Background
In order to run an SES (Subscription Entitlement Service licensing) application, you must have a policy that specifies you have a valid entitlement for that application.
The Bentley Desktop License client maintains a local policy file that contains the Entitlement settings for products that the user has the right to run. The settings are based on the list of Entitlements that the user's organization has in the user's entitlement country, and on any settings that the organization's License administrator has configured in Entitlement Management.
When an application is started, Bentley Desktop License client determines if the user is allowed to run the application. It checks for a license by looking at the policy stored on your system.
If a license for the application is not found, the application will enter Trial mode. If you are in trial mode, realize that the system may be working as designed -
- Your account does not have a license for the application
- Your account does have a license for the application, but it is for a different entitlement country than you are located in.
- Your Administrator has restricted your access to the application
- You have requested an invalid license
- Municipal applications typically have to have a default feature level set in the feature Level Selector, otherwise the request is made for a license without a feature level, which is invalid. For more info see -
Setting the License Feature Level in the Feature Level Selector
https://bentleysystems.service-now.com/community?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0057141
For more info see -
Bentley Desktop License Client
https://bentleysystems.service-now.com/community?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0019355
Assumptions
You have a current version of CONNECTION Client.
- When at all possible, you should be running the latest version of CONNECTION Client. If you are running an older version of CONNECTION Client, you can update to the newest CONNECTION Client by using the download link at the top of this page -https://store.bentley.com/en/products
- Windows 7 users will find that CONNECTION Client Versions 11.x will not work and those users will have to downgrade to an older version - v10.00.19.31. The long term solution is to upgrade to an operating system that Microsoft (and therefore Bentley) supports.
You are able to log into CONNECTION Client
- If you can't log into CONNECTION Client, you can't refresh your policy. You may still be able to function if -
- it's been less than 7 days offline,
- You're are using a checked out license
- You have previously been able to sign into CONNECTION Client and you have a stored policy
- Your administrator allows you to run offline and -
The Bentley License Tool recognizes that you're are logged in.
- Open up the Bentley License Tool (open the Windows Start menu, in the search box type "Bentley Licensing", select Bentley Licensing Tool from the search results that appear). Below "File | Tolls | Help" your login ID should appear. If it states "Click here to sign in to CONNECTION Client and see entitlements" you are either not signed into CONNECTION Client , or the Bentley License Tool isnt recognizing the same.
You have a current policy
- Changes made regarding the availability of entitlements do not propagate instantly. If a new entitlement was recently added (new contract or new order) or made available to you, the change won't be reflected on the workstation until the policy file is updated.
- You can manually refresh the policy from the Bentley Licensing Tool ("Tools" -> "Refresh Policy" from the Bentley License Tool).
- If you haven't been online The policy stored on your machine is valid for 7 days, but is updated at the following times as long as the user is signed in to CONNECTION Client:
- Automatically, every 4 hours
- If the user starts a product that they have not previously run
Checking to make sure you are assigned to an account
Logging into https://ims.bentley.com will take you to your profile page. Under the "Job Info" section you can verify that you are linked to an account -

You can click on the edit icon to the right of your name

and see your Entitlement Country.
Checking to make sure you are entitled to run an application
Your administrator can confirm that you are set up to have access to an application via the Entitlement Management portal
- A list of your Admins can be found from https://connect.bentley.com/ - click on "How are you CONNECTED?" link to find your site administrators (this may be hidden, use the Gear to the top right to show the Welcome Banner). For more info see -
How are you CONNECTED?
https://communities.bentley.com/communities/other_communities/licensing_cloud_and_web_services/w/wiki/41427/how-are-you-connected
- Administrator would look up the application in question under Entitlement Management, and click the "General Access" tab, and verify that the user is listed under "Total Users" hyperlink. For more info see -
Entitlement Management Overview
https://bentleysystems.service-now.com/community?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0019143
Updating your policy
To obtain a valid entitlement, you can either request a policy online, or import a checked out license into you Bentley License Tool.
To get a policy online -
- You must be tied to an account that has the license you are trying to use
- Having a login to the Bentley website does not indicate that you are tied correctly to your account
- You must be logged in to CONNECTION Client
- The license must reside in the same Entitlement Country that you do
- You must be signed into CONNECTION Client
- Open the Bentley License Tool (open the Windows Start menu, in the search box type "Bentley Licensing", select Bentley Licensing Tool from the search results that appear).
- Go to the "Tools" pulldown and choose "Refresh Policy".
What information does Bentley need to troubleshoot further?
If the issue is not resolved after reviewing the above, Bentley will need the following to troubleshoot further -
- The email address are you using to log into CONNECTION Client
- The version of CONNECTION Client (in CONNECTION Client go to the dropdown next to your initials and choose "About").
- Screenshots from the Bentley Licensing Tool (two tabs - Entitlements and Product Status)
- Log files for review. Logs can be collected from the CONNECTION Client -> Settings (gear icon) -> Log Collector. You will be prompted for a file name and path to save the logs (as a ".ZIP" file).
How to collect logs
https://bentleysystems.service-now.com/community?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0018715
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