Introducing Easier License Management for Power Apps

Starting in December 2023 we are introducing a set of changes which will make it easier for admins to manage license assignments for Power Apps per-user licenses. We understand the complexities admins face when identifying users in need of Power Apps licenses, and we’re excited to introduce enhancements to license assignment process that will make license management easier.

Currently, admins must determine which users within their organization require Power Apps per-user licenses. Once these users are identified, these licenses are assigned through the Microsoft 365 admin center. In response to feedback from admins about the challenges of determining which users need Power Apps licenses, we recently introduced a feature to automatically assign licenses to users when they are needed.

This feature, called License Auto-claim for Power Apps (see Manage auto-claim policies in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn), enables admins to establish a policy in the Microsoft 365 admin center which directs Power Apps per-user licenses to be automatically assigned to unlicensed users when they first access a Power App that requires a premium license.

Automatic Creation of Auto-claim Policies

As part of our ongoing commitment to simplifying license management for administrators, we’re automating the creation of auto-claim policies for tenants with managed environments.

Starting December 2023, an auto-claim license policy for Power Apps per-user licenses, named ‘Auto-Created Policy for PowerApps,’ will be created in the Microsoft 365 admin center for tenants currently using managed environments. Under this policy, if a user without a Power Apps per-user license launches an app in a managed environment, they will automatically be assigned a Power Apps per-user license if one is available in your tenant.

By default, this policy will be applied when users launch Power Apps in managed environments. However, admins can choose to extend this policy to apply to Power Apps launches in standard environments as well via a setting in the Power Platform admin center.

Admins remain in control

Admins maintain authority over the default Auto-claim Policy. Global admins have the right to manage the policy in Microsoft 365 admin center and view a report of which users have been assigned licenses via the policy. Similarly in the Power Platform admin center admins can decide whether the policy should apply to managed environments only or to all environments.

In addition, if there is an existing auto-claim policy set up for Power Apps no new policy will be created, and the existing policy will continue to apply to all environments.

Compatibility with existing process for license assignment

For organizations already following a distinct license assignment process, administrators can still benefit from the Auto-claim policy while maintaining their current workflow. Admins will have the ability to review the list of users to whom licenses were assigned through the Auto-claim policy in the M365 admin center. They can then make necessary adjustments, such as unassigning auto-claim-assigned licenses and moving users to designated groups to leverage Entra group-based licensing.

We trust that this update will streamline your licensing procedures and reduce the workload associated with license management for your administrators.

For more details on Auto-claim policies for Power Apps licenses, be sure to check our documentation here:  Auto-claim policies for Power Apps licenses – Power Platform | Microsoft Learn