Troubleshooting Question
Our decision is to prevent users in our Microsoft tenant from subscribing to trials and similar services through Self-Service Purchases (SSP). However, we have a question regarding the impact of setting “AllowSelfServicePurchase” to “$false.” Specifically:
Will this action retroactively affect users who have already activated trials or subscriptions, or will it only block future sign-ups?
We’re seeking clarity on whether this change will have a retroactive effect on existing trials or if it will solely impact any future attempts by users to sign up for SSP-related services.
Solution: Managing Self-Service Purchases (SSP) and Existing Trials in Microsoft Tenant
When you set “AllowSelfServicePurchase” to “$false,” it’s important to understand how it impacts your Microsoft tenant:
Effect on Existing Trials
Changing this setting to “$false” will not affect trials that are already activated by users. Existing trials are considered active contracts, and Microsoft cannot retroactively terminate them. However, once these existing trials naturally expire, users will not be able to renew them if “AllowSelfServicePurchase” remains set to “$false.”
Preventing Renewals
If your goal is to prevent users from renewing their existing trials, you will need to take manual action.
Here are the steps to disable a trial subscription:
Step 1: Go to the Subscriptions page in the Microsoft Admin Center.
Step 2: Navigate to the Trials tab.
Step 3: Locate the trial subscription you wish to disable and click on it.
Step 4: Click the “Disable” button.
Step 5: Confirm by clicking “Yes.”
Once you’ve disabled a trial subscription using these steps, the user will no longer have the option to renew it.
In summary, changing the “AllowSelfServicePurchase” setting to “$false” primarily affects future sign-ups for new trials. Existing trials are not impacted, but they won’t be renewable if the setting remains in place. To prevent renewals, you must manually disable the trials in the Microsoft Admin Center.
Alex Lim
Alex Lim is a certified IT Technical Support Architect with over 15 years of experience in designing, implementing, and troubleshooting complex IT systems and networks. He has worked for leading IT companies, such as Microsoft, IBM, and Cisco, providing technical support and solutions to clients across various industries and sectors. Alex has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the National University of Singapore and a master’s degree in information security from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also the author of several best-selling books on IT technical support, such as The IT Technical Support Handbook and Troubleshooting IT Systems and Networks. Alex lives in Bandar, Johore, Malaysia with his wife and two chilrdren. You can reach him at [email protected] or follow him on Website | Twitter | Facebook
