Recent Discussions
Security in the agentic era: What it means for the Marketplace
As AI agents become integral to marketplace solutions, security expectations are evolving for both publishers and customers. This article examines how the agentic era introduces new requirements around trust, identity, permissions, and governance—particularly in multi-tenant, partner-driven ecosystems. It outlines how marketplaces can enable innovation while ensuring secure, compliant, and scalable adoption of agent-powered applications, helping partners build with confidence and customers buy with trust. Read the full article here: Security in the agentic era: A new paradigm | Microsoft Community Hub The article is based on a presentation covering the security, governance, and compliance dimensions of AI in the agentic era. To view the full session recording, visit Security for SDC Series: Securing the Agentic Era Episode 1IAMCP DC Chapter: You're Invited to Join!!
The International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP) Chapter covering the DMV has started and is moving ahead full steam - (12) IAMCP DC Chapter: Overview | LinkedIn If you are a partner and live in DC, Maryland, or Virginia (DMV0, we definitely want you involved! See more information about the next chapter meeting Date: Tuesday, March 10th Time: 11 AM - 1 PM Location: Microsoft Arlington Innovation Hub [1300 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209] Room #: 13.1D About the upcoming chapter meeting: Save Time + Sell More to Government: March Double Feature Two sessions. Two revenue strategies. Lunch. Session 1 Summary - Tools You Can Use Tomorrow: Aaron Udler (President, OfficePro) demonstrates the exact tools that answer customer questions, write reports, book meetings, and collect feedback—while you focus on revenue. Live demos. Real results. You'll leave knowing exactly which buttons to click. Session 2 Summary - The Government Market Opportunity: Wole Moses (Chief AI Officer, Microsoft Federal Civilian) reveals how AI agents are changing the game for government—from static tools to digital teammates that plan, act, and coordinate work. You'll hear how Microsoft expects government markets to react, respond, and drive partner revenue in Q2 and beyond. You get: Practical tools + insider intelligence on where the government opportunity is for agentic AI. Register to join the meeting here: International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners We look forward to seeing those who can join!
MCT Renewal Issues
Hi Team, My MCT renewal has been rejected stating that i do not have 'qualified credentials in your active certifications'. When i view my transcript my 'Cloud Solution Expert: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure' certificate is active. I am unable to understand - why this certificate is not being considered and how is it not a relevant "Expert" certificate for the Cloud Solution Architect Role? Anyone who faced a similar rejection or anyone from the Microsoft MCT team who can guide properly on this? Unfortunately - all i am getting is a cooked response from the 'mctprog' email. All they are saying is that i am not eligible and no one has been able to explain why this active certification is not valid/considered/dropped? Regards.
D365 CSP Embed Licenses (Legacy → NCE): Is Admin Center Reassignment Required if Capacity Exists?
We are managing a CSP‑managed tenant that uses Dynamics 365 embedded licenses (for example, Dynamics 365 Sales Enterprise embedded, Dynamics 365 Customer Service embedded, or other service‑provisioned Dynamics entitlements). In this tenant: Legacy CSP subscriptions exist for the Dynamics 365 embedded licenses Equivalent NCE subscriptions are ordered (or will be ordered) with equal or greater capacity Migration tooling is not available for these embedded Dynamics SKUs In Microsoft 365 Admin Center, these licenses: Are not user‑assignable Do not show a Legacy vs NCE distinction Based on Microsoft Partner Center and NCE documentation, it appears that Dynamics 365 embedded licenses are service‑provisioned, and that entitlement is governed by the subscription lifecycle, not by user‑level license assignment. We are trying to confirm the following for Dynamics 365 embedded licenses: No reassignment in Microsoft 365 Admin Center is required when transitioning from Legacy CSP to NCE, as long as sufficient NCE capacity exists. Entitlement will automatically continue or transition at legacy expiration or renewal based on the subscription lifecycle. Partner Center (and CSP billing systems) are the authoritative source for Legacy vs NCE status, rather than the customer Admin Center UI. Is there is an official Microsoft document that explicitly confirms this behavior for embedded licenses? Microsoft Support has unfortunately not been helpful in this process. Thank you.Tech Talks presents: Governance to manage Low Code Agents
Join us on Thursday, March 5th at 8am PT as Ken Auguillard, Principal Program Manager, Power Platform presents 'Getting started with or adopting your current governance to manage low code agents'. We hope to see you there! Call to Action: Click on the link to save the calendar invite: https://aka.ms/TechTalksInvite View past recordings (sign in required): https://aka.ms/TechTalksRecordingStreamline your Marketplace deals with AI-powered automation
Navigating the operational complexity of Microsoft Marketplace private offers and IP co-sell workflows can slow deal velocity and add friction between your CRM and Partner Center. In the latest blog post, How to streamline Microsoft Marketplace private offers and IP co-sell with AI powered automation, Kyle Heisner from Suger, shares practical insights on automating these processes, reducing manual work, and boosting accuracy with AI-driven integrations. Whether you’re managing plan configuration, validating co-sell referrals, or closing the loop from quote to cash, this article highlights where AI can serve as a co-pilot — helping your team operate more efficiently and accelerate Marketplace success. Want to learn more: Join the live session on March 11 to learn directly from the experts and get your questions answered. AI-powered automation for Marketplace private offers and IP co-sell - Microsoft Marketplace CommunityHow to Build a Microsoft Marketplace Channel Practice: A Partner Guide to Scalable Growth
