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Where is the download link and key for my on-premises Microsoft product?

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Contents

 

Overview

The following article covers how to locate you licenses within the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, including troubleshooting steps to take if you run into an issue.

Please note, the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) has been discontinued and is no longer used to house Microsoft licenses.

Learn how to download and install, or activate, a Microsoft on-premises license.

 

Requirements for Locating License(s) in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

There are 4 requirements to ensure your can locate your licenses in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

 

1.  Your request has been fulfilled over 36 hours ago.

Within 36 hours of TechSoup fulfilling your Microsoft for Nonprofits request, Microsoft creates and populates on-premises licenses in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center account that is tied to the tenant domain associated with your TechSoup account at the time your checked out with the licenses.

Confirm Your Request was Fulfilled & the Fulfillment Date

In this article, review the troubleshooting under Step 1.  Confirm your request has been fulfilled over 36 hours ago, for more information and support.

  1. Login to your TechSoup account.
  2. Navigate to your organization's Request History in your TechSoup account.
  3. Update the date range to expand the Request History list or enter the request number to locate the request.
  4. Once you locate the request in the Request History list, click on the Request Number to load the Donation Request Details page. This page is your invoice and will reflect when the request was processed and fulfilled by TechSoup or if it is still open. 
    • Note, you would have received a Fulfillment Email the same date your request was fulfilled.

Request History.png

 

2.  You have access to a Microsoft 365 Admin Center account that is tied to the domain associated to your TechSoup account.

To locate your licenses you must have access to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center that is tied to the onmicrosoft.com aka tenant domain that was listed on your TechSoup account when you checked out. 

In this article, review the troubleshooting under Step 2.  Confirm you are logged into the correct Microsoft 365 Admin Center account, for more information and support.

Please note, the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) has been discontinued and is no longer used to house Microsoft licenses.

 

3.  Global Administrator privileges required.

To view your licenses you must have access to a the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, Microsoft requires users have a Global Administrator privileges.  Review Microsoft's information about admin roles in the Microsoft 365 admin center and assigning admin roles in the Microsoft 365 admin center to learn more.

In this article, review the troubleshooting under Step 3.  Confirm you have Global Administrator Privileges, for more information and support.

Confirm Global Administrator privileges

  1. In your Microsoft 365 Admin Center account, go to: https://portal.office.com/Adminportal/Home#/users
  2. Select your user
  3. Under Roles, confirm that "Global administrator" is one of your assigned roles.
    • If you see "No administrator access" you do not have Global Administrator privileges.

 

4.  The most recent Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA) has been signed.

Periodically, Microsoft will require customers that use their Microsoft 365 Admin Center to access and manage their on-premises and cloud licenses to sign a new Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA).

You will require admin privileges to access and sign the MCA.

In this article, review the troubleshooting under Step 4.  Confirm you have signed the newest version of the Microsoft Agreement (MCA), for more information and support.

 

How to Locate License(s) in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

The following instructions will guide you on where to locate your licenses, including the download links and keys, when the product requires them.

 

Products WITHOUT Software Assurance

  1. Login to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center ( https://admin.microsoft.com/ )
  2. Select Billing
  3. On the Products tab, in the Software section, select the software that you want to download.
  4. On the subscription details page, in the Downloads & keys section, choose the Product version, Language, and CPU & file type, then select Download.
  5. To download the key, select Copy key to clipboard.
  6. In the right pane, select Copy, then close the pane.
  7. Paste the key in a file in a secure location and then enter it as instructed during the software installation. The key is needed to activate the downloaded software.

 

Products WITH Software Assurance

  1. Login to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center ( https://admin.microsoft.com/ )
  2. Select Billing 
  3. Select Your products 
  4. Select  Volume licensing 

From the Volume licensing page you should be able to access the following features:

  • Downloads & Keys under Products and Services
  • License Summary - under "Contracts"
  • Relationship Summary - included in "Contracts"
  • Open program Online Service Activation
  • Enterprise program Online Subscription Reservation
  • Manage Role assignments - previously "Manage users".

For information about Software Assurance benefits check out Software Assurance Benefits Included with Microsoft Products and How to Use or Renew Your Software Assurance Benefits.

