Permission Set License
A Permission Set License (PSL) in Salesforce is a supplemental license that grants a user access to features, objects, or permissions not included in their base User License.
Definition
A Permission Set License (PSL) in Salesforce is a supplemental license that grants a user access to features, objects, or permissions not included in their base User License. Unlike a User License (which every user must have), Permission Set Licenses are optional and are assigned only when users need access to specific gated functionality. For example, the 'CRM Analytics Plus Permission Set License' enables Einstein Analytics features, and the 'Identity Connect Permission Set License' enables identity management capabilities. Administrators assign PSLs to users from Setup, and once assigned, the related permissions can be granted through Permission Sets.
In plain English
“A Permission Set License (PSL) is a supplemental license that grants a user access to features not included in their base User License. Unlike User Licenses (which everyone needs), PSLs are optional and assigned only when users need specific gated functionality, like CRM Analytics features.”
Worked example
Skipjack Seafood's Salesforce admin needs to grant five users access to the CRM Analytics Plus dashboards her data team built, but those features aren't included in the standard Sales User license. She purchases five CRM Analytics Plus Permission Set Licenses (PSLs), assigns them to the five users from Setup → Permission Set Licenses, then assigns the actual analytics permission set to those same users. The PSLs are the prerequisite gate; the Permission Set is what grants the day-to-day capability. Without the PSL, the same Permission Set assignment would either fail or leave the analytics features inert because the underlying license entitlement is missing.
Why Permission Set License matters
A Permission Set License (PSL) in Salesforce is a supplemental license that grants a user access to features, objects, or permissions not included in their base User License. Unlike a User License (which every user must have), Permission Set Licenses are optional and are assigned only when users need access to specific gated functionality. For example, the 'CRM Analytics Plus Permission Set License' enables Einstein Analytics features, and the 'Identity Connect Permission Set License' enables identity management capabilities.
Administrators assign PSLs to users from Setup, and once assigned, the related permissions can be granted through Permission Sets. The PSL itself doesn't grant the actual permissions; it just makes them available to be granted. This two-step model lets organizations purchase PSLs for the users who need specific features while keeping baseline user licenses simpler. Mature orgs track PSL assignments alongside permission set assignments to maintain clear access governance.
How to set up Permission Set License
Permission Set Licenses (PSLs) are supplemental licenses that unlock gated features beyond a user's base User License — CRM Analytics Plus, Identity Connect, Field Service, Einstein bots. PSLs are assigned to users in Setup; assigning a PSL doesn't grant any permissions on its own — you still need a Permission Set that references the PSL's gated permissions.
- Open Setup → Users → click into a User
PSLs are assigned per-user via the User detail page.
- Scroll to Permission Set License Assignments related list
Each PSL the org has licensed appears here. Initially empty assignments per user.
- Click Edit Assignments
Multi-select grid of available PSLs. Tick the ones the user should hold.
- Save
PSLs are now assigned to this user. They count against the org's PSL quota immediately.
- Now grant the gated permissions via a Permission Set
Setup → Permission Sets → Permission Set with the PSL's gated permissions enabled → Manage Assignments → assign to the same user. Without this layer, the PSL alone does nothing.
- Bulk-assign via Permission Set Group / Permission Set License Assignment via API
For large user populations, use the API or Data Loader to assign PSLs in bulk. Manual per-user assignment doesn't scale.
Each PSL gates specific features (CRM Analytics, Identity Connect, Einstein, Field Service, etc.).
UI is per-user; API supports bulk.
Required to actually grant the gated permissions.
- Assigning a PSL alone does NOT grant permissions. The PSL is the license; you still need a Permission Set that references the gated features. A user with a CRM Analytics PSL but no CRM Analytics Permission Set can't access CRM Analytics.
- Each PSL has a quota in the org's contract. Hitting the quota blocks new PSL assignments — admins must un-assign from inactive users first.
- PSLs don't auto-cascade through Permission Set Groups. The PSL must be assigned to the user directly; Permission Sets in a Group inherit the user's assignments but PSLs don't.
How organizations use Permission Set License
Assigns CRM Analytics Plus Permission Set Licenses to users who need access to Einstein Analytics features.
Tracks PSL assignments and permission set memberships together for unified access governance.
Audits PSL assignments quarterly to ensure they match current user needs and licensing.
About the Author
Dipojjal Chakrabarti is a B2C Solution Architect with 29 Salesforce certifications and over 13 years in the Salesforce ecosystem. He runs salesforcedictionary.com to help admins, developers, architects, and cert/interview candidates sharpen their fundamentals. More about Dipojjal.
Test your knowledge
Q1. What is a Permission Set License?
Q2. How does a PSL differ from a User License?
Q3. Does a PSL grant permissions automatically?
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