License issues usually show up at the worst time, right when you need to build, simulate, or deploy. In EcoStruxure Automation Expert, license management is straightforward once you know where to look and which workflow matches your workstation setup. This guide explains how license activation and license return work in version 23.1 and above, both with and without an internet connection.
How EcoStruxure Automation Expert licensing works (trial vs. engineering)
EcoStruxure Automation Expert includes a trial mode designed to let you evaluate the tool before committing to a full engineering setup. The trial license starts automatically the first time you launch the product, and it runs for 42 days. During that window, you can create solutions and run simulations so you can validate your approach and test behavior without deploying to hardware.
Once the trial period ends, the software won’t remain fully usable on its own. At that point, you need an engineering license activated on the workstation. The engineering license is what unlocks day-to-day use after the trial, and it also enables deployment of your solutions to physical devices.
A simple way to think about it is this:
- Trial license: good for evaluation work, solution creation, and simulation, limited to 42 days.
- Engineering license: required for continued use after the trial, and required to deploy to real devices.
The License Manager also supports optional add-on licenses. If your order included add-ons, you can activate (or return) them along with the engineering license so the workstation stays consistent with what your project needs.
Three ways to open the License Manager in v23.1+
In v23.1 and above, the License Manager is reachable from a few places, which helps when you are troubleshooting or setting up a new engineering workstation. You can open it from:
- Startup prompt: when EcoStruxure Automation Expert starts, you can choose to activate a license immediately or do it later.
- About section: open the About area and use the license link shown there.
- Help menu: open Help and select License Manager.
All three paths lead to the same place. Pick the one that fits your workflow. For example, the startup prompt is handy on a fresh install, while the Help menu option is often fastest when you are already working in the engineering environment.
Before you start any activation, make sure you have the activation ID(s) available. These are sent by email after the license order is processed. The License Manager uses those IDs to validate and activate entitlements on the workstation.
Activating and returning licenses online (workstation has internet)
When the engineering workstation is connected to the internet, the License Manager can complete activation and return without any file transfers. It’s the fastest method, and it’s the one to use whenever your environment allows it.
Online license activation steps (engineering workstation connected)
Open the License Manager, then run through the activation flow:
- Select Activate.
- Enter your activation ID(s) (from the order email).
- Review the status feedback shown for each ID.
- Correct any errors or warnings, then select Next to start activation.
- Review the final activation result summary.
While you type, the License Manager checks the syntax of each activation ID. It also flags problems before you move forward. This reduces avoidable failures and saves time when you are activating multiple items at once (engineering license plus add-ons).
Here are common status messages you may see while entering IDs:
- Incorrectly entered ID: the syntax doesn’t match what the system expects.
- Duplicate ID: the same activation ID was entered more than once.
- Already activated: the activation ID is already in use on a workstation.
After you proceed, the last screen shows whether each ID activated successfully. If an activation fails, the License Manager displays the failure reason and guidance on how to fix it.
A practical habit is to treat that result screen like a diagnostic report. If you need help, you can copy the activation result to the Windows clipboard and send it to your local Schneider Electric support contact. That cuts down on back-and-forth because it includes the exact failure text.
If you’re working on older installations and need a reference for earlier behavior, Schneider Electric also published a separate video for version 22.1, see license activation in EcoStruxure Automation Expert v22.1.
Online license return steps (engineering workstation connected)
Returning a license is what you do when you need to move it to another engineering workstation. After the return completes, the license is no longer tied to the original machine, and it can be activated elsewhere.
In the License Manager:
- Select the license (or licenses) you want to return.
- If you’re returning more than one, hold Ctrl while selecting multiple entries.
- Run the return action and confirm the operation.
When the return is finished, an “operation completed” dialog shows which licenses were returned.
One detail that matters during returns is the Status column. The Status column indicates whether a specific license can be returned right now. If you are trying to clean up a workstation before a rebuild or hardware swap, checking that column first can save time because it tells you which entries are eligible for return.
For quick tracking in change-controlled environments, it can help to record what happened in a simple log. Even a small table like the one below makes it easy to reconcile later (example format):
| License item | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering license | Return | Returned successfully |
| Add-on license | Return | Returned successfully |
Activating and returning licenses offline (workstation has no internet)
Some engineering workstations are isolated by design. If that’s your setup, you can still activate and return licenses, but you’ll use an offline workflow that moves files between the offline workstation and a separate computer that has internet access.
When you open the License Manager offline and select one of the left-side actions (activation or return related actions), you’ll see a message indicating that you are offline. Online activation is simpler, but offline is fully supported. Choose Yes to continue with offline activation or return.
Offline activation (five-step workflow)
Offline activation uses a request file and a response file. You generate the request file on the offline workstation, upload it to a licensing web portal from an internet-connected computer, then bring the response file back to complete activation.
The workflow in v23.1+ is:
- Enter your activation ID(s) in the License Manager.
- Create a request file by choosing where to save it on the offline engineering workstation.
- Follow the on-screen instructions provided by the License Manager.
- On a computer with internet access, open the provided web portal URL and upload the request file.
- Download the generated response file, bring it back to the offline workstation, then process it to finish activation.
The License Manager provides written instructions during this process. Copying those instructions into a text editor is a good way to avoid mistakes, and it also makes them printable for controlled shop-floor environments where you may not want to switch windows during the procedure.
If you close the offline activation dialog partway through, you can still finish the job. Use the Process Response option in the License Manager, then browse to the saved response file location. Once the response is processed, the workstation completes license activation without needing direct internet access.
For extra background on offline workflows, Schneider Electric community resources can be useful, such as the discussion on offline activation and renewal methods for EcoStruxure Automation Expert licenses.
Offline license return (mirrors the activation process)
Offline return follows the same request-response pattern as offline activation:
- Select the licenses you want to return in the License Manager.
- Generate a request file and save it locally.
- Upload the request file to the web portal from an internet-connected computer.
- Download the response file created by the portal.
- Process the response file back on the offline engineering workstation to complete the return.
Because it mirrors activation, the same operational habits apply: keep the request and response files paired, record where you saved them, and avoid renaming files in a way that makes later auditing difficult.
If you are working through general licensing topics across Schneider Electric tools, the Schneider Electric community also maintains a broader hub for license activation help articles and resources.
Practical resources for EcoStruxure Automation Expert users
If you want more step-by-step content directly from Schneider Electric, these official resources are a good next stop:
- The EcoStruxure Automation Expert How-to video playlist collects short videos on common tasks.
- The 3D interactive EcoStruxure Automation Expert demo helps you explore capabilities in a guided format.
- The Schneider Electric page for EcoStruxure Automation Expert product overview provides the official offer summary and positioning.
Conclusion
License activation and return in EcoStruxure Automation Expert v23.1+ comes down to two decisions: whether you’re online, and whether you’re activating or returning. With internet access, the License Manager can complete everything directly. Without internet access, the request and response file process still gets you to the same outcome. If something fails, the activation result screen is your best troubleshooting artifact, and it’s often enough to speed up support conversations.