 

Licenses Formerly Housed in the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC)

In 2023, Microsoft discounted the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC).   All premises licenses purchased through Microsoft, a commerical reseller, or TechSoup before 2023 have been migrated to Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

If you do not see your on-premises licenses that were previously housed in the VLSC, please sync your permissions in your Microsoft 365 Admin Center.  This should make the licenses that were previously in the VLSC available in your Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

  1. Login to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center ( https://admin.microsoft.com/ )
  2. Select Billing 
  3. Select Your products 
  4. Select  Volume licensing 
  5. Select Preferences
  6. Select Edit preferences (if available)
  7. Select Sync Permissions.

In rare cases where user accounts were not migrated from VLSC to Microsoft 365 admin center, the volume licensing admins can add the user via the Manage Role assignment function.   Learn more in Microsoft's Administering Volume Licensing FAQ.

 

 

Keys

There are two types of Microsoft keys available for products that require them for activation.

  • MAK key (Multiple Activation Key)
    • MAK keys are used for one-time activation
  • KMS key (Key Management Service)
    • . KMS keys are used for volume activation.

 

Products WITHOUT Software Assurance

Since the offer does not include Software Assurance, only MAK keys are available

KMS keys are not available when Software Assurance is not included.

 

Products WITH Software Assurance

Software Assurance allows organization's the option to access either a KMS or MAK keys.

For information about Software Assurance benefits check out Software Assurance Benefits Included with Microsoft Products and How to Use or Renew Your Software Assurance Benefits.

 

Products WITHOUT Download Files or Keys

Not all Microsoft on-premises products require a download file and key to be installed or activated.  These products will still be listed in your Microsoft 365 Admin Center, but they will not have a download link or key listed.  Instead, they will link you to a Microsoft deployment tool, serializer, or activation wizard to activate the product.

Office for Mac

Microsoft's Volume License Serializer is used to activate Office LTSC for Mac 2024, Office LTSC for Mac 2021, or Office 2019 for Mac as a Volume Licensed version.

Review Microsoft’s Overview of the Volume License (VL) Serializer and special deployment tool instructions on how to download and install Office applications to your Mac.

Client Access Licenses (CAL)

A Client Access License (CAL) is not a product, but a license that gives a user privileges to access the server. You don’t need a software download file or 5*5 product key to activate a CAL. The CAL is activated and installed through the activation wizard directly from your machine.

Learn more about the Microsoft CAL Suites.

Review how to install Client Access Licenses (CAL) and how to license your RDS deployment.

 

 

Troubleshooting Issues

The following troubleshooting should provide support for the most common issues reported by TechSoup members.

 

1. Issue: I cannot login to Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

TechSoup Customer Service is unable to provide account or login support for Microsoft 365 Admin Center.  

To connect with Microsoft Support, who can access the Microsoft 365 Admin Center systems to assist you, open a ticket with Microsoft for Nonprofits Support - access the support request form by typing a brief description under How can we help? and then selecting Get Help.

 

2.  Issue: I cannot locate my licenses in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

Step 1.  Confirm your request has been fulfilled over 36 hours ago.

If your request is still open, check to see if you have provided payment or if you still need to sign your eAgreement for the products WITH Software Assurance.

Within 36 hours of the fulfillment date, Microsoft creates and populates on-premises licenses in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center account that is tied to the tenant domain associated with your TechSoup account at the time your checked out with the licenses.

Contact TechSoup Customer Service for assistance determining why the request has not been fulfilled or eAgreement support.

 

Step 2.  Confirm you are logged into the correct Microsoft 365 Admin Center account.

It is not uncommon for organizations to have multiple Microsoft 365 Admin Center accounts that are associated to different onmicrosoft.com aka tenant domains.  This typically occurs when the organization previously purchased commercial products from Microsoft or a commercial reseller.

Check Your Microsoft 365 Admin Center Account

Find your Domains page by visiting your Microsoft 365 Admin Center and, in the menu on the left of the page, choosing Show All > Settings > Domains.  Check out this video guide to finding your default domain.  You should see the (Default) domain listed on this page, which should match your TechSoup account.

