We've received a new update from Microsoft regarding licencing for Teams. Last year, Microsoft changed the policy for using Dynamics 365 in Teams. Previously it was unrestricted however this is now changing. It was originally planned that from April 2020 this licence enforcement would be in place, and you would no longer have this unrestricted access and instead need to purchase a full Dynamics 365 Sales licence. However, Microsoft have just announced that existing Dynamics 365 customers with Teams member SKU's will have an extra grace period until 30th June before enforcement is enabled.
This extra grace period is helpful by giving customers and providers some extra time to make arrangements for their licencing strategy. New customers to the Dynamics 365 platform will have enforcement from the start and won't benefit from this extension.
Licence Enforcement Details
For Team Member licenses purchased during or after October 2018, the license-based access feature will restrict users to the following set of designated app modules:
- Customer Service Team Member
- Sales Team Member
- Project Resource Hub
During the early access phase, users with the Team Member licenses will be able to use the designated app modules alongside all existing apps. After the licenses are enforced (starting April 1, 2020), restricted apps, such as Customer Service Hub, Sales Hub, and custom apps, will not be accessible to users with the Team Member licenses. Customers can also proactively preview full enforcement before general availability. We recommend that the Team Member scenarios be tested and customizations migrated to the designated app modules, as needed.
We appreciate licencing can be confusing, but with the right provider you can make sure you are only spending for what you use, and they can save you thousands in subscription costs. If you need some advice, we can support you on any licence questions you may have.