Microsoft CSP Partner Program Updates - Early October 2024
Main Themes
- Partner Center AI assistant: Microsoft has launched a new AI assistant feature, Partner Center AI assistant (preview), within its Partner Center platform. The assistant, which is currently available in English, uses generative AI to provide tailored insights and intelligent suggestions to partners, helping them optimize their workflows and answer questions.
- Pricing and Licensing Changes: Several updates impact pricing and licensing, including the release of System Center 2025 with new prices and licensing models, the addition of Extended Security Update (ESU) SKUs, and corrected pricing for Japan-exclusive SKUs.
- New Features and Services: Microsoft announced the general availability of transactable professional services through private offers in the marketplace, self-service purchase options for Microsoft 365 Copilot, and new activity log and webhook events in Partner Center Sandbox.
- Operational Improvements: Updates focus on enhanced security posture for partners, extended migration timelines for CSP billing reconciliation APIs, and a new store service fee discount for renewals.
Partner Center AI Assistant
The assistant, currently available in English, leverages generative AI to provide personalized insights and streamline partner workflows within the Microsoft Partner Center platform.
Key Features & Benefits:
Tailored Insights & Intelligent Suggestions: The AI assistant uses data from Microsoft product documentation, partner program guides, and individual partner data to offer relevant recommendations and support.
Quick Answers & Optimized Workflows: Partners can ask the AI assistant questions related to their daily tasks and receive swift responses, enhancing efficiency.
Seamless Integration & Continuous Conversation: The assistant is integrated directly into the Partner Center interface and maintains conversation context as users navigate different workspaces.
Support Ticket Creation: Partners can seamlessly create support tickets through the AI assistant panel, pre-populated with relevant information from the conversation.
Constant Enhancement: Microsoft is committed to continuously improving the AI assistant's capabilities and expanding its knowledge base.
Accessing & Using the AI Assistant:
- Sign in to the Partner Center dashboard.
- Click the sparkle icon in the upper-right corner of the page to open the AI assistant panel.
- Initiate a conversation by selecting a topic from the drop-down menu, using the prompt guide, or asking a question.
- Learn more on example prompts here.
Microsoft plans to expand the feature to more languages and users by the end of 2024, and is encouraging partners to provide feedback through the thumbs up/down control and comment box within the AI assistant panel. Partners can also learn more about the AI assistant capabilities and access training and Q&A sessions through the Partner Center platform.
Pricing & Licensing:
- System Center 2025: Launching on November 1, 2024, with a 10% price increase compared to the 2022 version. Licensing remains similar to the previous version, based on physical cores and differentiated by virtualization rights.
- ESU SKUs: Additional SKUs were added to the October software price list, providing extended security updates for specific products.
- Japan-Exclusive SKUs: The October software price list for Japan was republished to correct pricing errors for certain SKUs.
New Features & Services:
- Transactable Professional Services: Partners in Canada, the UK, and the US can now sell professional services through private offers in the marketplace. “Examples of professional services include: assessments, briefings, customer support, implementation, migration, proof of concepts, and workshops.”
- Microsoft 365 Copilot Self-Service Purchase: Users with Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard, and Premium licenses can now purchase Copilot individually. "The launch of self-service purchasing options for Copilot means end users licensed through Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard, and Premium business suites are able to purchase Microsoft 365 Copilot for themselves."
- Partner Center Sandbox Enhancements: New activity log and webhook events related to subscription status are available in the Sandbox environment, allowing partners to test and monitor these features.
Operational Improvements:
Security Enhancements:
Microsoft emphasizes improving security posture for partners and customer tenants through various updates and resources.
CSP Billing Reconciliation APIs:
The migration deadline for the enhanced asynchronous APIs is extended to January 21, 2025.
Partners must migrate to these new APIs before January 21, 2025, to help avoid disruption in service.
Store Service Fee Discount:
A 50% discount on the store service fee applies to private offer customer renewals starting October 1, 2024.
Key Takeaways for Partners:
- Review the updated pricing and licensing information for System Center 2025 and other affected products.
- Explore opportunities to sell professional services through the marketplace.
- Educate customers about the self-service purchase option for Microsoft 365 Copilot and manage customer expectations.
- Stay informed about the security enhancements and migrate to the new billing reconciliation APIs before the deadline.
- Leverage the available partner resources to stay up-to-date on program changes and operational best practices.
- The Partner Center AI assistant marks a significant advancement in partner support, empowering users with quick access to information, streamlined workflows, and personalized guidance, ultimately fostering a more efficient and productive experience within the Microsoft Partner Center.
By staying informed and adapting to these changes, CSP partners can effectively navigate the evolving program landscape and maximize their business growth.
Partner Support & Resources:
CSP Bimonthly Updates:
Provide a comprehensive overview of program changes, announcements, events, and resources.
Monthly Webinars and Community Calls:
Cover various topics like licensing updates, operational changes, and partner questions.
Partner Center Technical Corner Blog Series:
Offers technical insights and guidance for partners.
Operations Readiness Gallery:
Provides a centralized location for accessing relevant information, updates, and resources.