Open a support ticket within your Microsoft 365 Admin Center for assistance confirming you are logging into the correct Microsoft 365 Admin Center account or associating your Microsoft 365 Admin Center account with the correct domain.

Check Your TechSoup Account

You can view and update the tenant domain associated with your TechSoup account at anytime.  The domain listed on your TechSoup account should match the (Default) domain listed in your Microsoft 365 Admin Center account.

  1. Login to your TechSoup account.
  2. Click on the organization's name in on the Your Account page.
  3. Scroll down the Organization's Details page until you see the Microsoft for Nonprofits Domain section.  The current domain associated with your TechSoup account will be listed here.  Please Note:
    • The domain tied to your on-premises Microsoft for Nonprofit licenses you already requested on TechSoup will not be updated.
    • Updating the domain in your TechSoup account will only apply to future Microsoft for Nonprofits licenses you request on TechSoup.

TechSoup Account - Microsoft For Nonprofits Domain Location.jpg

 

Step 3.  Confirm you have Global Administrator Privileges

If you confirm that your Microsoft 365 Admin Center account has not been assigned Global Administrator privileges, you will need to have the Microsoft 365 Admin Center admin for your organization assign you a global admin role in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.  The admin is typically someone with an IT role at your organization.

Open a support ticket within your Microsoft 365 Admin Center, for assistance confirming if your login already has Global Administrator privileges or adding Global Administrator privileges to the correct Microsoft 365 Admin Center account.  TechSoup is unable to provide Global Administrator privilege support.

 

Step 4.  Confirm the most recent Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA) has been signed.

If you are not seeing your licenses within your Microsoft 365 Admin Center account, it may because Microsoft requires your organization sign the most recent Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA) available to populate your licenses.

If you are unable to access the MCA in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, TechSoup can manually update it on your behalf.

  1. Review the MCA here: https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/docs/customeragreement
  2. Contact TechSoup Customer Service. 
  3. When connected with a TechSoup representative inform them you require support signing the MCA and you have already reviewed the MCA, then provide the following contact information:
    • First & Last Name
    • Contact Email Address
    • Contact Phone Number
  4. Within our Microsoft Partner Center, TechSoup will update your MCA with contact information provided and mark it as signed.

 

Step 5.  Contact Microsoft Support

Open a support ticket within your Microsoft 365 Admin Center, for assistance accessing your Microsoft 365 Admin Center account and locating your licenses.

If you are unable to open a ticket within your Microsoft 365 Admin Center, open a ticket with Microsoft for Nonprofits Support. Access the Microsoft for Nonprofits support request form by typing a brief description under How can we help? and then selecting Get Help.

 

Step 6 .  Contact TechSoup Support

If you have followed all of the instructions and troubleshooting in this TechSoup Support article, and already contacted Microsoft Support and they ask you to work with TechSoup, contact TechSoup Customer Service.  Make sure to include in your Live Chat message what steps you followed and what Microsoft Support said when they were unable to assist you.

 

3.  Issue: I located my license(s), but there is no download link.

Some Microsoft licenses do no require a download link or key to be activated.  In this article, see Products WITHOUT Download Files or Keys for more information.

Download links are only valid for 5 days after Microsoft populates them in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.  It can take up to 36 hours from when TechSoup fulfills your request for Microsoft to create and populate your license(s) in you Microsoft 365 Admin Center account.  Contact TechSoup Customer Service if you are outside the 5 day window for further assistance.

 

Support

Microsoft Support

For assistance locating and accessing your license(s), open a support ticket within your Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

If you are unable to open a ticket within your Microsoft 365 Admin Center, open a ticket with Microsoft for Nonprofits Support. Access the Microsoft for Nonprofits support request form by typing a brief description under How can we help? and then selecting Get Help.

TechSoup Support

If you have followed all of the instructions and troubleshooting in this TechSoup Support article, and already contacted Microsoft Support and are unable to locate or access your license(s), contact TechSoup Customer Service.  Make sure to include in your Live Chat message what steps you followed and what Microsoft Support said when they were unable to assist you.

Your organization may also be interested in the following TechSoup Services offers:

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