The “Warning units” column in the “Subscriptions Center” report indicates license quantities in grace period status following the expiration of a Microsoft 365 service subscription. Tenant Admins should monitor this column when reviewing license allocations for Microsoft 365 SKUs.
What are warning units?
In Microsoft 365 licensing, "warning units" refer to licenses that have entered a grace period following subscription expiration. These units are pending suspension or deactivation unless renewal or adjustment occurs according to organizational policy.
Why warning units matter
Warning units serve as an essential alert for administrators:
- Prevent service disruptions: they provide early notification, enabling actions to prevent disruptions once licenses expire.
- Ensure continuity: by addressing warning units promptly, organizations can maintain uninterrupted access to essential services and applications.
Monitoring warning units in the Subscriptions Center
Step 1: access the Subscriptions Center
Access the Subscriptions Center under “Reports > Licenses > Subscriptions Center” in the CoreView app.
Step 2: locate the Warning Units column
In the “Active subscriptions” tab, reference the “Warning units” column to identify subscriptions with licenses in their grace period. Any value greater than zero indicates action is needed.
Step 3: review detailed information
For additional details, use the “Subscriptions history” tab to review the affected subscriptions and associated orders.
Action steps
- Renew or update subscriptions for service SKUs associated with warning units before the grace period end date to prevent license deactivation.
- Review the Subscriptions Center report regularly to monitor license status and take necessary actions.
For more details on license unit states, refer to Microsoft Graph API documentation.
Monitoring the “Warning units” column allows administrators to address license status changes prior to service deactivation.