April Microsoft Newsletter
Welcome to your April edition of intY’s Microsoft newsletter.
This month, we have some exciting news and updates to share with you, as well as some knowledge and learning to help you get the most out of your Microsoft products and services.
Whether you are looking for new ways to boost your security, productivity, or collaboration, there’s something for you in this issue…
Microsoft news and updates
We are stopping the auto-renew of Microsoft Trials in CASCADE
Currently, all Microsoft trial SKUs auto-convert to 25 users on an annual commitment/ monthly billed basis.
From 1st May 2024, trial SKUs for Microsoft products will no longer auto-convert in CASCADE and instead, after the trial period has passed, will stop. If you would like to retain the service after the trial period has passed you will need to re-provision the paid-for service.
Please contact your account manager if you have any questions.
Public Sector Offer availability in Microsoft’s New Commerce Experience (NCE)
Microsoft has updated the timeline for Public Sector Offers in NCE:
As of 1st August 2024 (previously targeted for 1st May 2024), legacy offers will no longer be available to purchase on CSP if an equivalent is available in NCE.
No earlier than 1st September (previously targeted for 1st July 2024) Microsoft will begin the Microsoft-led auto migration of legacy offers to NCE.
And from 1st March 2025 (previously 31st December 2024), any associated incentives will end for legacy offers.
Microsoft non-profit NCE promotion* offers a 16.7% discount on Microsoft Business Standard, Business Premium and E3/E5 licenses to new customers and customers upgrading to a more premium product or legacy CSP customers renewing in NCE monthly commitment terms.
*Promotion ends December 2024.
View the full Microsoft announcement here.
Please contact your account manager for more information on these changes or to access the promotion.
Microsoft 365 licensing update
Last year, Microsoft updated the way Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Teams were licensed in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
Effective 1st April 2024, Microsoft has extended that approach worldwide to ensure licensing consistency globally. The changes are outlined as follows:
- End of sale of net-new subscriptions to all existing Enterprise SKUs with Teams (Microsoft 365 E3/E5 and Office 365 E1/E3/E5)
- Introduction of new suites without Teams, which are named the same as existing suites but with the description altered to include (no Teams). The (no Teams) suites will apply to the following offers:
- Microsoft 365 E3/E5, Office 365 E1/E3/E5
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Business Standard, Business Basic
- Microsoft 365 F1/F3, Office 365 F3
- Introduction of a stand-alone Teams SKU for Enterprise: Microsoft Teams Enterprise
Microsoft will continue to offer existing SMB and Frontline suites with Teams (Business Basic/Standard/Premium, M365 F1, M365 F3, O365 F3) alongside the new versions without Teams.
What do these changes mean for me and my customers?
Any existing customers who are currently subscribed to any of the involved suites can continue to use, renew, upgrade, and add seats to their current plans as usual. If your customers want to switch to the new line-up, they can do so on their contract anniversary or renewal.
If you have net-new subscribers to Office and/or Microsoft 365 Enterprise suites who want Microsoft Teams capabilities, they will need to purchase two SKUs: Microsoft 365 (no Teams) or Office 365 (no Teams) and Microsoft Teams Enterprise.
Please note: These changes apply only to commercial SKUs. Consumer, Academic, US Government and Non-profit suites are not currently impacted.
Please contact your account manager if you have any questions or find further information in the following links:
Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available for Office 365, Frontline, and Microsoft 365 Business Basic SKUs
Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now generally available for purchase to customers with Microsoft 365 F1 and F3, Office 365 E1, and Microsoft 365 Business Basic.
This is in addition to the already available Microsoft 365 E3/5, Office 365 E3/5, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, and Microsoft 365 Business Premium plans.
View the full Microsoft announcement here.
Commercial Microsoft Dynamics 365 pricing update
Effective 1st October 2024, some Dynamics 365 products’ pricing will be updated. The affected products and pricing can be found in the table below:
| Product | Price before October 1, 2024 | Price after October 1, 2024 [2] |
|---|---|---|
|
Dynamics 365 Sales Enterprise |
$95 |
$105 |
|
Dynamics 365 Sales Device |
$145 |
$160 |
|
Dynamics 365 Sales Premium |
$135
|
$150 |
|
Microsoft Relationship Sales [3] |
$162 |
$177 |
|
Dynamics 365 Customer Service Enterprise |
$95 |
$105 |
|
Dynamics 365 Customer Service Device |
$145 |
$160 |
|
Dynamics 365 Field Service |
$95 |
$105 |
|
Dynamics 365 Field Service Device |
$145 |
$160 |
|
Dynamics 365 Finance |
$180 |
$210 |
|
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management |
$180 |
$210 |
|
Dynamics 365 Commerce |
$180 |
$210 |
|
Dynamics 365 Human Resources |
$120 |
$135 |
|
Dynamics 365 Project Operations |
$120 |
$135 |
|
Dynamics 365 Operations – Device |
$75 |
$85 |
[1] All prices are per user per month (or per device per month, where noted).
[2] Prices shown are for informational purposes only and might not be reflective of actual price due to currency, country, region, and other factors. Exact pricing will be available on 1st September via the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) Price List Preview.
[3] Pricing per user per month will increase by $15 in all tiers in Microsoft Relationship Sales. Only 10-99 user tier shown for simplicity.
Pricing for Dynamics 365 Business Central will remain unchanged.
View the full Microsoft announcement here.
If you have any questions, then please reach out to your account manager.
Microsoft Copilot for Security is now available!
Microsoft have recently announced the general availability of Microsoft Copilot for Security.
This AI-powered solution boosts security operations with tailored insights and new features like custom promptbooks and third-party integrations. Plus, it now offers a pay-as-you-go option, making it easier to access. It seamlessly works with Microsoft’s security products for a comprehensive security solution.
