How to license a Power App solution as an ISV

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Posted on by Helpful

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Forgive me if this has been covered, but it isn't showing up in any searches.

Basic question is: As an ISV, if we create a Power App solution how do we ensure customers have paid for the solution?

As far as I can tell:

It is not possible for a customer to purchase it on AppSource
It is not possible to implement a trial period of functionality (then allow the customer to add a license key when ready to buy)

All that remains is that for each customer we have to install it personally in their tenant and then license to an agreed upon amount since there is no per user licensing capability. If we make the solution available through AppSource there is a marketplace fee. If we make the solution available for general download then it can be used or redistributed without restriction.

If I am missing something, please let me know.

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Power Apps Pro Dev & ISV

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Helpful 382 on at

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UPDATE:
It seems that most ISV's developing solutions for Dynamics 365 CE create their own custom licensing infrastructure and then add a WebResource to their solution that handles the interaction with the end-user.
It seems like the bar should be lower than this to get apps out there. Still hopeful someone will chime-in with a better approach that I'm missing.

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Ben Thompson 1,400 on at

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One of the things we are about to release is a license management system that will allow you to automatically create licenses including trials and then manage everything including extending licenses from within a / your D365 instance. It will be a solution that you install before the other solutions in your package.

We also have sample code that can be added to plugins / pcf components to query the information so you can disable the functionality if the license has expired.

The only bit currently holding this back is accurately linking the contact information provided from / sent by Appsource with the license information sent from the instance but I think that issue is resolved. If it is the management software will be heading to Appsource next week for validation.

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Helpful 382 on at

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Thanks, @ben-thompson,
When you say "we" I assume you are referring to Microsoft or your own 3rd party license management solution?

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Ben Thompson 1,400 on at

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Nope, by we I mean the company I own on the basis that if you want a job done properly do it yourself as this issue hasn't been high on Microsoft's to do list (and yes I used to work for Microsoft but I left last August to do my own things).

It's actually one of a fair number of items hitting Appsource over the next few weeks all taken from the easy to use powerapps CRM solution we've been working on for a while.

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Helpful 382 on at

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Fair enough. I'll be curious to see what's coming.
Try to get things done inside -> leave, get it done -> sell it back 🙂

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CaptJoe 83 on at

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New license management capabilities for Dynamics 365 customer engagement apps and Microsoft Power Platform ISVs - Phase 1 - Power Platform Release Plan | Microsoft Docs

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CaptJoe 83 on at

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Here's the new blog post announcing it with details. We were in the early adopter program and it's really slick: Partners: Introducing a new way to manage and enforce licenses for your products | Microsoft Power Apps

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Helpful 382 on at

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Thanks @Captjoemcd, see my first experience with it here: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Power-Apps-Pro-Dev-ISV/Adding-licensing-information-to-an-existing-solution/td-p/914791

There are a couple of steps that, when ironed out, will make it reliable in our ALM.

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