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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Apps - Power Apps Governance and Administ... / Your teammates need li...
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Your teammates need licenses to continue using your app. Select Get licenses to buy and assign them

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Posted on by JonathanGibbs 310

I have built several Power Apps that access a SQL Server database located on a VM in Azure using Power Automate flows that call stored procedures via an on premises data gateway. All authentications are my own accounts. My licences include Office 365 E3, Power Apps Plan 1 (Qualified Offer), Microsoft Power Apps Plan 2 Trial, and Microsoft Power Automate Free.

 

I share these apps with colleagues who have Microsoft 365 Business Basic or Business Standard licences, and they are able to use the apps with no problems. They also usually have "Power Apps Plan 2 Trial" licences, though this doesn't seem to impact on their using the apps.

 

I noticed a banner on my Power Apps Apps listing website page recently (since disappeared) that said "Your teammates need licenses to continue using your app. Select Get licenses to buy and assign them."

 

Power Apps licensing has moved on to something completely different from the above. I'm aware of this, but the existing set up works fine so I've not made any changes. I am very confused. Is my set up going to stop working? If so, when? Do I have to spend more than I do now to continue having colleagues with MS 365 licences able to access the apps?

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  • Pstork1 Profile Picture
    Pstork1 67,047 Most Valuable Professional on at
    Re: Your teammates need licenses to continue using your app. Select Get licenses to buy and assign them

    Dataverse connectors and HTTP connectors to run REST calls are also premium. So using either of those won't change the license requirement.  The license is the same for all three.

  • powerAppNxt Profile Picture
    powerAppNxt 24 on at
    Re: Your teammates need licenses to continue using your app. Select Get licenses to buy and assign them

    Thanks @Pstork1 

     

    Sorry to keep pestering on this topic.

     

    What about using a web service (REST API microservice) that fetches/updates the azure SQL data by using a service account? Do all the PowerApp/PowerAutomate workflow users still need Premium (SQL connector) licenses?

     

    What about using virtual tables in Dataverse that are linked with external Azure SQL tables. Using virtual tables also needs all the PowerApp/PowerAutomate users of this flow to have Premium (SQL connector) licenses?

     

    Thanks in advance for your replies.

  • Pstork1 Profile Picture
    Pstork1 67,047 Most Valuable Professional on at
    Re: Your teammates need licenses to continue using your app. Select Get licenses to buy and assign them

    That scenario would still require a Premium license for each user.  The use of a shared connection does not change the licensing requirement.

  • powerAppNxt Profile Picture
    powerAppNxt 24 on at
    Re: Your teammates need licenses to continue using your app. Select Get licenses to buy and assign them

    Hi @Pstork1,

      We can use Power Apps to query Azure SQL via connector running under an SPN via a Power Automate flow so only one connection license is sufficient, correct even for multiple PowerApp users, however even that is charged as premium SQL connector per user license ! Please advise.

    https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Building-Power-Apps/PowerApps-with-connection-to-Azure-SQL-db-through-a-Power/td-p/2264948

  • JonathanGibbs Profile Picture
    JonathanGibbs 310 on at
    Re: Your teammates need licenses to continue using your app. Select Get licenses to buy and assign them

    thanks again @Pstork1  - that's a much clearer explanation than anything I've found in the MS literature!

  • Pstork1 Profile Picture
    Pstork1 67,047 Most Valuable Professional on at
    Re: Your teammates need licenses to continue using your app. Select Get licenses to buy and assign them

    The key to understanding the licensing depends on two things.

     

    First, who's security context is the app/flow running under.  For an app this is always the user running the app.  For a flow it depends on the trigger.  Automated flows (like the ones that trigger based on creation or update of an item) run in the context of the flow maker.  Manually triggered flows (like the ones started from a button in a Power app) run in the context of the person who started them. The security context determines who might need a license.  So for automatic flows only the maker needs to be licensed.  For manually triggered flows and Power Apps everyone who runs it needs a license.

     

    Second, the level of license required depends on what connectors the Power App or flow uses.  If it uses a premium connector (like SQL or an on-premises gateway) then it needs a premium license.  Premium licenses are either per user (any number of apps covered) or per app (one app covered).  Either of these will cover any associated flows too.  Associated flows can use any trigger, but they work on the same data source as the app. Only completely standalone flows need separate flow licensing.

     

    So in your case you have an app that starts one or more flows manually.  Those flows use an on-premises gateway and SQL so they require premium licensing.  So everyone who runs the power app that starts them also requires premium licensing. Whether its per user or per app is a cost benefit analysis based on how many apps, with premium connectors, people run.  If this is only one app with associated flows you can get by with per app licenses for all the users.  

     

    Hope that makes it clearer.

  • JonathanGibbs Profile Picture
    JonathanGibbs 310 on at
    Re: Your teammates need licenses to continue using your app. Select Get licenses to buy and assign them

    Thank you @Pstork1. That 'The system doesn't always catch that you have shared an app with other people who don't have premium licenses' is a very useful insight. The licensing is so fiendishly complex, and I've tended towards the approach of 'if it works, don't fiddle with it' when a setup that doesn't appear to match the new rules still works perfectly well - I just assume I've missed something in the rules!

    So I've got to break open the piggy bank, then...

  • Verified answer
    Pstork1 Profile Picture
    Pstork1 67,047 Most Valuable Professional on at
    Re: Your teammates need licenses to continue using your app. Select Get licenses to buy and assign them

    It the flows that make calls against the SQL server are started from the Power App, then yes your colleagues all need either per user or per app licenses.  A trial license will also cover them until the trial runs out.  The system doesn't always catch that you have shared an app with other people who don't have premium licenses.  But they are still legally obligated to have them.  Your app may continue to work, but if you get audited by Microsoft you will be required to pay for additional licenses.  Your license does not cover other users even if its your account being used to connect to the SQL server.

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