FAQ - Early October 2024 Microsoft CSP Updates
What are the key updates for the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program in early October 2024?
Microsoft has released several important updates for the CSP program in October 2024. These updates cover various aspects of the program, including pricing, new product availability, API changes, and marketplace offer enhancements. Key highlights include:
- Partner Center AI assistant: An AI-powered tool integrated into the Microsoft Partner Center platform designed to provide partners with quick answers, insights, and assistance with various tasks.
- Republished Software Price Lists: Due to initial pricing errors, the October 2024 software price list for Japan was republished with corrected prices for specific SKUs. Additionally, the global price list was updated to include Extended Security Update (ESU) SKUs.
- New Product Availability: System Center 2025 will be generally available starting November 1st, 2024, with updated pricing and features. Office LTSC 2024 launched on October 1st, 2024, offering a range of new features and improvements.
- Self-service purchase options for Microsoft 365 Copilot: End users with Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard, and Premium licenses can now purchase individual Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses directly. This change allows for quicker adoption and provides valuable usage data for organizations.
- Transactable Professional Services: Partners in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States can now sell their professional services as standalone private offers or bundle them with software through the marketplace.
- Enhanced CSP billing reconciliation APIs migration deadline extension: The deadline for partners to migrate to the new asynchronous v2 APIs for billing reconciliation in Partner Center has been extended to January 21, 2025. This extension allows partners more time to make the necessary changes to avoid service disruptions.
What is the Partner Center AI assistant (preview)?
The Partner Center AI assistant (preview) is a new feature powered by generative AI that aims to enhance the Partner Center experience. It offers tailored insights and intelligent suggestions, provides quick answers to your questions, and can help optimize your daily tasks. It is currently available in the English version of Partner Center.
What kind of questions can I ask the AI assistant?
You can ask the AI assistant a wide range of questions related to your Partner Center tasks and Microsoft products and programs. You can select a topic from the drop-down menu, use the prompt guide, or simply type your question.
Where does the AI assistant get its information?
The AI assistant pulls information from Microsoft product documentation, partner program guides, and your data in Partner Center.
What languages is the AI assistant available in?
Currently, the AI assistant is only available in the English version of Partner Center. However, Microsoft is actively working to expand its availability to more languages by the end of 2024.
Where can I find detailed information about recent and upcoming CSP program changes?
Microsoft provides various resources to help partners stay informed about CSP program updates:
- CSP Monthly Views: These views, available in the Operations Readiness gallery, offer a consolidated overview of all recent and active launches with links to relevant documentation.
- CSP Bimonthly Update Newsletter: The newsletter provides a summary of CSP announcements, updates, events, and reminders in a concise and easy-to-read format.
- Partner Launch Calendar: The calendar gives a clear timeline of upcoming CSP launches and provides access to associated materials.
- CSP Community Q&A Calls: Monthly calls allow partners to directly ask questions and gain clarification from Microsoft subject matter experts on important launch topics and recent changes.
What is the significance of the new asynchronous v2 APIs for billing reconciliation, and why is migration necessary?
The asynchronous v2 APIs provide a faster and more efficient way to handle billing reconciliation data, especially for partners dealing with large data volumes. Migration to these APIs is crucial before the deadline to avoid potential disruptions to service. The new APIs offer improved download times and reduced latency compared to the previous versions.
How does the new store service fee discount for renewals benefit partners?
Partners can take advantage of a 50% store service fee discount for private offer customer renewals starting October 1, 2024. To qualify, partners need to self-attest to the renewal status during private offer creation. This discount incentivizes partners to offer renewals through the commercial marketplace and helps reduce the cost of doing business for both partners and customers.
What is the impact of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) reporting requirements for publishers transacting in the Australian Microsoft Store and marketplace?
The ATO now requires the Microsoft Store and commercial marketplace to collect and report seller transaction data under the Sharing Economy Reporting Regime (SERR). Publishers transacting in Australia need to be aware of this change and ensure they provide the necessary information to comply with these new reporting requirements.
How can partners learn more about selling professional services through the marketplace?
Microsoft provides various resources to guide partners on selling professional services via private offers:
- Demo Video: The "Unlock growth by selling professional services through the marketplace" video provides a walkthrough of the process.
- Professional Services FAQ: The FAQ document addresses common questions and provides details on getting started.
What are the key features and benefits of System Center 2025, and how does it impact pricing?
System Center 2025 introduces infrastructure modernization and enhanced security features for data center management. Key enhancements include support for Azure Stack HCI 23H2 clusters, improved security across the platform, and support for Windows Server 2025 features like Hotpatching for Arc-enabled SCVMM. The new release comes with a 10% price increase compared to System Center 2022.
What are the implications of self-service purchase options for Microsoft 365 Copilot for CSP partners?
Self-service purchasing of Microsoft 365 Copilot allows end users with specific Microsoft 365 licenses to purchase individual Copilot licenses directly. This new option can lead to faster adoption but may also create challenges for partners in managing and tracking licenses. Partners should engage with their customers to discuss potential management and disablement strategies for self-service purchases to ensure alignment with organizational needs.
Microsoft CSP October 2024 announcements
