Essential ArcGIS Pro licensing vocabulary

Essential terms used in ArcGIS Pro licensing topics

Term	Definition
Active portal	The ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise site displayed on the ArcGIS Pro sign-in menu and marked with a check mark on the Portals page in the ArcGIS Pro settings. The active portal is the one to which you share web maps and other online content and from which you access online content. You can be signed in to multiple portals, but only one can be active in each instance of ArcGIS Pro. See Manage portal connections from ArcGIS Pro. Compare to Licensing portal and Portal.
Add-on license	In ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise, a Named User license that can be assigned by an organization administrator to a member with the appropriate user type. For example, ArcGIS Pro add-on licenses can be assigned to members with the Creator user type. See User type.
Advanced license	One of three ArcGIS Pro license levels (Basic, Standard, and Advanced). The Advanced license level includes all the functionality of the Basic and Standard license levels and adds functionality in the areas of database management, editing, geoprocessing, and imagery management.
ArcGIS Desktop	A suite of GIS software products that includes ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcGlobe, ArcScene, and an ArcGIS Online subscription.
ArcGIS developer account	A single-user account that provides access to the tools, services, and APIs required to build and deploy applications that access the ArcGIS platform. It provides full access to the developer dashboard to manage API keys, OAuth credentials, hosted layers, and developer subscription details. Compare to ArcGIS organization account and ArcGIS public account.
ArcGIS Enterprise	A mapping, analytics, data hosting, and content management product that can be hosted on-premises or in your infrastructure. It is composed of a portal, a server, a data store, and an ArcGIS Web Adaptor. See What is ArcGIS Enterprise?
ArcGIS Enterprise portal	The component of ArcGIS Enterprise that is equivalent to an ArcGIS Online organization, except that it is hosted on-premises. (It can also be hosted in the cloud using ArcGIS Enterprise on Amazon Web Services or ArcGIS Enterprise on Microsoft Azure.) Portal for ArcGIS includes the infrastructure for managing web maps and data, and for managing user membership and access to the system, including ArcGIS Pro licensing. See What is the ArcGIS Enterprise portal?
ArcGIS License Manager	A software application required for Concurrent Use licensing of ArcGIS Desktop products and Named User licensing of ArcGIS Pro in an ArcGIS Enterprise deployment. ArcGIS License Manager keeps track of the number of copies of a desktop application that can be run at the same time. See License manager basics.
ArcGIS Online	A cloud-based portal that provides secure mapping, analytics, and data storage. It is used to create, store, share, and manage an ArcGIS account holder's maps, location services, apps, data, and other geographic content. See What is ArcGIS Online?
ArcGIS Online organization	The administrative structure of ArcGIS Online. It provides the GIS tools and user interface for online mapping, analysis, and data management. It is also used to manage membership, user software privileges, and licensing of ArcGIS Pro and other premium apps.
ArcGIS organization	An ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise organization.
ArcGIS organization account	A single-user account associated with an ArcGIS Online organization that can be used to access tools, services, and APIs to develop applications for the organization. A user's capabilities are determined by the user type and role assigned to them by the administrator. Compare to ArcGIS developer account and ArcGIS public account.
ArcGIS Pro	A professional desktop GIS application that you can use to explore, visualize, analyze, and manage 2D and 3D data. ArcGIS Pro supports data sharing across ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise.
ArcGIS Pro Licensing Service	A component required to authorize a Single Use license or to borrow a Concurrent Use license in ArcGIS Pro. It is available in the C:\Users\<user profile>\AppData\Local\Programs\ArcGIS\Pro\Resources\ArcGIS Pro Licensing Service folder. A per-user installation of ArcGIS Pro does not include the ArcGIS Pro Licensing Service. See Install ArcGIS Pro for information about per-user and per-machine installation options.
ArcGIS Pro Trial	A free, temporary license to try ArcGIS Pro. See the ArcGIS Pro Free Trial page.
ArcGIS public account	A free, entry-level account that can be used to access tools for creating and sharing content such as layers, maps, and scenes. Public accounts have limited functionality and can't be used to develop applications. Compare to ArcGIS developer account and ArcGIS organization account.
Authorization file	A text file that can be used to authorize software licenses when an internet connection is not available. See Authorization files.
Basic license	One of three ArcGIS Pro license levels (Basic, Standard, and Advanced). The Basic license level provides core GIS functionality.
Concurrent Use license	A type of software license that allows many users to share access to ArcGIS Pro. See ArcGIS Pro license types.
Core product	The ArcGIS Pro application without extension products. Compare to Extension.
Extension	A product that integrates seamlessly with ArcGIS Pro to provide specialized functionality. See ArcGIS Pro extensions.
License file	A file created in My Esri and used to streamline software license authorization. See License files.
License level	An ArcGIS Pro licensing option (Basic, Standard, or Advanced) that determines the scope of product functionality. See ArcGIS Pro license levels.
License Manager	See ArcGIS License Manager.
Licensing portal	The portal that validates a user's credentials when they start ArcGIS Pro with a Named User license. The licensing portal is marked with a key icon on the Portals page in the ArcGIS Pro settings. Compare to Active portal and Portal.
Maintenance	A program for holders of ArcGIS Desktop perpetual licenses. Maintenance includes software updates, technical support, access to ArcGIS Online, and more.
My Esri	A website for managing Esri software downloads, licensing, and relationships with Esri departments such as Customer Service, Technical Support, and Training.
Named User license	A type of software license that provides access to ArcGIS Pro through membership in an ArcGIS organization. See ArcGIS Pro license types.
Perpetual license	An ArcGIS Pro software license that does not expire. See License duration. Compare to Subscription license.
Portal	An ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise site to which you can share your ArcGIS Pro work and from which you can access web maps, layers, and other items.
Portal for ArcGIS	See ArcGIS Enterprise portal.
Provisioning file	See License file.
Public account	See ArcGIS public account.
Single Use license	A type of software license that allows a user to use ArcGIS Pro on one computer at a time. See ArcGIS Pro license types.
Standard license	One of three ArcGIS Pro license levels (Basic, Standard, and Advanced). The Standard license level includes all the functionality of the Basic license level and adds functionality in the areas of database management, editing, geoprocessing, and imagery management.
Subscription license	An ArcGIS Pro software license that is valid for a specific time period, usually one year, after which it must be renewed. See License duration. Compare to Perpetual license.
User type	In an ArcGIS organization, a status that determines a member's capabilities and access to applications, including ArcGIS Pro. User types are assigned by an administrator in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise. See User types, roles, and privileges.