Microsoft 365 : SharePoint online – App Store / SharePoint Store – restricting users to add app – requiring approval to add app

fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Apps - changing settings for users to directly adding apps on the respective sites
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Apps - changing settings for users to directly adding apps on the respective sites

Hi All,

Greetings for the day!!!

Today new learning related to app store / SharePoint store.

What is SharePoint Store

  • The SharePoint Store (_layouts/15/appstore.aspx/sharePointStore?sorting=1 ) is a public marketplace that offers apps for Microsoft 365, as well as Dynamics 365 and Power Platform
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - app store
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – app store

Scenario:

  • We need to show only specific apps in app store / SharePoint store so that users can not add any app (or third-party app) on the site (sometimes they by mistake add apps on all sites)
  • But it seems it’s not possible – neither to show only specific app nor disabling app store / SharePoint store
  • So after bit googling we found that we can restrict users to get the apps from store or directly install themselves
  • We could specify the admin (SharePoint administrator / Appcatalog site collection administrator) to approve the request
  • So user can request for adding / installing the app and if site collection administrator (app catalog site collection administrator) approves it then only get added / installed

Steps to prevent users to get apps from SharePoint store

fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - SharePoint admin center
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – SharePoint admin center
  • From SharePoint admin center, from left pane – click on “More features” link
  • On click of “More features” link, we will be redirected to “classicFeatures” page as shown in below fig
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - SharePoint admin center - More features - Navigating to Apps
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – SharePoint admin center – More features – Navigating to Apps
  • From “classicFeatures” pane open the “Apps” as shown in above fig
  • We will be redirected to “tenantAppCatalog.aspx” page as shown in below fig
  • From “tenantAppCatalog.aspx” page, from left pane click on “… More features” link
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - appcatalog - manage apps - more features
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – appcatalog – manage apps – more features
  • We will be redirected to “More features” blade / pane as
  • From “More features” blade, we need to open the “Configure store settings” as shown in below fig
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - app catalog - More features - Configure store settings
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – app catalog – More features – Configure store settings
  • We will be redirected to “ta_managemarketplacesettings.aspx” page as shown in below fig
  • on “ta_managemarketplacesettings.aspx” we have a setting called “App Purchases” – this setting is ON by default
  • We need to disable the “App Purchases” setting – So that end users are not able to get / install the apps from SharePoint store / Marketplace
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Apps - changing settings for users to directly adding apps on the respective sites
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – Apps – changing settings for users to directly adding apps on the respective sites

After disabling the “App Purchases” settings – Impact to end users to get / install apps

  • Let login as end user, here to demonstrate I am using user named – ThirdUser and Email – thirduser@knoweldgejunction1.onmicrosoft.com
  • Thirduser needs to add “Image Map” app
  • But since admin disabled “App Purchases” setting, user – thirduser can not add the respective app, please see in below image
  • There is only “Request” option available as shown in below fig
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - "Request" option for app. There is no "Add" option directly
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – “Request” option for app. There is no “Add” option directly
  • As user – thirduser “Requests” respective app, “Request app” dialog appears for the specifying the reason
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - requesting app - reason for app request
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – requesting app – reason for app request
  • User – thirduser need to click on “Send request” button on “Request app” dialog as shown in above fig
  • Once user “Send request“, request will be seen on “myRequest” page as shown in below fig
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Users pending app requests
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – Users pending app requests

Notification to Admins (SharePoint administrators and Appcatalog site collection administrators)

  • SharePoint administrators and Appcatalog site collection administrators have rights to approve / deny the users app request
  • As user (thirduser) requests the app, SharePoint administrators and Appcatalog site collection administrators receives email notifications with link to approval request as shown in below fig
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Email notification for admin for app installation request from the user
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – Email notification for admin for app installation request from the user
  • In appcatalog site collection, admin could see all the pending requests, from left blade, under “App requests” >> “Pending” section as shown in below fig
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Pending app requests page for admins
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – Pending app requests page for admins
  • By clicking on app name (here for example – “Image Map”), admin can either “Approve” / “Deny” the respective app request
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Pending app request page - App details and option for Approval and Decline app requests
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – Pending app request page – App details and option for Approval and Decline app requests
  • On click of app name, right pane – “Confirm data access” opens as in below fig
  • On “Confirm data access” pane we have an option either to enable app or add it to all sites as
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Approving app request for user - Confirm data access dialog
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – Approving app request for user – Confirm data access dialog
  • If we select an option “Enable this app and add it to all sites” we have more option like
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Approving / Denying app request - Option to add the app on all sites and Teams
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – Approving app request – Confirm data access dialog – Option to add the app on all sites and Teams
  • Once admin confirms the request – In progress dialog appears
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Approval of app request is in progress dialog
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – Approval of app request is in progress dialog
  • On approval success we get the message – “This request has been approved
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - Success message for app approval request
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – Success message for app approval request

After Admin Approval / Deny – impact for user

  • On “My request” page, user could see the – “Request status” – “Approved” and other details
fig : Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - App requests page for the user
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – App requests page for the user
  • Then user could successfully add the app
Microsoft 365 - SharePoint Online - My apps page
fig : Microsoft 365 – SharePoint Online – My apps page – App is available to add / install on the site

Thanks for reading the article !!! Please feel free to discuss in case any issues / suggestions / thoughts / questions !!!

HAVE A GREAT TIME AHEAD !!! LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL 🙂

Prasham Sabadra

LIFE IS VERY BEAUTIFUL :) ENJOY THE WHOLE JOURNEY :) Founder of Knowledge Junction and live-beautiful-life.com, Author, Learner, Passionate Techie, avid reader. Certified Professional Workshop Facilitator / Public Speaker. Scrum Foundation Professional certificated. Motivational, Behavioral , Technical speaker. Speaks in various events including SharePoint Saturdays, Boot camps, Collages / Schools, local chapter. Can reach me for Microsoft 365, Azure, DevOps, SharePoint, Teams, Power Platform, JavaScript.

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