Find out more here.
Introducing restricted SharePoint search to help you get started with Copilot for Microsoft 365
Restricted SharePoint Search enhances security by enabling admins to manage search experiences within Copilot for Microsoft 365.
It permits selective search access to specified SharePoint sites, ensuring data governance during Copilot deployment. This integration empowers you to maintain control over sensitive data, ensuring a secure user experience.
Read the blog to find out more about restricted SharePoint search.
More Copilot resources
With Copilot adoption in full swing for many partners, we’ve rounded up the latest updates and resources we think you’ll find useful:
- Unlock value with Copilot Success Kit
- Pitch Copilot to your customers with marketing and sales assets
- Sell Copilot specifically to SMBs
- Manage and find opportunity in your customer base with Microsoft 365 Lighthouse
- Copilot Sales & Technical Bootcamps will run from March – May 2024. The next Bootcamp is on Weds 20th March, 2pm.
- M365 Copilot for Education customers (A3 and A5) is now available in Cloud Market.
If you’d like more information on Copilot, view our Copilot Quick Start Guide or head to our FAQ page or contact our Modern Workplace Practice team.
Introduction of SMB Tracks for Azure and Security Solutions Partner Designations
In the coming months, Microsoft will introduce SMB paths to the Security and Azure Solutions Partner Designations Data and AI (Azure), Digital and App Innovation (Azure), Infrastructure (Azure) in line with the existing Modern Work pathways.
More details to follow, but current changes include points attainment for the pre-requisite exams, a reduction in the number of certifications required, and a reduction in the threshold for new customer adds, all for SMB track.
View the full Microsoft announcement here.
Partner Announcements
We want to continue to make every effort to only communicate with you the important things.
We’ve toned down the number of emails we send to you, and instead, we’re putting all you need to know on the Partner Announcements page on our website, that way you have a historical log on any updates from our vendors and intY, which allows you to easily catch up with anything you miss in your own time.
Training and resources
At intY, we understand that true strength lies in knowledge…
Did you know we have a section containing a catalogue of our recorded online webinars and workshops? Explore them here.
If you’re looking to upskill your sales teams, inspire and educate your customers, or empower your technical teams – Illuminate Learning has a diverse range of training courses tailored to your needs. Upskill your teams here.
We are continuing to enable our partners with all the essential knowledge and skills to resell Microsoft Azure solutions with confidence. We’ve converted more of our live workshops to on-demand sessions so that you can make the most of our platform – when it’s most convenient for you. But don’t worry, there’s still the opportunity to book a call if you need us!
If you haven’t experienced our partner-exclusive enablement programme yet, get started here.
Current promotions and incentives
Azure Incentives
We are running an exclusive Proof of Concept (or ACO) incentive for partners on our partner enablement platform, Azure Ascend. This incentive will reward you for creating new opportunities in Microsoft Azure. If you are interested in applying for this funding, please read the terms & conditions below and then register via the form.
To qualify, you’ll need to be signed up to Azure Ascend and have completed your onboarding call in Stage One, Step One. Once you’ve registered for this incentive and transact through a Microsoft Azure subscription, you will receive a credit against your Azure consumption for the first two billing cycles.
Microsoft Defender for Business (currently UK/EU only)
Between 1st March 2024 and 28th February 2025, we’re offering 45% margin on Microsoft Defender for Business making it more comparable to other security products across the market.
Microsoft Defender for Business is a great solution for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) (up to 300 users) that goes well beyond anti-virus protection, providing enterprise-grade security to protect against sophisticated cyber threats.
The £3 per user per month (annual plan) SKU provides security to SMBs with minimal to no security protection, such as existing Microsoft 365 Business Basic or Standard customers, or those using competitive solutions.
This promotion is available for both monthly and annual commitments on NCE and can be applied to both existing* and future customers!
* The promotion pricing for (currently UK/EU only) existing customers will not be applied to any current subscriptions, but the Promo SKU can be ordered alongside the existing order (or upon renewal).
Please contact your account manager for more information on this promotion.
Microsoft Promotions
At the beginning of each month, Microsoft releases a Promo Guide which highlights the current promotions they are making available for partners.
Check out this month’s promo guide here, but keep in mind region and programme availability!
Community Corner
Visit the case study page on our website to discover partner success stories and get a general feel for the intY community.
Upcoming events
Thursday Think Tank with our Microsoft experts
Bi-weekly on a Thursday, we’re rolling out the virtual red carpet for an exclusive drop-in session: Thursday Think Tank.
Hosted by our Microsoft maestros – sessions will focus on the latest news on Microsoft solutions, key learning opportunities for you and your team, and answers to your burning questions on all things Microsoft.
It’s not just a meeting; it’s a chance to connect, learn, and thrive with fellow Microsoft professionals.
Visit our events page to sign up for the next one!
Microsoft Defender Suite Workshop
Shield your workspace with confidence!
Join our exclusive workshop as we delve into the Microsoft Defender suite. Gain insights, practical knowledge, and expert guidance to fortify your defences against evolving threats.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your security posture and ensure robust protection for your Microsoft 365 environment with intY’s expertise in Microsoft Defender solutions.
Sign up for the event here.
Upcoming Microsoft workshops
Keep an eye on Microsoft’s upcoming digital events here.
[Top tip: Bookmark this page so you can always stay up to date!]
Concluding thoughts
This edition of our Microsoft Partner Newsletter ends, but our partnership and commitment to you doesn’t.
As always, we’re grateful for your continued support and cooperation as we strive to provide the best Microsoft solutions to you and your customers.
Our team is always here to support you, offering guidance, resources, and information to help you succeed with Microsoft. You make our community strong and vibrant, and we’re eager to continue this partnership journey with you.
If you have any feedback on how we do things around here, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!
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