Microsoft - Entra Users - 6.0

Overview

The Microsoft Entra Users Collector retrieves user and licence allocation information from Microsoft Entra using the Microsoft Graph API.

This collector provides visibility into user accounts and assigned licences, enabling organisations to validate subscriptions, allocate costs, and reconcile licence usage within Varibill.

The collector retrieves unrated allocation data, meaning no monetary values are supplied by the source system. Pricing and billing calculations are applied within Varibill based on configured contracts and pricing rules.

This is a discrete (snapshot) collector, meaning each execution retrieves the current state of users and licence assignments at the time of collection.

For general instructions on creating and running Source Collectors, see: Varibill Cloud Source Collectors - Setup and Configuration Guide.

Collector Summary

Data Collected

The Microsoft Entra Users 6.0 collector retrieves unrated user licence allocation data from Microsoft Entra. This includes individual user allocation data registered to Entra licences per user. 

Snapshot Collection Behavior

The Microsoft Entra Source Collector is a discrete collector, meaning it captures data as a point-in-time snapshot of the current state within Microsoft Entra.

This means the collector does not retrieve historical licence changes from the past. Instead, each execution captures the licences and assignments that exist at the moment the collector runs.

Over time, repeated executions build a timeline of licence activity. By comparing snapshots between runs, Varibill can detect:

• New licences assigned

• Licences removed

• Changes in user license tier registry assignments

Because historical licence events are not retrieved from Microsoft Entra, it is recommended that the collector runs on a regular schedule (we recommend daily) to ensure accurate tracking of licence changes.

How Billing Is Derived

Billing is calculated from the accumulated snapshots collected over time.

For example:

• If a licence is assigned to a user today, the next collector run will detect the new licence and billing can begin from that point.

• If a licence is removed, the following snapshot will detect its absence and billing can stop accordingly.

This process enables Varibill to produce accurate billing timelines without requiring historical data extraction from Microsoft systems.

Important! The Entra Users 6.0 collector reflects the state of Microsoft Entra at the time it runs. More frequent execution improves billing accuracy for environments with frequent licence changes.

Prerequisites

Before configuring this collector, you must:

1. Create an Application Registration in Microsoft Entra
2. Configure the required Microsoft Graph API permissions
3. Grant Admin Consent for the configured permissions
4. Create a Client Secret
5. Capture the following values:
   • Tenant ID
   • Client ID (Application ID)
   • Client Secret

Configuration Parameters

Important! The Entra Users 6.0 collector reflects the state of Microsoft Entra at the time it runs. More frequent execution improves billing accuracy for environments with frequent licence changes.

Microsoft Entra References

The following resources may assist with locating values or configuring your Microsoft Entra application registration.

Microsoft Documentation (External)

• Where to find your Microsoft Entra Tenant ID
• How to register an application in Microsoft Entra to obtain an Application (client) ID
• How to create a Client Secret
• How to grant Admin Consent for permissions

Configuration Steps

Step 1: Prepare Microsoft Entra

1. Create an application registration in Microsoft Entra
2. Configure the required API permissions for the app registration
3. Grant Admin Consent for the configured permissions
4. Create a Client Secret
5. Copy the Tenant ID, Client ID, and Client Secret

Step 2: Configure the Collector in Varibill

1. In the Varibill Client Application, open the Source Collector configuration screen
2. Enter the required field values:            
   • Hosting Provider: Select "Varibill Cloud" (Source Collector Type) from the dropdown menu.
   • Source Collector Name: Select "Microsoft - Entra Users - 6.0" from the dropdown menu.
   • Entra Tenant ID: As obtained from the Azure portal. Refer to Microsoft Entra References above.
   • Entra Application (client) ID: As obtained from the Azure portal. Refer to Microsoft Entra References above.
   • Entra Secret Key: As obtained from the Azure portal. Refer to Microsoft Entra References above.
3. Set Collector Processing Rules: 
   1. Group Client Identifier By: Refer to Microsoft Entra Attributes List. Grouping can be set dynamically using defined Properties, e.g. "department". 

4. Save Collector Configuration.

Step 3: Run the Collector

Run or schedule the Collector's "run" schedule according to your standard Source Collector process. For detailed execution steps, see: Varibill Cloud Source Collectors - Setup and Configuration Guide.

Troubleshooting

If the collector fails to connect to Microsoft Entra, verify that:

• The Tenant ID is correct
• The Client ID is correct
• The Client Secret is valid and not expired
• Admin Consent has been granted

Related Documentation

• Introduction to Varibill Cloud Source Collectors
• Varibill Cloud Source Collectors - Setup and Configuration Guide