Microsoft’s licensing requirements for Dynamics 365 are fundamentally the same as before. What is changing is the control. Through Microsoft’s user-level license validation, it is verified that each user has a license corresponding to their assigned roles and permissions.
For companies, this means that old, unnecessarily broad roles can lead to higher license costs. Conversely, if a user lacks the correct license, access to functions needed in daily work may be affected.
In this episode of Implema Talks on Microsoft D365, we explain how you can map your current situation and ensure a sustainable license structure that balances costs, security, and business needs.
The licensing requirements for Dynamics 365 have not fundamentally changed. Users still need a license that corresponds to the functionality provided by their roles and permissions.
The difference is that Microsoft has made the requirements clearer through user-level license validation. When a user logs in, the system checks if the correct license is assigned for the access the user has in the system. It is therefore not only what the user typically does in practice that is decisive.
This makes license management more concrete. An incorrect combination of license and permissions can directly impact a user’s ability to work in the system.
Licensing requirements are influenced by the functionality a user can access through their security roles and permissions. Therefore, it’s not solely about what the user typically does in practice.
For example, a user may have been given a broad role to solve a temporary need. If the role remains, it can provide access to functions the user no longer needs – while simultaneously triggering a requirement for a more extensive license.
Therefore, licenses, roles, and actual tasks need to be analyzed together.
If users have broader roles than their tasks require, the company may end up paying for more expensive licenses unnecessarily.
The opposite also poses a risk. If a user has permission for functions that require a higher license than the one assigned, access may be affected when the license is validated.
This can have consequences for important work steps, for example, if a user can no longer register or manage an order. Licensing issues can thus directly affect business continuity.
To ensure the right licensing, companies need to understand the technical requirements of the roles. At the same time, the business needs to determine what access each user actually needs to perform their work.
IT can provide information on system roles, permissions, and licenses. Simultaneously, business process owners need to determine the actual access each user requires to perform their work.
A sustainable license structure requires answers to three questions:
When these parts are linked together, it becomes easier to balance costs, security, and business needs.
Organizations that have used Dynamics 365 for a long time may have a role structure that has gradually grown in scope.
Users may have changed positions or been given new responsibilities without old permissions being removed. In such cases, there is a high risk that the license level does not match the actual need.
This means users can accumulate permissions they no longer need. The result can be higher licensing requirements, reduced control, and increased security risk.
Companies with many users, multiple entities, or complex processes therefore have much to gain from a structured review.
The most important advice is not to wait until licenses are due for renewal or until users experience access problems.
Start by mapping:
With a clear current state, changes can be planned and implemented in a controlled manner. This reduces the risk of business-critical processes being affected.
Reviewing Dynamics 365 licenses can be complex and time-consuming. Implema’s license workshop supports you in mapping the current state, identifying risks, and understanding the licensing requirements created by user roles.
You will gain a clearer decision-making basis and a prioritized plan for how roles, permissions, and licenses can be adjusted – before incorrect access impacts costs or critical processes.
Read more about Implema’s Dynamic 365 Insight license workshop
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