For Microsoft partners looking to make Marketplace a repeatable, scalable growth channel, this article outlines what it really takes to succeed. It breaks down how top partners structure their teams, align ownership across sales, alliances, and operations, and activate Microsoft Marketplace as a core part of their co-sell and go-to-market strategy. With practical frameworks, best practices, and real-world guidance, this resource helps partners drive pipeline, accelerate deal velocity, and grow alongside Microsoft through Marketplace. Read the full article: How to build a Microsoft Marketplace channel practicePublishing a SaaS offer is just the start—A seamless post‑purchase experience drives adoption
As software companies bring applications to Microsoft Marketplace, many struggle with how to activate subscriptions, manage entitlements, and automate provisioning at scale. This article explains why Marketplace Fulfillment APIs are foundational to building reliable, transactable SaaS offers. Learn how Fulfillment APIs standardize subscription lifecycle events, reduce operational complexity, and enable consistent customer onboarding. See how the Fulfillment API resource collection—including open‑source reference code—helps teams design, implement, and scale these integrations with confidence. If you want your Marketplace offer to deliver a smooth, automated customer experience—not just a listing—read the full article to learn how reference implementations and best practices can accelerate your Fulfillment API integration. Read the full article: Accelerating SaaS success with reference code for Marketplace fulfillment API integrationTurn Microsoft Marketplace into a true growth engine
Many software companies publish their solution in Microsoft Marketplace and wait—hoping growth will follow. The fastest‑growing partners take a different approach. By combining a transactable Marketplace offer with Azure IP co‑sell eligibility, sellers unlock a powerful growth engine. Co‑sell ready offers consistently drive larger deals, faster close rates, and direct access to Microsoft’s field sellers, while allowing customers to apply purchases toward their Azure commitments. When Marketplace and co‑sell work together, partners move faster, sell bigger, and accelerate their enterprise sales motion. Read the full article and learn more about accelerating growth through the Microsoft Marketplace: Accelerate massive growth by co-selling through Microsoft Marketplace with App Advisor guidancePipeline Prioritization with Marketplace Propensity Scoring
A note of gratitude to the Marketplace Rewards team + a recommendation for my partner peers: Marketplace Propensity Scoring has proven to be an exceedingly powerful tool for prioritizing pipeline and accelerating sales cycles. Offered as a Marketplace Rewards benefit, propensity scoring provides you with a score that ranks your pipeline prospects by their likelihood (0 to 100) to transact through Marketplace. We combine this with our co-sell conversations a) to help our buyer identify who on their own IT team has the necessary permissions to buy through Marketplace and b) to gain insight into the customer's MACC status (ie, are they behind pace and therefore keen to decrement via Marketplace purchases). We've shaved a full month off our historical sales cycle since implementing this into our process three quarters ago. Side note on another way valuable way to use this benefit: We also lead with Marketplace in opportunities with a propensity score of 0. Three times we've been successful in being a customer's first-ever Marketplace transaction. It took a lot more effort, but we do it because it demonstrates for our Microsoft friends our commitment to the co-sell motion . . . and they LOVE it when we help them establish a precedent on which they can build the customer's Marketplace muscle. #MarketplaceChampions
Issue Accepting Microsoft Partner Agreement
Hello, having an issue accepting the cloud partner agreement while enrolling in Partner Center. I am currently applying for our company's driver signing permissions on Microsoft. While filling out information on the following webpage: https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/dashboard/account/exp/enrollnow/partner, I encountered an issue. When the webpage pulled our company name from Dun & Bradstreet, Microsoft deemed our company name invalid. I noticed that there is a comma in the name, as shown in the screenshot. However, when we applied for a signature from DigiCert, we used the same company name with the comma as the signing name. Therefore, I cannot remove the comma at this point because if I do, Microsoft might reject the signed certification file later due to a mismatch in the company name. Could you help resolve this issue?February Incentive Payment Not Received – Unable to Create Support Ticket
Hello Team, We have not received the incentive payment for February and would like assistance reviewing this issue. Our organization meets the requirements under the App Innovation solution area and is eligible to receive Azure-related incentives. However, the February payment has not been deposited. Additionally, we are unable to create a support ticket in Partner Center because the AI Assistant interface prevents access to the support request page. Could you please check if there are any issues with our eligibility, payment profile, or required documentation, or help escalate this matter to the appropriate support team? Thank you.Meet with us in Vegas! Marketplace sponsoring Channel Partners Conference
