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Usage guide: License reclamation

This page outlines various ways to use the pack, including use case examples. Administrators can refer to the Configuration guide: License reclamation to set up and customize the installed content.

Large organizations often struggle to manage software licenses issued to employees. Over time, unused licenses accumulate, leading to unnecessary costs.

The License reclamation library pack helps you:

  • Identify employees who no longer need a specific license.

  • Prompt users to return unused software licenses through a campaign.

  • Automatically revoke user access using workflow automation, reducing manual intervention.

This pack includes two workflows:

  • License reclamation – for environments using Azure Entra ID with write permissions.

  • License reclamation (on-premises Active Directory) – for organizations managing group membership in on-premises Active Directory synced with read-only Entra ID.

Library pack uses

Jump to Use cases on this page to see relevant scenario applications.

Use the library pack for the following purposes.

Reclaiming licenses in Entra ID environments

The License reclamation workflow automatically removes users from license groups based on usage and consent.

Use this when:

  • Group membership is managed in Azure Entra ID.

  • You have permission to modify group memberships in Entra ID.

Steps performed by the workflow:

  1. Retrieve the user's UUID using their UPN with the Entra ID connector thinklet.

  1. Check if the user is in the target license group.

  1. Trigger a campaign asking for permission to uninstall unused software.

  1. If consent is given, or if the Ask for user permission parameter is disabled, remove the user from the group.

Reclaiming licenses in on-premises Active Directory

Use the License reclamation (on-premises Active Directory) workflow when:

  • You manage group assignments in Active Directory.

  • Your Entra ID is read-only and synchronized with on-prem AD.

Steps performed by the workflow:

  1. Retrieve the user's SAM account name and the group ID from Entra ID.

  1. Verify if the user is a member of the license group.

  1. Trigger a campaign asking the user to release the license due to low usage.

  1. If the user agrees, execute a remote action to remove them from the Active Directory group.

Use cases

In addition to the relevant use cases covered below, you may uncover other troubleshooting scenarios specific to your environment.

Reclaiming unused application licenses in Entra ID

Use this workflow to remove a user from a license group if they no longer need the application.

From the Workflows module:

  1. Ensure the License reclamation workflow is deployed and configured.

  2. Set up a schedule trigger to run the workflow automatically.

  3. The workflow uses the Entra ID connector thinklet to retrieve the UUID from the UPN.

  4. If the UUID is found, it checks the user's group membership.

  5. If the user belongs to the group, a campaign is launched requesting license return.

  6. Based on user response or automation settings, the user is removed from the group.

Reclaiming unused application licenses in on-premises Active Directory

Use this workflow when license groups are managed on-prem.

From the Workflows module:

  1. Deploy the License reclamation (on-premises Active Directory) workflow.

  2. Configure a schedule trigger to run the workflow automatically.

  3. The workflow retrieves the user's SAM account name and group ID.

  4. It checks if the user is in the application group.

  5. A campaign prompts the user to return the license if unused.

  6. Upon consent, a remote action removes the user from the on-prem AD group.

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