Removing a License from a user no longer in AD (in Microsoft CRM)

This issue comes up quite often in implementations where the Administration of Users and the CRM system is segregated. The associated AD user account was deleted prior to the CRM administrator removing the license, leaving the License still associated to a non-existent AD Account.

First of all you will need your CRM license key. Also it is recommended that you do not delete CRM Users out of Active Directory before reassigning their records and taking their CRM License away. Adding the User back into AD creates a new Security ID (SID) for the user, which does not match the SID associated with the existing CRM User (even though they might have the same login information). The system is looking for the old SID in AD when attempting to remove the license.

To re-assign the license

You will need to be able to log into the domain and into Microsoft CRM as a user with System Administrator privileges.

1. Exit all users from Microsoft CRM - probably best doing this after hours.

2. Remove the license from your deployment. This is done on the CRM Server.
a. In Deployment Manager (Start, Programs, Microsoft CRM, Deployment Manager), expand the License Manager node on the left side of the window.
b. Highlight the organization name. The right side of the window should display your License Type, the number of users and your License Key. Print this e-mail so you can type the License Key in a later step.
c. Right-click the entry that has this information and choose Delete License from the context menu.

3. Add the license back in the same window.
a. Right-click the blank area in the window and choose New, License.
b. Type your license key in the License Key field, then finish the wizard by clicking Next and Finish.

4. In Microsoft CRM, add the license back to the existng users.
a. Launch Microsoft CRM as a user with System Administrator privileges.
b. Click the Settings side tab on the Home Page, then click Business Unit Settings, then click Users.
c. For every user (one at a time), open the User record, click the Licenses side tab, then click Manage Licenses, and add the Sales Standard license to each user.