Max and Zoe are back again! Today, they’re tackling an important, yet sometimes overlooked, topic: deleting users in Microsoft Power Platform. Let’s dive into their conversation.
Max: “Zoe, why would we even need to delete users from a Power Platform environment? Can’t we just remove their licenses and call it a day?”
Zoe: That’s a great question, Max. Simply removing licenses doesn’t fully cut the user off from the system. Even after you remove a user’s license in Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Entra ID (formerly known as Azure AD), they remain in your Power Platform environment, often in a disabled state. If you don’t clean up these disabled users, you might still see them lingering in your environment, which can affect audits, compliance, and even storage costs.
Max: “Wait, so after a user is deleted in Microsoft 365, are they just disabled in Power Platform?”
Zoe: Exactly. Deleting a user from the Microsoft 365 admin center changes their status to “Disabled” in Power Platform, but they’re not completely removed from the environment. This is because some organizations might need to restore users or maintain their data for audit purposes.
Max: “Got it. But what happens when they’re permanently deleted in Entra ID? Can we still see them in Power Platform?”
Zoe: If a user is permanently deleted from Microsoft Entra ID, you can then permanently delete them from Power Platform. Until they’re removed from Entra ID, they stay in a disabled state in Power Platform. Once they’re permanently deleted in Entra ID, you can initiate the full deletion in Power Platform, ensuring the user is completely removed from the system.
Max: “What happens to all their records once they’re deleted? Do we lose them?”
Zoe: That’s an important concern! Before you permanently delete a user, Power Platform requires you to reassign all records that the user owned to another user. This way, no data is lost, and you can still maintain the integrity of records they created or modified. However, keep in mind that after permanent deletion, the user’s name will be replaced with ‘Record Unavailable’ in audit logs for ownership, and ‘No Name’ for fields like ‘Created by’ and ‘Modified by’.
Max: “So, there’s no way to restore a user after permanent deletion?”
Zoe: Once a user is permanently deleted, they’re gone for good. However, you do have a 30-day grace period when the user is soft deleted. During this period, they can be restored with their full functionality if needed. But after that, no, they can’t be restored.
Max: “What if the user is licensed again? Will they regain access to their old records?”
Zoe: That’s a common scenario. If the same user is re-licensed, the environment treats them as a new user. Even if they have the same email or UPN, their access is based on a new user object in Microsoft Entra ID. They won’t automatically regain access to their old records unless the records are reassigned manually.
Max: “Wow, that sounds complex. Is there an easy way to manage bulk deletions? I imagine larger organizations must deal with this on a regular basis.”
Zoe: Absolutely, and you’re right—it can be a complex process. That’s why Power Platform has a bulk delete feature, allowing admins to remove large numbers of disabled users in one go. You can schedule these jobs and even set them up to run every 90 days to help manage storage costs by regularly cleaning up disabled user accounts.
Max: “But does this also apply to application users or stub users?”
Zoe: Great point, Max! This only applies to regular users, not application users or stub users. Application users are handled differently, and they don’t follow the same deletion process as human users.
Max: “Alright, last question. What happens in the audit logs after someone is permanently deleted?”
Zoe: When a user is permanently deleted, their name is removed from the audit logs where they were the owner, creator, or modifier. You’ll see ‘No Name’ or ‘Record Unavailable’ in those fields, but their user ID will still exist for reference.
Max: “Phew! That’s a lot to take in. Thanks for explaining it so clearly, Zoe. Now I see why it’s so important to manage user deletions carefully in Power Platform.”
Zoe: Anytime, Max! Deleting users isn’t just about compliance—it’s about maintaining the overall health of your environment. Proper management ensures you aren’t holding onto unnecessary data and that your system remains clean and optimized.
When managing users in Microsoft Power Platform, understanding the lifecycle of a user account is critical. From soft deletions, permanent deletions, and restoring users, it’s essential to know the impact of each step. Be sure to manage records, roles, and security efficiently when users leave your organization, and leverage features like bulk deletion to keep things streamlined.
Max and Zoe’s Tip: Always ensure your Power Platform environment stays compliant by regularly reviewing and managing users, especially after they leave your organization!
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