License Governance

Control user access and license distribution in Zenhub Enterprise with administrator oversight.

Understanding License Governance

License Governance gives Zenhub Enterprise system administrators granular control over how licenses are distributed to users. Introduced in Zenhub Enterprise version 2.44, it replaces automatic license assignment with administrator-controlled access management.

Without License Governance, Zenhub automatically assigns available licenses to any user with appropriate GitHub permissions. With License Governance enabled, administrators control exactly which users receive licenses and when, providing better cost management and security oversight.

Setting up Zenhub admins

The first Zenhub admin is created through the Settings page of the Zenhub Management application. Navigate to that page and enter the GitHub username of a user who has already logged into Zenhub at least once.

Once the first admin exists, additional admins can be appointed either through the Management application Settings page or by the initial admin promoting users directly from the Zenhub Dashboard. To promote a user, navigate to your Enterprise's license settings in the Dashboard, locate the user, and grant them admin privileges.

Admin capabilities include approving or denying license requests, promoting and demoting admins, configuring licensing modes, and monitoring license usage. To demote an admin, select the three-dot menu next to their name and choose Make a regular user.

Choosing your licensing mode

Zenhub Enterprise provides 2 licensing modes that control how licenses are distributed.

Mode 1 — Up to license limits (automatic until full)
Users automatically receive licenses when they access Zenhub while licenses are available. Once all licenses are assigned, additional users must request approval from admins. Best for organizations with stable team sizes where most users should get immediate access, but you want control when approaching capacity.

Mode 2 — Never auto-assign (full control)
Every user must request a license from admins, even when licenses sit unused. No automatic assignment occurs regardless of availability. Best for organizations requiring strict access control or detailed audit trails where every user needs explicit approval. The trade-off is administrative overhead — every user requires manual approval.

Configuring your licensing mode

Access your Zenhub Enterprise settings through the Management application to select your preferred licensing mode. You can change modes at any time — changes take effect immediately but don't affect already-licensed users. Only new access requests follow the updated mode rules.

Managing license requests

Zenhub admins manage license requests through the Team Members tab in the Admin portal. License Governance doesn't currently send automatic notifications to admins, so establish a routine for checking pending requests based on your organization's onboarding frequency. Approve or deny requests directly from the Seats page.

Troubleshooting

Users can't access Zenhub despite having GitHub permissions
Verify that an available license exists and that your licensing mode allows their access pattern. In Never auto-assign mode, users must explicitly request and receive approval even with valid GitHub permissions.

Admin can't promote other users to admin status
Ensure the admin account has full administrative privileges and that the target user has logged into Zenhub at least once.

License requests aren't visible in the Dashboard
Check that you're viewing the correct Enterprise instance and that your admin account has appropriate permissions. License requests appear in the Team Members tab under the Seats page.

FAQ

Q: What happens when we reach our license limit in Up to license limits mode?
A: New users are prompted to request a license from Zenhub admins. Approving requests beyond your purchased limit may incur surcharges.

Q: How quickly do users get access after admin approval?
A: License approval takes effect immediately. Users can access Zenhub as soon as the admin approves their request without requiring logout or browser refresh.

Q: Can I revoke a user's license after it's been assigned?
A: Yes. Admins can revoke licenses through the Team Members interface in the Admin portal, which immediately terminates the user's Zenhub access.

Q: What's the difference between Zenhub admins and GitHub organization admins?
A: Zenhub admins manage licenses within Zenhub Enterprise. GitHub organization admins control GitHub repository access. These are separate permission systems, though many organizations assign both roles to the same people.

Q: Do demoted admins lose their Zenhub license?
A: No. Demoting an admin removes their administrative privileges but maintains their existing license. You must separately revoke their license if you want to remove their Zenhub access entirely.