We've carefully selected Microsoft's most significant updates over the last month, making sure you're always up to date:

01. CSP new commerce: Commercial legacy seat-based subscription migration

Impacted audience: Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) direct bill and indirect resellers; indirect providers

Starting in January 2024, Microsoft will begin automatic migration of all renewing commercial and public sector customers to new commerce.

CSP partners have been transitioning commercial legacy customers to new commerce since October 2021. From January 2024, Microsoft will migrate seat-based legacy subscriptions to new commerce on subscription renewal, maintaining billing plans and seat counts. Partners can modify subscriptions within seven days post-migration. Proactive migration is advised for monthly terms. Timelines are charted, legacy offers listed, and public sector details anticipated in 2023.

02. CSP public sector legacy offers (government, education, and NFP) coming to new commerce in November 2023

Microsoft introduces the migration of public sector subscriptions (academic, GCC, NFP/charity) to new commerce from November 2023. Partners should collaborate with customers to plan for a seamless transition, enabling customization of subscription terms. Similarly, to commercial offers, legacy CSP public sector offers shift to new commerce with annual terms, mirroring billing and seat details. Partners opting for monthly terms should migrate before 2024 renewal or adjust within seven days post-Microsoft migration. November 2023 brings the list of CSP public sector legacy offers for new commerce migration.

03. Resources to help manually migrate customers to new commerce.

Partners can migrate subscriptions now by referencing the Migrate subscriptions to new commerce page and following the steps outlined in Partner Center.

To support partners with the migration effort, we'll schedule technical training sessions and CSP Spotlight online webinars in October, November, and December. These learning sessions will give partners a comprehensive view of the details involved in migration. Look for an update in September 2023 featuring a schedule of migration-focused events

04. Granular delegated admin privileges (GDAP) milestones reminder

·       Global Reader Role Addition: Nine roles, including the Global Reader role, are now part of the Microsoft-led transition, enhancing partner feedback incorporation. Roles granted during this transition will be active for one year. Partners' DAP relationships, established using partner-led tools, will be removed by end of July 2023.

·        DAP relationships tied to Microsoft-led GDAPs will end 30 days after GDAP creation.

New Customer Creation: DAP grant for new customer tenants will cease on September 25, 2023. Default GDAP with specific roles will be granted instead, based on partner type. The bulk migration tool will be accessible until the end of November 2023.

·       Requesting GDAP: Admin access necessitates a GDAP request and customer approval with Azure AD roles.

·       Disabling DAP: Review and immediately disable DAP if unnecessary. For required access, set up GDAP first, then disable DAP, achievable in bulk using the migration tool.

05. Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program - New specializations for Solutions Partners

Impacted audience: Partners enrolled in the Data and AI, Digital App and Innovation, and Business Applications solution areas

Microsoft introduces three new specializations:

1. Build and Modernize AI Apps with Microsoft Azure

1. Business Intelligence

1. Intelligent Automation

These specializations validate partners' expertise in high-demand areas, offering distinct recognition. An existing specialization, Modernization of Web Applications with Microsoft Azure, is renamed to Migrate Enterprise Applications to Microsoft Azure.

Benefits include enhanced market visibility, streamlined processes, and access to tailored go-to-market resources. Partners can upgrade badges through Partner Center to reflect these changes in their materials.

06. NCE license-based preview price list will display false positives in countries/regions where there are no FX changes

Impacted audience: Cloud Solution Provider partners (indirect providers and direct bill) in all markets/countries/regions

As expected, beginning August 1, 2023, the August NCE license-based preview for Australian dollars (AUD), New Zealand dollars (NZD), Canadian dollars (CAD), and Swiss francs (CHF) will show the products that will change price in September due to the FX rate change. However, the same products will also show (as false positives) on the price list preview of the countries or regions that aren't impacted by the FX rate changes.

Microsoft partners should sign in to review the documents in the Operations Readiness gallery.

07. Microsoft Teams Rooms - Licensing enforcement

Impacted audience: Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) and Licensing Solution Provider (LSP) partners

Teams Rooms devices, including those using Personal Mode and the Teams application on Surface Hub and Teams Panels are blocked from signing in without a valid Teams Rooms license. To prevent imminent service disruption, work with your customers to provision and activate either a Teams Rooms Pro ($40), Teams Rooms Basic ($0 / max 25 devices), Teams Rooms Premium, Teams Rooms Standard, or Teams Rooms Shared Device license (panels only) before the deadline.