Skip to main content
Matrix42 Self-Service Help Center

Working with data imported by the Microsoft 365 Inventory data provider

Overview

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) allows users to connect to and use cloud-based apps over the Internet. Common examples are email, calendaring, and office tools (such as Microsoft Office 365, Adobe Creative Cloud, GotoMeeting and many others). Some of those apps are limited to be used inside a web browser. Others provide applications that can be deployed on smartphones, tables or computers. SaaS is usually licensed by a named-user subscription and charged on a monthly basis. 

Managing such subscriptions for a software service differs from managing traditional licenses in regard to creation and maintenance of records about license requirement, because mostly there are no installations of applications in the computer inventory. And even if there are, those installations do not require a license (subscription). Instead, such services implement a mechanism that users log-in to the service in the browser or in the installed application. 

However, cost and compliance management require to track allocation of such subscription.

What records the data provider imports

With every activation of the data provider existing subscriptions and subscribers will be imported to the system from Microsoft 365 admin portal.

To see the imported data:

  1. Open the Licenses application and go to the Purchased Licenses navigation item.
  2. You can find all subscriptions under the SaaS item and all authorized users under the Subscribers item.

Validation of imported subscriptions

Office 365 subscriptions are imported as licenses. Such licenses can be edited via the dialog and by using actions available for standard license objects.

Initially, these licenses are invalid. In order to make them valid, you have to:

  • assign the relevant software product,
  • set the license pool according to your requirements,
  • and provide information authenticating the purchase.

Assignment of imported subscribers

Starting with version 1.3.286233, imported subscribers are matched to ESM users by User principal name from Microsoft Azure portal. The following priority of matching is used:

  1. If a user principal name on Microsoft Azure matches the UserPrincipalName attribute in the SPSAccountClassAD data definition of an account and this is a primary account for a person, the subscriber is identified as that person.
  2. If a user principal name on Microsoft Azure matches the UserPrincipalName attribute in the SPSAccountClassAD data definition of an account and this account is assigned to a person, the subscriber is identified as that person.
  3. If a user principal name on Microsoft Azure matches an e-mail address of a person, the  subscriber is identified as that person.

If the system cannot find a match, the subscriber will be displayed under the Clearing Required navigation item.

If the system was not able to identify a subscriber, you need to adjust the data accordingly. With the next run of the engine activation "License Management - Data Batch Processing", the system will automatically identify new matches.  Make sure that the status of relevant persons is Active. Otherwise, no license requirement will be created.

Disable the option to create license requirements from fingerprints so that your license requirements will be created from the imported data only.

 

  • Was this article helpful?