Stay updated on Microsoft’s evolving Partner Program

What is the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program? 

The Microsoft Cloud Partner Program (MCPP) is a global community of partners, offerings, and resources designed for all partners in the ecosystem, whether they build or sell services, software solutions, or devices. MCPP aims to align go-to-market motions with the way customers are buying today. This program offers a variety of benefits that evolve with partner needs to provide resources that will help your organization continue to grow, sell, and go to market.  

To achieve this, Microsoft has refined their Partner Program benefits to include three benefits packages designed to build, expand, and deepen your partnership with Microsoft.  

In addition, Microsoft now offers six core Solution Partner designations to focus on proficiency in solution areas aligned with the Microsoft Cloud: 

Each designation badge will allow your practice to stand out with customers who are looking for Microsoft solutions as a trusted expert in the respective solution area. This new model will be replacing the current silver and gold standards — Pax8 advises that any current silver and gold partners should begin assessing their current standing among the new solutions designations to determine the best path as silver and gold offerings will be retired January 22, 2025.

Microsoft also offers a subset of designations for partners who develop software: Solutions Partner with Certified Software; partners who provide training services: Solution Partner with Training Services; and partners who offer support: Solution Partner with Support Services.  

Additionally, Microsoft has evolved the way they categorize partner capability and measure success. This will be done with two qualifying levels: 

• The Solutions Partner level is the core designation level (shown above), based on meeting specific requirements aligned to Microsoft’s new partner capability score for each solution area. The partner capability score is Microsoft’s framework for measuring partner performance, skilling, and customer success. To attain a Solutions Partner designation, partners will need to earn a partner capability score of at least 70 points across the measurement areas. The Business Applications and Modern Work designation has two scoring tracks, SMB and enterprise, to provide greater opportunity for partners to qualify. Microsoft will automatically determine what track partners qualify for in partner center based on the customer profiles partners serve.
• Specializations and expert programs exist within each of the Solutions Partner designations and will give partners a way to demonstrate deep technical expertise and experience under each solution area. To achieve this level, Microsoft will have different requirements in addition to the core solutions partner designation.

Solutions Partner Designations to Legacy Competency Map

Dates and Deadlines

Changes to the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program for FY25:

On August 6, 2024, Microsoft announced, starting January 22, 2025, Microsoft will no longer be selling Microsoft Action Pack, Learning Action Pack, or legacy Silver/Gold benefits. Partners with an eligible active legacy Silver/Gold purchase status as of January 21, 2025 will be eligible until September 30, 2025 to earn FY25 CSP incentives. Additionally, Microsoft will be adding more than 20 licensing benefits such as Entra ID, Defender for Endpoint P2, and multiple Copilot products to their offerings and releasing the new Partner Launch Benefits, Partner Success Core Benefits, and Partner Success Expanded Benefits packages.

Timeline:

• August 6, 2024: Transition plan for legacy benefits (Action Pack, Learning Action Pack, and legacy Silver/Gold benefits) and details on additional benefits to FY25 benefits offerings announced.
• January 21, 2025: Last day to purchase or renew legacy benefits offerings.
• Benefits renewed on or before January 21, 2025 will be active for 12 months after their renewal date. Partners cannot renew early.
• January 22, 2025: Partners with Action Pack, Learning Action Pack or legacy Silver/Gold benefits will no longer be able to purchase or renew these offerings.
• January 22, 2025: All eligible benefits packages will be immediately granted the new benefits offerings*, some including the limited Copilot IUR’s.
• September 30, 2025: Partners with Silver/Gold benefits will stop receiving incentives. Partners will need to attain a Solutions Partner designation or Specialization to earn incentives & rebates for FY26.

Benefit Changes Summary

Microsoft Announcements and Resources

• Microsoft Announcement: Innovate with Partner Benefits
• Partner Resources: Benefits offerings transition walking deck 
• Partner Resources: Microsoft Cloud Partner Program Learning Path FAQ
• Microsoft Partner Center: Solutions Partner Landing Page 
• Microsoft Partner Center: Partner Benefits Packages

Read the FAQs