The limitations and purpose of the Dynamics 365 Team Member license have become important to know. Learn the limitations, purpose, and alternatives for the Team Member license using Power Apps Plans licensing.
For clarity, the team member license never lost its superpower; Microsoft just detailed the intent behind the team member license.
Microsoft is enforcing team member restrictions. Below, I will explain how to check if you are within the use rights of your existing Team member licensing, and if not, I will explain what options you have.
But first, for people who do not know the team member license for Dynamics, this is a cheap license that grants a user access to participate in a limited specific set of functionalities with read-only to all data.
Checkup: Are U Dynamics 365 Team Member license enforcement compliant?
Do you have Dynamics 365 Team Member license in use? The new report helps you stay within use rights entitlement; as admin, go to: https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com/analytics/d365ce/ -> Push Download->select “non-conformant usage by users with Team members”
Remember to set the Environment and “data range” before downloading the Report.
This report will tell you if you are on the wrong side of license entitlement; my own pocket guide would be…if you cannot stay within a maximum of 15 additional entities (custom entities or “out-of-the-box”) in the team member app, look at a PowerApps license…. if Team members are writing to entities that are not allowed and are on the list of restricted entities for PowerApps… a Full Dynamics license is needed… read below to figure out why
Replacing Dynamics 365 Team Member license with Power Apps user license
Power apps licenses are a good replacement option for Team member licenses:
Biggest Advantages
- Offline capability is included: https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/mobile-offline-for-power-apps/
- It has no Customization limitation.
- PowerApps are less restrictive regarding what entities they may write data to. Power Apps have a concise list of entities for which data (restricted entities) cannot be written, but all others may be full CRUD. Team members have a straightforward list of entities they can write, but all entities not listed are only read.
- Use rights for additional Microsoft PowerApps apps and use of Power Automate.
Most important Disadvantages
Using the Powe Apps option to connect to Dynamics data entities requires you to build your own apps, and you cannot use Dynamics 365 first-party apps. This would be a small task for most, but you should evaluate the cost before replacing Team member licensing with a PowerApps license.
Since Nov. 2020, the Dynamics license guide has been updated to clarify that it is OK for PowerApps users to read restricted entities but not write, update, or delete them. PowerApps users may perform both Read, update, Create, and Update for non-restricted entities.
Only a few essential Dynamics entities are restricted, so switching the Team member license to a Power Apps license can handle many use cases. Read more here restricted entity list
Specific Microsoft Dynamics 365 build table operations and PCF Controls are also on the naughty list of things you are not allowed to use without a Dynamics 365 license; read about them here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/sales/license-enforcement#tables-and-operations-that-require-a-license & https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/sales/license-enforcement#controls-that-require-a-license
You can use the solution checker to validate if your Power apps solutions require a Dynamics license for what you have built.
While you are in this deep understanding of Dynamics 365 Team member vs. Power Apps, you must be ready to take the opportunity to prove that you know the latest PowerApps stuff by taking Power Apps fundamental certification PL-900 or prove that you can build Power Apps by taking Power App Maker certification PL-100.
Dynamics 365 Team member upgrade to Full Customer Engagement Dynamics license.
This is the safe but more expensive option and is needed if Team members are writing to entities that are not allowed and are on the list of restricted entities for PowerApps.
The latest PowerApps licensing guide.
Assignment of licensing can be automated Learn here how-to in less that 5 minutes.
Know what is allowed – Dynamics 365 Team Members licensing
You are looking at if you could downgrade some of your full Dynamics 365 users to a Team member. If so, below is a snapshot of the Licensing Guide for April 2020, which Microsoft may change, so please check the latest Dynamics 365 licensing guide for the latest details on Team member use rights when you are up for renewal or are a first-time buyer. Latest Dynamics 365 License Guide
Team Members use rights.
As writing this in April 2020, you are allowed with a Dynamics 365 team member license to access Dynamics 365 Mobile Client Application & Microsoft Dynamics 365 for iPad &
Windows & Dynamics 365 for Outlook and Dynamics 365 App for Outlook & Microsoft Dynamics 365 Web application
but no Offline capabilities.
But no access to Field service client
Customization limitation of maximum 15 additional tables per app Additional tables.
The team Members application module may be customized with a maximum of 15 additional entities (custom entities or “out-of-the-box”)
Dynamics 365 App for Outlook can be customized; however, usage must comply with use rights for users’ corresponding licenses and preapproved application scenarios.
Team member users are only allowed to use the “team-member-apps-for-dynamics-365.” To get a closer look at them, visit Jukka Niiranen’s excellent blog on the topic.
Preapproved application scenarios
Latest Dynamics 365 License Guide
There are no use rights for Microsoft PowerApps or Forms Pro with a Team Member license.
Visit Microsoft Team member FAQ at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/get-started/team-members-license.