The Microsoft Marketplace team is excited to sponsor the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, April 13–16 at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, and connect with the advisors, resellers, and services partners who are delivering value for customers every day. We want to meet you! Throughout the week, Marketplace experts will lead sessions, host conversations at our booth, and support private meetings to help you activate and accelerate your Marketplace strategy. Read the blog to learn how to connect with us and even get FREE or DISCOUNTED passes if you're a channel partner: Microsoft Marketplace at Channel Partners Conference & Expo 2026 | Microsoft Community HubAzure sponsorship update on Microsoft Marketplace
We’re delighted to share that Azure Sponsorship can now be applied to Azure MCA billing profiles—even when those profiles had past or active Monetary Credit (including ACO). This removes a long‑standing friction point that has been blocking scaled use of Marketplace Rewards Azure benefits for a large portion of our Marketplace customers and partners, immediately improving customer satisfaction and unlocking a key growth lever for 3P marketplace sales. For more details: February 2026 announcements - Partner Center announcements | Microsoft Learn
Character limited for Partner Support Ticket notes
When updating a partner center support ticket from the Partner Center (https://partner.microsoft.com/dashboard/v2/support/servicerequests) However, the textbox for adding a new note from the portal has a max length of 80 characters. Has anyone else noticed this? I shared this observation with the partner center support team a while ago and learned that the portal is working as intended. The web portal should only be used for adding short notes. For longer notes, partners should update the ticket via email. I hoped my feedback might reach someone that could make this improvement to the partner experience, but it's taking longer than expected. Has anyone else noticed this issue, or am I the only partner that finds this behavior less than ideal? On more than one occasion I have modified the HTML using the browser dev tools by changing the maxlength="80" to "maxlength="800" and didn't have any trouble adding the longer note. Has anyone else run into this challenge and used the a workaround like the one I used?
Hardware workspace "account deactivated" - cannot submit driver for attestation signing
Hello, I am reaching out regarding an issue with our Partner Center Hardware workspace that is preventing us from submitting drivers for attestation signing. Issue: When navigating to the Hardware workspace in Microsoft Partner Center, we receive the following error message: "Our records indicate that you have already enrolled into this program but your program registration is deactivated." We are completely unable to access the Hardware dashboard or submit any driver CAB files for attestation signing. What we have already completed: EV code signing certificate is active (DigiCert Trusted G4 Code Signing RSA4096 SHA384 2022 CA1, expires 2027-02-18) Hardware program appears as enrolled in Partner Center Programs page Attempted to create a support case via Services Hub - blocked due to no eligible support plan Posted on Microsoft Learn Q&A: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5787516/ Questions: Why has our Hardware workspace been deactivated? How can we reactivate it to proceed with driver attestation signing? Is there a specific support channel for Hardware Dev Center account issues without requiring a paid support plan? Any guidance or assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.FTRSA FY26 Application Deadline - March 3rd, 2026
Last few days to apply for the FastTrack Recognized Solution Architect (FTRSA) program. If you’re planning to apply in this cycle—whether as a new candidate or an existing FTRSA—now is the time to finalize and submit your materials. Published reference architectures, technical samples, and customer success stories are a core part of the application. If your content has been submitted for publication but isn’t live yet, you can still apply by including proof of submission. Don't miss the opportunity to join the elite group of solution architects driving real customer impact across Dynamics 365 and Power Platform. Learn more about the program and apply here: https://aka.ms/FTRSANomination Deadline: March 3, 2026 For questions or assistance, please reach out to fasttrackrecognized@microsoft.com.🚀 This Week on the Fabric Engineering Connection!
Excited to share what’s ahead for this week’s Fabric Engineering Connection sessions — your weekly opportunity to hear directly from the Microsoft Fabric engineering teams and stay ahead of what’s coming next in the platform. 🎙️ Featured Topics & Speakers: 🔧 Updates on DBT Job Abhishek Narain, Principal PM Manager 🤖 Upcoming Capabilities in Fabric Data Agents Misha Desai, Principal Product Manager Virginia Roman, Senior Product Manager Shreyas Canchi Radhakrishna, Product Manager 🌍 Americas & EMEA 📅 Wednesday, February 25 ⏰ 8:00–9:00 AM PT 🌏 APAC 📅 Thursday, February 26 ⏰ 1:00–2:00 AM UTC (Also available Wednesday, February 25, 5:00–6:00 PM PT) Whether you're deep in deployment, scaling customer workloads, or exploring new Fabric capabilities, these sessions are packed with insights to help you accelerate your practice. 👉 Not yet part of the Fabric Partner Community? Join here: https://lnkd.in/g_PRdfjt Let’s keep learning, building, and shaping the future of Fabric—together. 💡
Events
in 2 days
On March 9, 2026, #AgentCon lands at Nasdaq, Times Square, bringing together developers, engineers, and innovators shaping the future of AI agents. Expect deep‑dive talks, hands‑on learning, pract...
In-Person
Tune in to learn how software development companies can use AI‑powered automation to simplify buying through Microsoft Marketplace, streamline Microsoft Marketplace private offers, and maximize the e...
Online
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