Ho do I use/manage Microsoft Store for Business?

Question

Hi,

Whilst I know Microsoft Store for Business is coming to an end soon, I'm still keen to play around with it for a couple of years until support ends.
Sadly.......I just don't get it!

I have access to the portal, and we have a private store configured with some apps available for people to download.
Everything else seems to elude me.

How does the store app know that I am using store for business?
Are there group policy settings I need to apply?
Is it determined based on the account that is signed in to the store?
I have disabled shopping in the portal, but the store looks and functions exactly the same even when signed in with a standard user account. Should they have the ability to browse and install apps from the normal store be removed?

Thanks
James

Answer 1

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-store/acquire-apps-microsoft-store-for-business#allow-users-to-shop

If you are wishing to block any/all store app acquisition, even free apps, this setting is not what you want.
By default, a user can authenticate to the Store using either a work/school account, or their own personal account, and can acquire and install any app. If you want to disallow acquiring/installing Store apps, you can do this a couple of different ways. (we initially did that in our org, but relaxed it later)

How you choose to control the Store experience, depends upon your requirements.
here are some ways: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/stop-employees-from-using-microsoft-store#show-private-store-only-using-group-policy

what we do is block the use of Microsoft accts (consumer accts) - we no longer mind about users getting Store apps

Answer 2

Is it determined based on the account that is signed in to the store?

Yes, exactly this.

WSfB is unrelated to AD/GPO, only related to AAD user identity (work or school account) and is controlled/managed via your AADtenant.

If my Win10 PC is registered/enrolled/joined to my organisation's AAD tenant (eg contoso.onmicrosoft.com) and i authenticate using my contoso AAD user identity, I will see what Contoso allows me to see within the Store.

Answer 3

"I have disabled shopping in the portal, but the store looks and functions exactly the same even when signed in with a standard user account. Should they have the ability to browse and install apps from the normal store be removed?"

What would I expect a user to see in the store if I have turned off the "Allow users to shop" option?
It seems a user can still see all of the store with no restrictions, so I am unclear if this policy is working or even having any effect on an end user.

This only affects whether users whom you have authorised to purchase on behalf or your company/org, can purchase or not. (i.e. users to whom you have previously granted the roles, would become blocked)

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-store/acquire-apps-microsoft-store-for-business#allow-users-to-shop

If you are wishing to block any/all store app acquisition, even free apps, this setting is not what you want.
By default, a user can authenticate to the Store using either a work/school account, or their own personal account, and can acquire and install any app. If you want to disallow acquiring/installing Store apps, you can do this a couple of different ways. (we initially did that in our org, but relaxed it after some time)