AZ-104 Manage Azure Identities and Governance Practice Question
A contractor is a member of an Entra security group that has a PIM-eligible Contributor assignment on a resource group. The contractor sees the role in the portal, but deployment fails with a role not active message. The activation policy requires justification, MFA, and manager approval. Which two actions are required before the deployment succeeds? Select two.
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently assume an eligible role assignment is immediately usable, but PIM requires explicit activation with all configured requirements before the role becomes effective for deployments.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Activate the eligible role assignment in Privileged Identity Management.
The contractor has a PIM-eligible role assignment, which means the role is not active until the user activates it through Privileged Identity Management. Activation is a prerequisite for the role to be effective, and without it, any deployment requiring the Contributor role will fail with a 'role not active' message.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Activate the eligible role assignment in Privileged Identity Management.
Why this is correct
An eligible assignment does not grant active access until the user activates it. Seeing the role in the portal only means the assignment exists; it does not mean it is currently effective. Activation is the first required step to make the permissions usable.
- ✓
Complete the configured activation requirements, such as justification, MFA, and manager approval.
Why this is correct
Because the tenant requires conditional activation controls, the contractor must satisfy those requirements before the role becomes active. MFA, justification, and approval are common PIM activation gates. Without meeting them, the role remains inactive and deployment remains blocked.
- ✗
Add the contractor directly to the subscription Owner role to bypass the eligibility workflow.
Why it's wrong here
This would bypass the intended governance model and grant far more access than needed. It also changes the security design instead of resolving the immediate activation issue. The problem is not missing Owner permissions; it is that the eligible role has not been activated.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct in a scenario where a user needs immediate, permanent access to a resource and there is no PIM or eligibility requirement; for example, when a new administrator must be granted Owner rights on a subscription without any activation process.
- ✗
Wait for Azure Policy compliance evaluation to finish before trying again.
Why it's wrong here
Policy compliance evaluation does not activate PIM roles. Azure Policy can deny deployments, but the specific error here indicates an inactive role assignment, which is an authorization workflow issue. Waiting will not satisfy the activation requirements.
When this WOULD be correct
If a deployment fails due to a policy violation (e.g., a resource location restriction), waiting for policy evaluation to complete and then retrying could resolve the issue if the policy is eventually compliant.
- ✗
Remove the user from the security group and add them back so the role becomes active.
Why it's wrong here
Recycling group membership does not replace the PIM activation workflow. The group assignment is already present; it is simply eligible, not active. Adding and removing the user would not satisfy MFA, justification, or approval requirements.
When this WOULD be correct
This would be correct if the user's role assignment was corrupted or not properly applied due to a transient issue, and the question specified that the user already has an active role assignment but it's not taking effect.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Activate the eligible role assignment in Privileged Identity Management.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
An eligible assignment does not grant active access until the user activates it. Seeing the role in the portal only means the assignment exists; it does not mean it is currently effective. Activation is the first required step to make the permissions usable.
✗Add the contractor directly to the subscription Owner role to bypass the eligibility workflow.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Adding the contractor directly to the subscription Owner role bypasses the PIM eligibility workflow and violates the principle of least privilege; it does not address the requirement to activate the eligible role assignment.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct in a scenario where a user needs immediate, permanent access to a resource and there is no PIM or eligibility requirement; for example, when a new administrator must be granted Owner rights on a subscription without any activation process.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that granting a higher role like Owner will override the activation requirement, or they may not fully understand that PIM eligible roles require explicit activation even if the user is already a member of a group with the role.
✗Wait for Azure Policy compliance evaluation to finish before trying again.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Policy compliance evaluation does not affect role activation; the deployment fails because the PIM-eligible role must be activated first, not because of policy evaluation.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If a deployment fails due to a policy violation (e.g., a resource location restriction), waiting for policy evaluation to complete and then retrying could resolve the issue if the policy is eventually compliant.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Azure Policy with role-based access control, thinking that policy compliance must be checked before role activation takes effect.
✗Remove the user from the security group and add them back so the role becomes active.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Removing and re-adding the user does not activate the PIM-eligible role; the role remains inactive until the user activates it through PIM and meets the policy requirements.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This would be correct if the user's role assignment was corrupted or not properly applied due to a transient issue, and the question specified that the user already has an active role assignment but it's not taking effect.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that re-adding the user refreshes the role assignment or triggers a re-evaluation, similar to troubleshooting group membership issues in other contexts.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
Key term
Policy
A policy is a set of rules or guidelines that defines how an organization manages, secures, and operates its IT systems and services.
Key term
Security
Security in IT is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, damage, or theft.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on AZ-104
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A contractor is a member of an Entra security group that has the Contributor role on a resource group. When the contractor tries to deploy, the portal says the role is not active. The activation request requires approver approval, and the previous activation window has expired. What should the contractor do?
medium- A.Wait for the role assignment to propagate to Azure.
- B.Create a new security group and assign Contributor directly.
- C.Sign out of the portal and sign back in only.
- ✓ D.Activate the eligible role through Privileged Identity Management and obtain approval if required.
Why D: The contractor has an eligible role assignment that requires activation through Privileged Identity Management (PIM). Since the previous activation window has expired, the role is no longer active, and the contractor must initiate a new activation request, which may require approver approval. Option D correctly describes this process, as PIM is the Azure service designed for just-in-time access to privileged roles.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This AZ-104 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-104 exam.