Having trouble with the NetDocuments M365 app requesting administrator consent? This is a common issue that occurs when your organization’s Azure AD security settings require admin approval for third-party applications. Here’s how to resolve it in under 5 minutes.
What’s Happening?
When users try to access the NetDocuments M365 plugin from the Office 365 ribbon, they may see an error message indicating that administrator consent is required. This happens because the NetDocuments application requires permissions to integrate with your Microsoft 365 environment, and your tenant settings require an admin to approve them.
Where You’ll See This Issue
The NetDocuments M365 plugin appears in your Outlook Ribbon:
If you click on the NetDocuments app and see an admin consent error, follow these steps.
Why Does This Happen?
Microsoft 365 organizations often configure their Azure Active Directory to require administrator approval before users can grant permissions to third-party applications. This security best practice prevents users from inadvertently granting excessive permissions to potentially malicious applications.
The NetDocuments M365 app requires specific Microsoft Graph API permissions to:
- Access your profile information
- Read and write files on your behalf
- Integrate with your Office applications
- Sync documents between NetDocuments and Microsoft 365
How to Fix It: Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Identify Your Office 365 Administrator
You’ll need someone with Global Administrator or Application Administrator rights in your Microsoft 365 tenant. This is typically your IT Administrator or IT Director.
Not sure who your admin is? Contact your IT help desk or the person who manages your firm’s Microsoft 365 licenses.
Step 2: Admin Logs Into Microsoft 365
Your administrator should sign in to their Microsoft 365 account at office.com or portal.azure.com using their admin credentials.
Step 3: Grant Admin Consent
Have your administrator click on this admin consent link:
https://login.microsoftonline.com/organizations/v2.0/adminconsent?client_id=ab4df93a-adc0-4fe7-a46b-699432c2efc8&scope=https://graph.microsoft.com/.default&redirect_uri=https://netdocuments.com/This link takes your admin directly to the consent page for the NetDocuments application.
Step 4: Review and Accept Permissions
Your administrator will see a permissions request screen listing what the NetDocuments app needs access to:
After reviewing the permissions, click Accept to grant consent for all users in your organization.
Step 5: Test the Integration
Once your administrator accepts the permissions:
- Close and reopen your Office applications
- Click on the NetDocuments button in the ribbon
- You should now be able to access NetDocuments without the admin consent error
Troubleshooting Common Issues
The Link Doesn’t Work
- Ensure your administrator is using their admin account, not a regular user account
- Verify they have Global Administrator or Application Administrator rights
- Try copying the URL directly into the browser instead of clicking the link
Still Getting Errors After Admin Consent
- Have users completely close and restart their Office applications (not just the document)
- Clear the Office application cache
- Sign out of Office 365 and sign back in
- Contact NetDocuments support if the issue persists
Need to Revoke Access Later?
Administrators can revoke this consent at any time through the Azure Active Directory admin center under Enterprise Applications.
Additional Resources
- NetDocuments M365 Integration Guide
- Managing Application Permissions in Azure AD
- Need help with your NetDocuments implementation?
Still Having Issues?
If you’re still experiencing problems with the NetDocuments M365 app after following these steps, or if you’d like assistance optimizing your NetDocuments integration, Optiable can help. We’ve successfully configured NetDocuments for over 500 law firms and can ensure your M365 integration works flawlessly.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your NetDocuments setup.