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Are You Ready for Microsoft’s 2026 License Validation Changes in Dynamics 365?

Published by Sunrise Technologies

Microsoft has announced that license validation in Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations will go into effect on January 15, 2026 — a milestone that’s going to impact every organization’s approach to security roles and license assignments.

For many companies, this may sound like a future problem. But the reality is that cleaning up roles and permissions takes time — especially if your environment has years of accumulated customizations, inherited duties, and mismatched user roles.

Now is the time to get ahead of it.

What’s Changing — and Why It Matters

Today, Dynamics 365 does not automatically validate whether each user’s assigned security roles match their purchased license type. That’s changing.

Starting January 15, 2026, Microsoft will begin enforcing license validation — meaning that if users are assigned duties or privileges that exceed what their license allows, your organization may incur additional costs or compliance risks.

In other words: license optimization will move from best practice to business requirement.

The Tool That Can Help: Security Governance Workspace

Microsoft has quietly equipped Dynamics 365 with a powerful tool to help you prepare — the Security governance workspace.

This workspace is your control center for analyzing, adjusting, and validating user access before the enforcement date. Within it, you can:

  • Review the License Usage Summary to see which duties trigger higher license tiers.
  • Use Security Categories and Process Hierarchies to structure roles by department or function.
  • Create custom duties and privileges to tailor access without editing out-of-the-box roles.
  • Audit and publish changes directly in a secure, controlled way.

By understanding how your users’ roles map to specific license types, you can ensure compliance — and uncover potential cost savings.

Why Start Now?

Role cleanup isn’t a one-click fix. Most organizations will need time to:

  • Audit existing duties and privileges.
  • Align access with actual user responsibilities.
  • Communicate changes across departments.
  • Validate results and monitor for drift.

By starting in 2025, you’ll have time to plan, test, and optimize your security model before validation becomes mandatory. Early adopters will not only avoid licensing surprises but also gain a clearer picture of their security posture across the organization.

Get the Full Guide from Sunrise Technologies

To help you get started, our team created a detailed walkthrough:
“Get Ready for License Validation Changes Coming January 15, 2026”

The article breaks down how to use the Security governance workspace to:

  • Audit your License Usage Summary
  • Create and publish custom duties and roles
  • Adjust permissions for read-only access
  • Reduce unnecessary license costs before enforcement

If you’re responsible for Dynamics 365 administration, finance, or IT governance — this is your blueprint for proactive compliance.

👉 Read the full guide on Sunrise Technologies [Instant Access Article]

Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations Licensing