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Categories: Licensing

Creating Licenses with CodeMeter License Portal

Generally, there are three fundamental options for creating licenses in CodeMeter License Central. The obvious option is configuring the products and creating the licenses within the CodeMeter License Central interface. This option is practical when the complexity of the products and the number of licenses to be created do not exceed a certain scope.

The second option involves creating licenses through the SOAP API from a third-party system, such as an ERP system, a CRM system, or an e-commerce solution. In this case, the same products configured in CodeMeter License Central typically already exist in the third-party system. While the third-party system primarily maintains commercial attributes, such as price, CodeMeter License Central stores the technical protection options.

Today, we specifically look at the third option, CodeMeter License Portal. This option is primarily used when external partners, like resellers, need to create licenses themselves but do not have access to a third-party system, such as an ERP system.

Permissions

Two common requirements when creating licenses through external partners are the ability to limit the product range in general and specify license options in particular. These permissions can be configured in CodeMeter License Portal.

To use permissions, you define categories into which you can later sort products. Products can be sorted into multiple categories if needed. These categories also represent permissions. You can entitle a user to create, modify, and revoke or delete licenses of these products. If the user is an administrator, they can pass on or revoke these permissions to other users in their group or subgroups. An administrator can only inherit permissions they possess themselves. An ISV administrator, an administrator at your top level as a software manufacturer, inherently has all permissions and can therefore grant and revoke them. In the next step, you can sort the products into categories.

“Fixed“ Parameters

In CodeMeter License Central, you have the option to define static products. These are sold as they are. You can also define options with orderspecific parameters when creating the license.

When sorting products into a category, you can configure these order-specific parameters for the products. For example, these parameters can be given a fixed value in this category. This explains why it can make sense to have the same products, but with different predefined values in different categories. With different permissions, the same product then results in different licenses.

Flexible Parameters

In CodeMeter License Portal, there is also the option to dynamically capture order-specific parameters during order creation. For configuration in the interface, the following options are available:

  • Text: A flexible input field
  • Number: A numeric value that can be set with a minimum and maximum threshold
  • Selection box: Choice from a list of predefined values
  • Date: A date that can be set with a minimum and maximum threshold (relative to creation).

Here too, for example, different value ranges for different categories can be defined. A common example is the duration of a demo version, which is limited to 30 days for partners. Internal staff, who can access other categories, can choose from a selection between 5, 30, 60, and 90 days.

Subscriptions

CodeMeter License Portal has a special procedure for creating subscriptions. The product for a subscription is created with an activation-specific field in CodeMeter License Central. Depending on the subscription type (license subscription or maintenance subscription), either the Expiration Time field or the Maintenance Period field is used. In the configuration in CodeMeter License Portal, you define the cancellation period, the type of subscription to be created, and rules for consideration and the value range of the end date.

The sale of this product then automatically creates a subscription. This runs until the specified end date. If the subscription is canceled before the end of the cancellation period, it ends without further action on the end date. If there is no cancellation, the subscription automatically extends for another year. The extended license is available to the user after the cancellation period expires.

Data Fields

As a bonus option, data fields for additional information, such as an external order number, can be configured. Here too, the user interface and workflows can be individually adapted to your requirements.

 

KEYnote 47 – Edition Spring/Summer 2024

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