Disabling an account stops the person signing in and signs them out of every device at the same time. Both happen as part of the same action, so there is no separate step for revoking access.

Avvi asks one question before it acts: is this temporary or permanent. That answer decides whether the licences are released or kept.

Before you begin

Know which of the two you want. Somebody on long leave who is coming back is a temporary disable. Somebody who has left is a permanent one.

Have the person’s email address ready. Avvi confirms the identity it found before doing anything.

Ask Avvi

1. Open chat.
2. Say what you want, naming the person. For example: disable jane@example.com, she has left the company.
3. Confirm the identity Avvi found, checking the display name and email address.
4. Answer whether the disable is temporary or permanent.
5. Read the confirmation, then confirm.

Avvi reports what was disabled and, on a permanent disable, what was released.

Good to know

A permanent disable removes the licences as part of the same action. A temporary one deliberately keeps them, because the person is coming back.

The licences come off in that same action, one at a time, whether or not the client has a connector. Avvi does not ask again about each one.

Getting this wrong costs money in one direction and a broken return in the other.

A temporary disable keeps the licences deliberately, so the person can be re-enabled and pick up where they left off.

Where a client runs their own directory alongside Microsoft 365, that account is disabled as part of the same request. You do not need to ask for it separately.

Verify it worked

Ask the person, or a colleague, to try signing in as them. Access should be refused.

For a permanent disable, ask Avvi what licences the tenant now has available. The released ones should show as available.

If something doesn’t look right

If the person can still sign in shortly afterwards, wait a few minutes and try again. Directory changes take a moment to reach every service.

If access is still working after that, check whether they are signing in with a second account rather than the one you disabled.

If the licences do not come back after a permanent disable, check whether the disable was recorded as temporary. Asking again with the right answer releases them.

If none of that explains it, open a support conversation from the Help drawer. Include the client name, the person’s email address, and whether you asked for temporary or permanent.

FAQ

Q: Does disabling an account free up its licence?

A: A permanent disable does, in the same action. A temporary disable keeps them.

Q: Does this delete the account?

A: No. Disabling is reversible. The account and its data remain.

Q: Can I re-enable somebody later?

A: Yes. Ask Avvi to enable the account. Licences are not restored automatically, so re-assign anything that was released.

Q: Should I disable or offboard?

A: Disabling handles the sign-in. Offboarding handles the mailbox. A departure usually needs both.