1. CSP Programme Alignment with New Commerce Experience (NCE)
Key Changes:
- All CSP subscriptions must transition to NCE terms by March 2026.
- Standardised billing cycles (monthly, annual, multi-year) and cancellation/refund policies.
- SKU rationalisation to reduce complexity and align pricing structures.
- Migration tools and resources are now available in Partner Center.
Why This Matters:
Ensures consistency across Microsoft commerce channels, reduces operational complexity for partners and customers, and improves predictability in pricing and subscription management.
Suggestions:
Begin migration planning now to avoid last-minute disruptions. Use Partner Center’s migration readiness reports to identify subscriptions that need attention and communicate changes early to customers to manage expectations around billing and cancellation policies.
2. Pricing and Offer Structure Updates
Key Changes:
- Price adjustments across Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 SKUs effective January 2026.
- Consolidation of redundant SKUs for easier selection and management.
- Updated price lists now available in Partner Center.
Why This Matters:
Helps customers plan budgets for the upcoming year and simplifies product selection for partners and customers.
Suggestions:
Download the latest price list from Partner Center and share it with customers. Review contracts and renewal dates to anticipate cost changes and consider bundling offers or multi-year terms to lock in pricing.
3. Security and Compliance Requirements
Key Changes:
- MFA is mandatory for all Partner Center users from December 2025.
- Annual compliance attestation for data handling and privacy is required.
Why This Matters:
Protects sensitive customer and partner data and ensures compliance with Microsoft’s security standards.
Suggestions:
Enable MFA immediately to avoid access issues. Use Microsoft Authenticator or other approved MFA solutions and schedule compliance attestation reviews well before deadlines.
4. Customer Insights Reporting APIs
Key Changes:
- New endpoints provide monthly active usage metrics, lifecycle data, and renewal risk indicators.
- Supports integration with partner systems for automated reporting.
- Older APIs deprecated by March 2026.
Why This Matters:
Enables proactive customer success management and improves incentive tracking and renewal forecasting.
Suggestions:
Begin migrating to new APIs now to avoid disruption. Review Microsoft’s API documentation for schema and authentication requirements and combine API data with Power BI for advanced analytics.
5. New Analytics Dashboard in
Partner Center
Key Changes:
- Visual KPIs for sales, conversions, and revenue.
- Customer adoption and usage trends by workload.
- Export capability to Power BI for deeper analysis.
Why This Matters:
Eliminates manual data pulls and improves decision-making speed while helping partners optimise offers and track incentive progress.
Suggestions:
Access the dashboard under Insights → Analytics in Partner Center. Schedule regular reviews to identify growth opportunities and use Power BI integration for custom reporting.
Next Steps for Customers and MSPs
- Plan migration to NCE before March 2026.
- Review pricing changes and communicate impacts early.
- Enable MFA and complete compliance attestations.
- Adopt new APIs and dashboards for better insights and operational efficiency.
