The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the Volume Licensing Service Center are divided into logical topics to help you quickly find answers to your questions.
Some VLSC features are moving to Microsoft 365 admin center
Important
Does not apply to GCC High or DoD.
Microsoft is gradually transitioning volume licensing capabilities to Microsoft 365 admin center to enable customers to manage on-premises software, on-line services, and subscriptions in one site accessed by a single Log in ID.
Users will be re-redirected to Microsoft 365 admin center - with no need to sign in again. This transition will be phased. Not all users will be impacted at the same time.
Not all VLSC functionality is transitioning to Microsoft 365 admin center at the same time.
Open program Online Service Activation will be enabled in Microsoft 365 admin center Oct 16th, 2023. Enterprise program Manage Online Reservations functionality will be available in Microsoft 365 admin center and in the VLSC from Oct 16th to mid-Nov. Meanwhile, VLSC's Manage User functionality to be moved in phases starting October 26th. See below.
Do VL users need to be added as Microsoft 365 admin center Administrators?
No. Global Admin do not need to assign VL users any admin role on the Microsoft 365 admin center or in AAD.
Users who have registered permissions to view licenses in the VLSC will be able to access the Volume Licensing section of the Microsoft 365 admin center without requiring any Microsoft 365 admin center admin role.
Global admins in an organization's AAD tenant have no responsibility to - or systematic ability to - manage VL users.
VLSC Agreement Administrators continue to administer all volume licensing users, even for roles that use the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Will my VLSC Log In ID work for VL experiences in Microsoft 365 admin center?
Yes, the work or school account (WSA) you use to sign into VLSC should work for Microsoft 365 admin center.
VLSC users selecting the Downloads and Keys, License Summary or License Relationship Summary features in the VLSC will be automatically redirected to Microsoft 365 admin center VL users will not need to sign into the MAC separately.
VL users do not require any admin role in Microsoft 365 admin center (such as Global Admin or Billing Admin).
VL users will not see any non-VL information in Microsoft 365 admin center, such as billing information, AAD user management, or licenses not originating from volume licensing purchases.
What do VL Administrators need to do to ensure VL users can access VL information in Microsoft 365 admin center?
Customers do not need to do anything different in VLSC for their VLSC users to access the VL information in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Nor do they need to do anything to limit what the VL user can see in Microsoft 365 admin center.
When VLSC Administrators find themselves redirected to Microsoft 365 admin center to manage users, they will have the same permissions they had on the VLSC to manage users.
Some VL role names in MAC are slightly different from the VLSC, but none of the permissions have changed.
The VL user will have no access to any "non-volume licensing" information in Microsoft 365 admin center.
Who can view VL information in Microsoft 365 admin center?
To view volume licensing in the Microsoft 365 admin center you must have registered a license ID (volume licensing agreement or enrolment).
Note
M365 admin center administrators who do not also have VLSC permissions do NOT have access to VL features on M365 admin center.
Where do I see volume licensing experiences in Microsoft 365 admin center?
Go to Microsoft 365 admin center > Billing > Your products > Volume licensing for the following features.
- Downloads & Keys
- License Summary - labelled "Contracts" in Microsoft 365 admin center
- Relationship Summary - included in "Contracts" in Microsoft 365 admin center
- Open program Online Service Activation - from Oct 16th 2023
- Enterprise program Online Subscription Reservation - from Oct 16th 2023
- Manage volume licensing users - from Oct 26th - Nov 30th
Or, to access volume licensing in the Microsoft 365 admin center from VLSC
VLSC users selecting the Downloads and Keys, License Summary or License Relationship Summary features in the VLSC will be automatically redirected to Microsoft 365 admin center. The user's VL role will allow the user to see the same VL information in the Microsoft 365 admin center volume licensing page. The user will not need to sign in again.
Do VL users see Microsoft 365 admin center billing information?
No. VL users will only see information in the volume licensing tab which is listed under the Billing menu in Microsoft 365 admin center.
They do not see any other data that users with Billing Admin permissions in the admin center can see, such as (non-volume licensing) Licenses, Bills and Payments or Billing Accounts, Payment methods or Billing notifications.
What volume licensing features will not be accessible in VLSC?
Starting April 2023, some VL features will no longer be available in the VLSC, and users will be redirected to Microsoft 365 admin center instead.
- Downloads & Keys
- License Summary
- Relationship Summary
- Open program Online Service Activation - (from Oct 16th 2023)
VLSC will continue to display tabs for each of these features, but users who click on them will be re-directed to the relevant page on the Microsoft 365 admin center. There should be no requirement to sign in again.
What volume licensing features remain in the VLSC?
User Management: Some VL admins will continue to use VLSC to manage roles and permissions until we complete the transition of all VL administrators to Microsoft 365 admin center by the end of November 2023.
Manage Reservations: VLSC functionality remains in parallel with Reservation functionality in Microsoft 365 admin center for a one month period to allow customers get used to the new experience.
Who do I contact for support with VL experiences in Microsoft 365 admin center?
For support with issues accessing or using the VL features in Microsoft 365 admin center, please contact or Volume Licensing Service team available at Contact Us.
Note, responses to web form may take up to 24 hours, so choosing phone is more suitable for urgent matters.
Give Feedback
We know that sometimes you may want to share general feedback or observations that are not necessarily issues you need support assistance with.
If you simply want to share feedback with our product development team about the volume license experience in the Microsoft 365 admin center or about the transition to the Microsoft 365 admin center generally, please click the Give Feedback button in the bottom right of the screen.
