Volume Licensing FAQ

Applies to enterprise & teams.

Adobe Buying Programs provide options for you to purchase, manage, and deploy Adobe products throughout your organization. Learn more about the Adobe Buying Programs on Adobe.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Value Incentive Plan (VIP)

Note:

If you're in North America and need help with your Annual Adobe VIP contract renewal from your Account Manager, email us at renewalhelp@adobe.com, and we'll contact you shortly.

VIP offers a named-user licensing option, which provides a VIP membership to an individual user. This option is available for Creative Cloud All Apps, Creative Cloud All Apps + Adobe Stock, Creative Cloud Single Apps, and Acrobat, each with services through VIP.

For education members, we also offer Creative Cloud for education shared device licenses. Unlike named-user licenses, these licenses can be deployed to a device by a VIP admin.

Acrobat Standard or Pro can be virtualized in the following environments for VIP:

  • Citrix XenApp
  • Citrix XenDesktop
  • VMware Horizon
  • Microsoft App-V 

VIP is the basic program, which includes the following features:  

  • Immediate deployment
  • Automatic compliance
  • Subscriptions with rolling updates provide access to the latest versions of cloud products.
  • Standardized agreements with no contract renewal
  • Annual or extended-term options

VIP Select is a VIP membership status, which is automatically achieved when you meet the minimum license threshold within a single term (10+ licenses in Commercial and Government market segments, 50+ licenses in Education).

Learn more about VIP, see Value Incentive Plan (VIP) | Adobe Buying Program. For more information on VIP Select, see the VIP Select FAQ.

In addition to the Creative Cloud for education device licenses, Adobe has a K-12 site license offering for education customers. For more information, see Buying Programs Education.

Use of licenses outside of the identified deployment region is acceptable in the case of occasional travel. However, we expect that primary usage will be in the deployment region identified at the time of purchase.

For information specific to users in China, see VIP Buying Program in China. For information on VIP Select and 3-year commit, see VIP Select Help.

Here are the links to VIP Program guide for different languages:

VIP terms and conditions are available on the Adobe Value Incentive Plan Terms and Conditions page on Adobe.com.

Learn more about the enterprise offerings on the Creative Cloud for Business (Enterprise) or Adobe Buying Programs page.

Adobe Admin Console is a centralized management tool to help you easily administer licenses, monitor storage, and manage other settings. Enterprise product offerings provide an IT Admin with extra features for group management, product organization, and controlling access levels. See the Admin Console Help for information on managing products purchased from Adobe or through VIP.

Existing VIP members may add enterprise products during their renewal period. Learn more about migration here.

Enterprise Term License Agreement (ETLA)

  • Customizable term licensing program
  • Designed for Adobe's top commercial, government, and education customers
  • Products can be deployed as needed and paid at annual true-up
  • Three-year agreement with annual payments and true-ups
  • Access to the Adobe Admin Console

Learn more about ETLA on the Buying Programs Enterprise page on Adobe.com.

Contact your Adobe sales representative, Adobe Sales at 888-649-2990, or request a consultation.

Adobe Education Enterprise Agreement (EEA)

As the VIP program is updated with extra features and options compatible with educational licensing requirements, including the K-12 School Site License and K-12 District License offerings, Adobe has begun to phase out the EEA program. New and returning EEA enrollments ended December 3, 2016.

No. Existing, active EEAs remain in effect. Customers with existing agreements will continue to receive the same levels of maintenance and support, until their agreement expires.

See the EEA 1.5 Program Guide. If you have further questions, contact your Adobe Authorized Reseller.

Perpetual Licensing

Perpetual licenses are licenses of a particular product and version, which users deploy using Electronic Software Delivery (ESD) and serial numbers. Once users purchase a perpetual license, they own that license going forward.

Based on the changing market landscape and customer demand, Adobe has begun to phase out the EA program.  New EA enrollments ended March 14, 2014.

Creative Cloud desktop app in CLP end of life

Adobe will End of Life (EOL) the Cumulative Licensing Plan (CLP) offering of Creative Cloud desktop app for the government market segment. The last order date will be October 5, 2020.

This follows the availability of Feature Restricted Licensing (FRL) in the Enterprise Term Licensing Agreement (ETLA) in October 2018 and in the Value Incentive Plan (VIP) in July 2019, providing a subscription-based alternative for government customers.

Yes. If your CLP is due for renewal after the last order date for Creative Cloud desktop app, contact your Adobe Authorized Reseller about enrolling in a subscription-based licensing option that meets your needs.

See the CLP Program Guide. If you have further questions, contact your Adobe Authorized Reseller.

Policies

These policies are related to the maintenance of, and offerings currently or previously available through the Adobe Buying Programs. The policies outlined below are general, and may be more definitively covered in your Buying Programs agreement. The absence of a particular scenario in the below sections does not necessarily imply permission.

Merging LWS IDs

In the case of duplicate LWS user IDs, or for LWS license consolidation, a merge may be appropriate. Merging takes the information from an existing LWS ID and merges it into the information for another existing LWS ID.

