Converting E1 Users to E3

Question

In our tenant we have a combination of K1, E1, E3, and E5 licenses. From time to time, one of our E1 (web only) folks will be promoted into a position that requires a local installation of Microsoft Office (E3). Changing their licensing from E1 to E3 is simple enough, using the Admin Portal or PowerShell. However, on 3-4 occasions, the license change has been made, Office installed locally, and when trying to configure Outlook it gives a message "We are having trouble connecting to your account. Verify the settings below and make changes if necessary."

Skype gives the error "Can't sign in to Skype for Business. The server is temporarily unavailable. If the problem continues, please contact your support team."

I've removed the E3 license and reapplied. As well, I've disabled MFA and reapplied. All to no success. We now have this issue on three of our employees. I have an open ticket with Microsoft, but the techncians assigned to the ticket don't have a clue what's going on.

Has anyone else ran into this?

nunoariassilva · Answer

Hi Joe,&nbsp;You have to do the change in the same operation to avoid that issues.&nbsp;I have seen in the past if the change is in&nbsp;two steps could cause the issues that you are reporting, because if you do&nbsp;the first step it will remove attributes and licences and at the second step will reapply and if the first has not replicated yet you have that issues.

vasilmichev · Answer

As Nuno said, you need to make sure you dont leave the user unlicensed even for few seconds, as this might trigger the deprovision process. My preferred way is to do this via PowerShell, as it gives you more flexibility. Here's an example script: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/cloudpfe/2014/01/30/how-to-change-office-365-licenses-in-bulk-respecting-the-license-options/

joe gilland · Answer

I've done the operation several times over the past two years, as well. &nbsp;Until a few months ago, this worked flawlessly. &nbsp;Now, not so much as I have three users in limbo that have been assigned E3 licenses via the Portal. &nbsp;Upon reviewing their assigned Service Plans in Powershell, they are missing the Exchange_S_Foundation that the rest of our E3 folks have.

ivan54 · Answer

you mean enable e3 and disable e1 in one step&nbsp;and then click save?

nunoariassilva · Answer

Yes, in the same step Disable E1 and&nbsp;enable&nbsp;E3 and Save.&nbsp;With that step you should not have any problem.

Forum Discussion

Converting E1 Users to E3