On the 6th of August 2024, Microsoft announced some significant changes to the Microsoft Cloud AI partner program, formerly known as the Microsoft Partner Network.
Here we will summarise the main changes, how they affect you as an Indirect CSP Reseller partner, how you can take advantage to access more benefits and why you should work to achieve Solutions Partner designations that highlight your capabilities and customer success.
What are the main changes?
The legacy Silver and Gold benefits along with the Microsoft Action Pack are being retired. These offerings will no longer be available for renewal after the 21st of January 2025.
Also, from the 22nd of January 2025 Microsoft is expanding the range of Internal Use Rights (IUR) product licenses and other benefits that are included with their newer packages and partners will be no doubt be pleased to hear this will include Microsoft Copilot products in certain packages.
Please note that these additional new IUR licenses will not be added to the legacy benefit packages that are being retired.
How will the retirement of the legacy Silver/Gold benefits affect a partner’s incentives eligibility?
Partners with an eligible legacy Silver or Gold competency that is active as of the 21st of January 2025 will continue to be eligible for incentives for the remainder of the FY25 incentive term until the 30th of September 2025. From the 1st of October 2025 partners will need to have attained an eligible Solutions Partner Designation to continue to receive incentives going forward.
You have a legacy Silver/Gold or Action Pack membership package- what are your options?
For partners with legacy Silver or Gold memberships, if you haven’t already achieved a Solutions Partner Designation then you should start working to achieve one (or more) now so that you don’t miss out on any potential incentive earnings after October 2025. Also, it will ensure that you have continued access to an expanding range of IUR licenses, Go-to-Market resources, support and advisory benefits.
While October 2025 might seem some way off, you might find that you need some time to achieve the required points across the performance, skilling and customer success metrics to reach the required partner capability score to qualify for a designation. So, review your current partner capability score now to see where you currently stand and start working on progressing any metrics where you are short of where you need to be.
You can view your partner capability score in your Partner Center account under the Membership workspace > Solutions Partner > Overview. See here for details and note that you need to be assigned the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program partner admin role or the Global Admin role to view the Membership workspace.
If you have an active legacy Silver or Gold membership and later qualify for a Solutions Partner designation Microsoft automatically upgrades you to a Solutions Partner designation as you qualify. On your anniversary date, if you still qualify for the Solutions Partner designation, you'll have the option to purchase the Solutions Partner designation benefits.
If you find that your legacy Silver or Gold membership will be expiring in 2025 before you’ve been able to achieve a Solutions Partner Designation, then you will want to look at purchasing one of the new benefit packages so that you can continue to have access to IUR licenses, Go-to-Market, support and partner advisory services (depending on the package). You can purchase the new benefit packages at any time, there is no eligibility requirement, you just need to pay the benefit package fee.
Even if your membership will not be expiring for a while you still might want to consider purchasing one of the new partner benefit packages to supplement your existing benefits as the new packages will provide access to new products from the 22nd of January 2025. The Partner Success Expanded Benefits package represents pretty amazing value and with the January 2025 update this will also include Microsoft Copilot licenses for M365, Sales, Finance and Customer Service.
For an overview of what’s included with the Partner Launch Benefits, Partner Success Core Benefits and Partner Success Expanded Benefits packages see here and for the updated benefit PDF guide which provides detailed specifics of the different benefit packages, Solutions Partner Designations and Specialisation benefits, see here.
For full program details, download the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program Benefits Guide.
Why should you focus on Solutions Partner Designation achievement?
Besides from being an eligibility requirement for incentives after the 30th of September 2025, achieving a Solutions Partner designation is a great way to showcase your capabilities, to stand out from the competition and align with Microsoft priorities and customer demand.
Attaining a designation strengthens your cloud practice, helps scale your business and deepens your partnership with Microsoft with a portfolio of benefits that include product IUR licenses that give you hands-on experience with the latest technology, Azure credits, marketing services, support, skilling and sales enablement resources, and more.
It also increases your visibility and discoverability on the Microsoft partner website and the Microsoft commercial marketplace, where customers can search for partners and solutions by designation.
How can Dicker Data help?
Our dedicated in-house Microsoft team are here to provide you with the expert guidance you need to help you on your path to attaining your Solutions Partner Designation. Whether you are looking to attain a designation in Modern Work or in the Azure/AI or Business Applications areas, we have people with the expertise to help guide you there.
To get started contact us to book a meeting with one of our Partner Development Managers.
You can reach out to our team at micrososft.sales@dickerdata.com.au or 02 8556 8061 and visit our Dicker Data Microsoft microsite here for more information and where you can also book a meeting.
