Build Azure Policy definitions with guided effect, condition, and parameter configuration.
Last verified: April 2026
The Azure resource provider type to target
When enabled, the effect and list values become configurable parameters at assignment time
Output will appear here...The builder constructs an Azure Policy definition JSON object with the correct schema, mode (All or Indexed), parameters, and policyRule structure. The policyRule contains an 'if' block with field conditions using logical operators (allOf, anyOf, not) and an effect in the 'then' block. For DeployIfNotExists, it generates the nested deployment template with the required existenceCondition, roleDefinitionIds, and ARM template deployment block.
Azure Policy enforces organizational standards across your Azure subscriptions by evaluating resource properties during creation and updates. Policies use a JSON definition format with effects (Deny, Audit, Append, Modify, DeployIfNotExists), conditions that match resource properties, and parameters for reusability. This builder guides you through constructing policy definitions with the correct structure, including field references, logical operators, and effect-specific configurations like the deployment template required for DeployIfNotExists. It generates production-ready JSON that can be deployed via Azure CLI, PowerShell, or Terraform.
Your cloud governance team wants to enforce that all storage accounts have HTTPS-only traffic enabled and diagnostic logging configured. You use the builder to create two policies: a Deny policy that blocks storage account creation when supportsHttpsTrafficOnly is false, and a DeployIfNotExists policy that automatically creates a diagnostic settings resource when one is missing. After a 2-week Audit period confirms no false positives, you switch the HTTPS policy to Deny. The diagnostic policy auto-remediates 43 existing storage accounts that were missing logging.
Always roll out new policies with the Audit effect first and monitor the compliance dashboard for 1-2 weeks before switching to Deny. Deploying a Deny policy without a dry run can silently break CI/CD pipelines, auto-scaling, and disaster recovery processes that create resources programmatically.
Use policy exemptions (not exclusions) when a specific resource genuinely needs an exception. Exemptions are time-bounded, auditable, and require justification — they show up in compliance reports. Exclusions are scope-based and easy to abuse because they silently remove entire resource groups from evaluation.
DeployIfNotExists policies require a managed identity with the right permissions to create the remediation resource. A common failure mode is assigning the policy but forgetting to grant the policy's managed identity Contributor or the specific role needed for the deployment template. The policy will report non-compliance but never actually remediate.
Deny blocks resource creation or modification when conditions match — use it for hard guardrails. Audit allows the operation but creates a compliance entry for reporting — use it for soft enforcement during rollout. DeployIfNotExists checks for a related resource (like a diagnostic setting) after the main resource is created and deploys it if missing — use it for automated remediation. Most organizations start with Audit, then move to Deny or DeployIfNotExists once teams have adapted.
An initiative (also called a policy set definition) groups multiple policy definitions together for assignment as a single unit. For example, the CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark initiative contains dozens of individual policies. Initiatives simplify management because you assign them once at a management group or subscription level rather than assigning each policy individually. The builder creates individual definitions that you can then group into initiatives.
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