To merge, LWS IDs:

  • Can only be merged within the same LWS user ID type. Types include End-User IDs (EUID), Deploy-to IDs (DTIDs), and Reseller IDs
  • Must share the same or similar Organization Name, Organization Contact, and Organization Address
  • Must be listed in the same country
  • Must share the same market segment (for example, Education cannot be merged with Commercial)
  • Cannot be merged into another EUID if the merging EUID is associated with a CLP agreement. Any EUID associated with a CLP agreement must survive.
  • Can only be merged into another DTID if the merging DTID is associated with the same EUID

Merges apply to all license orders and all contacts under the merging IDs. Merges of customer LWS are available only for CLP, TLP, and FLP programs. FLP IDs can only be merged with approval from Adobe's legal team.

Transferring licenses for VIP, CLP, and TLP

For the purpose of these pages, "transfer" refers to a change of ownership, and does not mean a change of license management within the same entity or between entities or departments covered by a single agreement.

  • The transferee must agree to the terms of the End-User License Agreement (EULA) and Cumulative Licensing Program (CLP) agreement transfer terms and conditions, if applicable.
  • The transferring party must destroy all copies of the software and all printed materials.
  • Orders for media/Electronic Software Delivery (ESD) only cannot be transferred on the Adobe Licensing Website (LWS).
  • Information on both the previous and new licensees must be included on the Transfer of License form.
  • There are no fees for processing a transfer of license.
  • Approval for the transfer must be provided from both the transferor and transferee organizations.
  • License transfers due to mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, or divestitures are permitted.

The following are not permitted:

  • Transfer of licenses in VIP
  • Transfers across market segments (for example, from Education to Commercial)
  • Changes to license language when a transfer is processed
  • Transfers of upgrade versions of a license without including the entire license upgrade path, including current version, all previous versions for which upgrades were purchased or provided free-of-charge, and any active Upgrade Plan, maintenance, or technical support. It is the responsibility of the transferring party to provide this information with the transfer request.

TLP transfer of license

  • All licenses listed on a TLP certificate must be transferred from the current license holder to the new license holder.
  • TLP licenses and any technical support service can be transferred only within the region they were originally acquired.
  • TLP licenses can be transferred only as TLP licenses, even if the transferee is a CLP member. TLP licenses transferred to CLP members appear on their Comprehensive Order Details report in LWS as a TLP transaction, and no points are awarded to the CLP for these purchases.

CLP transfer of license

  • CLP members can transfer any number of licenses purchased.
  • CLP users can transfer licenses to any TLP or CLP user, including enrolled affiliates of a different CLP member.
  • CLP members cannot transfer licenses to a different Deploy-to ID with the same End-User ID.
  • CLP points transfer to the new licensee if the following is true:
    • The new licensee is a CLP program member or an enrolled affiliate; and
    • Both the new licensee CLP agreement and the original purchasing CLP agreement are currently active; and
    • Both the new licensee CLP agreement and the original purchasing CLP agreement were active at the time of license purchase.
  • If any of the previous conditions are not met, CLP licenses are transferred as TLP. Points are deducted from the original purchasing CLP. No points are awarded to the recipient, regardless of whether they are a CLP member.

Backward licensing

Adobe allows CLP and TLP program members to order a current-version license, but use one version back as long as the organization already owns a license of the prior version. Qualifying members can contact Adobe Customer Care to request access to a previous version of perpetual licenses via ESD (if available) up to one version back.

Cross-language licensing

Licenses sold in a specific language grant use rights limited to that language. Program members do not have the right to deploy a product in a language other than the language that was licensed. Licenses sold with the designation of All as their language do allow program members to deploy the product in any language they choose. Exceptions to these conditions may apply when program members have active Upgrade Plan coverage and the new version of their product is not available in the originally licensed language or a new local language is made available. In these instances, Adobe communicates which cross-language rights apply.

Cross-platform licensing

Adobe Buying Programs customers purchasing perpetual licenses receive product serial numbers for both Windows and Mac as long as the product is available for both and the two platforms are the same version. Program members can choose to use either platform, as long as the total number of licenses being used does not exceed the number purchased.

EULAs

All use of a product is governed by the EULA for the product, which is usually accepted by electronic click-through. EULAs are posted on the Adobe product license agreements page. Where the applicable Buying Program's terms and conditions conflict with a EULA, the Buying Program terms and conditions supersede.

CLP and TLP K‐12 Site License policy

The last order date for K-12 Site License was February 27, 2015. Customers who have previously purchased K-12 Site Licenses may continue to use these per Adobe's K-12 Site License use policies until their current agreement expires.

Adobe K‐12 Site Licenses for certain Adobe software products may be available for order by authorized education institutions under Adobe's Education Cumulative Licensing Program (CLP) and Transactional Licensing Program (TLP) and only in countries where K‐12 Site Licenses are offered. If your institution ordered a K‐12 Site License, then by copying, installing, or using all or any portion of such Adobe software product provided to your institution pursuant to the K‐12 Site License, you agree that your institution shall be bound by and accept the following terms and conditions ("K‐12 Site License Terms"). Together with the applicable end-user license agreement for the Adobe software product (EULA), the K‐12 Site License Terms shall govern your institution's use of the Adobe software product. As used in these K‐12 Site License Terms, all capitalized terms not otherwise defined in the K‐12 Site License Terms shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the EULA. The K‐12 Site License Terms shall supersede the EULA to the extent of any conflict between the terms.

