And Acquisition for All: Microsoft 365 Self-Service Purchase

• Microsoft makes several services available for direct purchase by end users to promote adoption, circumventing corporate controls and agreements.
• Any employee with a credit card can make self-service purchases, potentially leading to unplanned spend and “shadow IT.” 
• Admins have limited control; they can disable services or take ownership from the buyer but can’t restrict which users can buy the services.
• Self‑service purchase can help with urgent needs and pilot programs, but cost, support, and compliance risks must be managed.

Self‑service purchase is an end‑user acquisition model that allows employees to pay for and manage eligible Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 add-on services for use by themselves and others, like M365 Copilot, Power Apps, and Windows 365. These subscriptions become part of the organization’s tenancy and can shift financial, operational, and compliance responsibility away from IT and procurement. Subscriptions may autorenew, duplicate existing licenses, or exceed negotiated pricing. Buyers may expect internal IT teams to support the services after they are purchased, which they may not be equipped to do, and risk using purchased services in ways that don’t comply with organizational standards.