Microsoft Program Announcements

MPA (CSP) Program Guide update is available

The Guide to the Online Services and Software Channel Authorisation (MPA Program Guide) was recently updated.
For existing partners, it takes effect February 12, 2026.

  • Date: January 12, 2026
  • Workspace: General
  • Impacted audience: CSP direct-bill and indirect providers

End of Sale erroneous three-year offers in Cloud Solution Provider Partner Center

Three-year offers for various products were created in error.

  • Date: December 16, 2025
  • Workspace: General
  • Impacted audience: All partners

SQL Server 2025 available early for CSP partners

Accelerate AI application development with SQL Server 2025—available for purchase on December 17, 2025 for Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners.

  • Date: December 15, 2025
  • Workspace: General
  • Impacted audience: Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners

Local currency price adjustments for Microsoft’s Commercial Cloud

Effective February 1, 2026, Microsoft will be adjusting prices for its Commercial Cloud services to more closely align with global levels.

  • Date: December 12, 2025
  • Workspace: General
  • Impacted audience: Commercial (including worldwide commercial public sector), education and non-profit

Introducing the Microsoft Sentinel prepurchase plan

Unlock new margins and customer value with the Microsoft Sentinel prepurchase plan.

  • Date: December 10, 2025
  • Workspace: General
  • Impacted audience: Cloud Solution Provider distributors, indirect resellers, direct bill partners

Microsoft 365 Copilot 50% discount extended to June 30, 2026

Microsoft extends its 50% discount on Microsoft Purview Suite (formerly E5 Compliance) for customers with Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses until 30 June 2026.

  • Date: January 14, 2026
  • Workspace: General
  • Impacted audience: Cloud Solution Provider direct bill authorised partners and SSPs

Monthly Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program update

  • Date: January 14, 2026
  • Workspace: Membership
  • Impacted audience: Partners enrolled in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program


What’s new for Solutions Partner designations, specialisations, and other Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program offerings and benefits

Microsoft Defender Experts Suite launches January 1, 2026

Microsoft is introducing the new Microsoft Defender Experts suite, an integrated, expert-led security offering that helps organisations defend against threats, build cyber resilience, and modernise security operations.

  • Date: December 22, 2025
  • Workspace: General
  • Impacted audience: Resellers and Scale Solution Providers (SSP)

MFA enforcement for Partner Center APIs begins April 1

  • Enable multifactor authentication ahead of the deadline to avoid blocked API calls and service disruptions.

    • Date: January 29, 2026
    • Workspace: General
    • Impacted audience: All partners

Retirement of standalone SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business plans (plan 1 and plan 2)

  • Date: January 28, 2026
  • Workspace: General
  • Impacted audience: CSP authorised partners, partners selling to customers with SharePoint Online (SPO) plan 1 and plan 2 and OneDrive for Business (ODB) plan 1 and plan 2 SKUs

Partner advisory: retirement of standalone SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business plans.

February price list won't include a March preview for NCE license-based services

  • We’re informing all Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners of an important update regarding the new commerce (NCE) license-based services preview (future) price list scheduled for publication on February 1, 2026.

    • Date: January 30, 2026
    • Workspace: Pricing
    • Impacted audience: Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners, direct-bill partners, and indirect providers who use NCE license-based price lists in all regions/markets

Advancing Microsoft 365: New capabilities and pricing update

Microsoft has released an official announcement outlining significant enhancements coming to Microsoft 365, along with a pricing update effective 1 July 2026.

Important: GDAP Access Required for Microsoft CSP Operations

As part of Microsoft’s security and compliance requirements within the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program, Granular Delegated Admin Privileges (GDAP) are now mandatory for all partners.

GDAP is the required access model that enables partners to administer customer tenants in a secure, role-based, and time-limited manner, while ensuring customers retain full control over their environments.

To better understand why GDAP is required, how it impacts CSP operations, and what actions are expected from you, download the full GDAP guidance below.

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