1. Definitions. In addition to the defined terms above, the following definitions shall apply to these K‐12 Site License Terms:

1.1.    "K‐12 Education Institution" means a primary or secondary school that is a qualified education institution, as such term is defined in the Education CLP agreement. Contact your Adobe Authorized Education Reseller for TLP qualifications.

1.2. "K‐12 Site License Software" means the Adobe software product further specified as K‐12 Site License Software on the applicable CLP or TLP price list. Technical support and upgrade plans are available for K‐12 Site Licenses.

1.3. "Teacher" means an employee of a K‐12 Education Institution whose primary job responsibility is to provide instruction for any K‐12 grade of a qualified K‐12 Education Institution.

2. Right to Use/License Grant

2.1 Qualifications. K‐12 Site Licenses are available for order and use only by K‐12 Education Institutions under CLP and TLP. If your institution has ordered one or more K‐12 Site Licenses but does not qualify as a K‐12 Education Institution, then your institution shall immediately return the K‐12 Site License Software to its Reseller, purge all copies of the K‐12 Site License Software from its Computers, and return the K‐12 Site License Software to your Adobe Authorized Education Reseller.

2.2 License Grant. So long as your institution complies with the EULA and these K‐12 Site License Terms and upon payment of all applicable fees, Adobe grants your institution a nonexclusive, nontransferable license to reproduce, install, and use exact object code copies of the K-12 Site License Software in accordance with the terms and conditions of these K‐12 Site License Terms up to the maximum quantities set forth below. Use of the K‐12 Site License Software shall be governed by the EULA and these K‐12 Site License Terms. If there is any conflict between the terms of the EULA and these K‐12 Site License Terms, the terms of these K‐12 Site License Terms shall control.

  License Type Purchased

  Maximum Number of Institutional Copies (Regardless of Platform)

  < 50

  50

  < 100

  100

2.3 School Location Use Only. Each K‐12 Site License granted to your institution permits your institution to use the K‐12 Site License Software at one school location only. "One school location" means a school located at one street address only. For installation or use at additional locations, additional K‐12 Site Licenses must be purchased separately. The K‐12 Site License is limited to installation of all the software included (regardless of platform) within the purchased license on no more than the maximum number of institution-owned or leased computers allowed in the section above and contingent upon the license type that your institution has purchased.

2.4 Instructional Use Only. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the EULA, the K‐12 Site License Software shall only be used for instructional purposes and may not be used for, or distributed to, any party for any other purposes. As such, use of the K‐12 Site License Software is also limited solely to then-currently enrolled students of K‐12 Education Institutions and then-currently employed Teachers, staff, and administrators of such K‐12 Education Institutions.

2.5 Home Computer Installations for Teachers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the EULA, in addition to Section 2.2 above, Teachers who are employed by your institution may install one (1) copy per Teacher of the K‐12 Site License Software on a home computer solely for purposes directly related to such Teacher's job duties related to Teacher's employment with your institution (such as lesson planning and classroom preparation), provided that such installations do not exceed the maximum quantities set forth below:

  License Type Purchased

  Maximum Number of Teacher Home-Use Copies

  < 250

  25

  < 500

  50

Such Teacher home-use licenses shall terminate automatically when such teacher is no longer employed by your institution, and your institution shall cause such teacher at such time to return any copy of the K‐12 Site License Software to your institution and remove any copy from the home computer.

2.6 Server Computer Access Prohibition. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the EULA, your institution may not install any K‐12 Site License Software on a server computer to be accessed from other computers connected to such server computer.

3. Additional Obligations

3.1. Your institution agrees that it is solely responsible for all expenses incurred in connection with copying and installing the K‐12 Site License Software. Your institution agrees that (1) your institution will not cause or permit the removal of any copyright notices or proprietary legends from the K‐12 Site License Software; (2) your institution will reproduce on all copies of the K‐12 Site License Software the copyright notice and any other proprietary legends that were on the original copy of the K‐12 License Software; and, (3) your institution will take reasonable steps to ensure that each user of the K‐12 Site License Software is aware of and complies with the terms of the applicable EULA and these K‐12 Site License Terms.

3.2. Orders. If your institution orders K‐12 Site Licenses under Education CLP, your institution must order K‐12 Site Licenses under these K‐12 Site License Terms using the K‐12 Site License Software SKUs only and must reference your institution's CLP Agreement Number on any orders. Your institution understands that Adobe's resellers may charge additional shipping and handling fees depending on whether your institution has elected to participate in the drop-ship offering. All pricing, including any fees, is determined by resellers and not by Adobe, and Adobe has no control over any pricing or fees.

 

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