    join('assets', 'audience-insights', 'demographics.md'),
+  );
   if (existsSync(demoFile)) {
     const content = readFileSync(demoFile, 'utf-8');
     const placeholderCount = (content.match(/\[Industry name\]|\[Function\]|\[Country\]|\[X\]%/g) || []).length;
@@ -92,7 +122,10 @@ export function calculateScore(pluginRoot) {
   }
 
   // --- 7. Engagement patterns (7 points) ---
-  const patternsFile = join(pluginRoot, 'assets', 'audience-insights', 'engagement-patterns.md');
+  const patternsFile = pick(
+    DEST['assets/audience-insights/engagement-patterns.md'],
+    join('assets', 'audience-insights', 'engagement-patterns.md'),
+  );
   if (existsSync(patternsFile)) {
     const content = readFileSync(patternsFile, 'utf-8');
     const placeholderCount = (content.match(/\[Day\]|\[Time\]|\[Topic\]|\[Format\]|\[Hook type\]/g) || []).length;
@@ -103,7 +136,10 @@ export function calculateScore(pluginRoot) {
   }
 
   // --- 8. Post templates (5 points) ---
-  const templatesFile = join(pluginRoot, 'assets', 'templates', 'my-post-templates.md');
+  const templatesFile = pick(
+    DEST['assets/templates/my-post-templates.md'],
+    join('assets', 'templates', 'my-post-templates.md'),
+  );
   if (existsSync(templatesFile)) {
     const content = readFileSync(templatesFile, 'utf-8');
     const unfilled = (content.match(/\[Name - e\.g\./g) || []).length;