Manage & assign licenses

You can use Google Cloud Directory Sync (GCDS) to manage and synchronize licenses for users in your Google Account. You can also archive users that have left your organization and assign them an Archived User (AU) license. Manage licenses on the Licenses page of Configuration Manager.

You can also manage user licenses using the Google Admin console. For details, go to Assign, remove, and reassign licenses.

Important: Use either GCDS or the Admin console to manage user licenses. Don't use both. 

Supported editions

GCDS is packaged with licenses that can be synced to your Google users. The licenses supported by the Enterprise License Manager API are also supported by GCDS, but not all of the API's licenses are packaged by default with GCDS. For details about the API's licenses, go to Google Product and SKU IDs.

Add a new license

If you want to add a license that isn't currently packaged with GCDS but is available through the Enterprise License Manager API, you can add it with GCDS and then sync the license to your users.

1. On the Licenses page of Configuration Manager, click SKU ManagementAdd SKU.
2. Go to Google Product and SKU IDs and add the values to complete the following required fields:
   • Product ID—Select one of the existing IDs or add a new ID.
   • SKU ID—Add the new ID for the edition or storage option you want to add.
   • SKU label—Add the new edition or storage option name.
3. Click OK.
4. (Optional) To add another license, repeat the steps.

Edit, reset, or remove licenses

If you need to edit a license that you added:

1. On the Licenses page of Configuration Manager, click SKU Management.
2. Double-click the row you want to edit.
3. Edit the Product ID, SKU ID, or SKU label field.
4. Click OK.

If you want to revert back to the licenses packaged with GCDS, click Use defaults. If you do, changes you made are not carried over. The licenses are reset to the default settings.

To remove a license, make sure it's not being used in a license rule. If it is, remove the rule first. Then, point to the license and click Remove .

Assign or archive licenses for Google users

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Step 1: Assign the email address attribute

1. Under Email address attribute, specify what attribute GCDS uses as the email address mapping between the LDAP user account and the user's Google Account.
2. Go to Step 2: Assign or archive licenses (below).

Step 2: Assign or archive licenses

Option 1: Assign licenses to users

Before you begin: 

• You can only set up one license rule for each license edition or storage option.
• If you want to assign a Cloud Identity license, make sure you have added Cloud Identity to your Google Workspace account. 

To assign licenses: 

1. On the Licenses page of Configuration Manager, click LDAP License RulesAdd Rule.
2. In the LDAP Query field, using LDAP query notation, specify the users on your LDAP directory that should be assigned the license.

   For details, go to Use LDAP search rules to synchronize data.

3. Select Assign licenses to Google domain users.
4. From the License list, select the license.
5. (Optional) To remove the license from Google domain users that don’t match this rule, check the Remove box.

   Important: If your LDAP configuration isn’t correctly defined, checking the box might result in removing licenses for a large set of users in your account. Check your configuration before running a sync.

6. Select one of the following options:
   • OK—Adds the rule and returns to the LDAP license rules screen.
   • Apply—Adds the rule and begins another LDAP license rule.
   • Cancel—Cancels the rule.
   • Test LDAP query—Tests the validity of the LDAP license query.

Option 2: Archive or unarchive licensed users

If a user leaves your organization, you can assign them an Archived User (AU) license. Or, you can unarchive a user if they return to your organization. For more information about AU licenses, go to Manage former employees and their data.

Important: You can only set up one license rule for each license edition or storage option..

1. On the Licenses page of Configuration Manager, click LDAP License RulesAdd Rule.
2. In the LDAP Query field, using LDAP query notation, specify the users on your LDAP directory that should be assigned the license.

   For details, go to Use LDAP search rules to synchronize data.

3. Choose an option:
   • Archive Google domain users—Assign the user an Archived User (AU) license.
   • Unarchive Google domain users—Assign the user a license to the Google Workspace edition that matches their AU license.
4. Select one of the following options:
   • OK—Adds the rule and returns to the LDAP license rules screen.
   • Apply—Adds the rule and begins another LDAP license rule.
   • Cancel—Cancels the rule.
   • Test LDAP query—Tests the validity of the LDAP license query.

Related topics

• How licensing works
• Set up your sync with Configuration Manager