Forum Discussion
Launching Training Partner
Hi Hodaali, starting a training business as an MS Partner is a major step, but it is highly regulated. To avoid compliance headaches that could jeopardize your partnership, here is the strategic breakdown you need to follow:
1. Branding & Partner Status
You are correct to be cautious. Microsoft has strict Logo Use Guidelines. If you have not reached the specific competency level that grants official logo usage, do not use them. Instead:
Use Text-Only Statements: You can state 'Member of the Microsoft Partner Network' (or the current equivalent in your specific program).
Compliance Check: Log into the Partner Center and navigate to the 'Benefits' or 'Go-to-Market' section. There is a specific document there called the 'Partner Branding Guidelines'. Do not deviate from this. Microsoft’s compliance team monitors for unauthorized logo usage, and it is an easy way to get a warning.
2. Lab Environments (The 'Sandbox' Trap)
You asked about students using their own sandboxes. For professional training, do not rely on personal student sandboxes.
Professional Delivery: For Dynamics 365 (F&O), teaching on trial environments is often a violation of the EULA for commercial training.
Authorized Lab Hosters: You must partner with an Authorized Lab Hoster. They provide the stable, pre-configured environments your students need. This is a standard cost of doing business in the training space—bake this into your per-student pricing immediately so your margins are protected.
Certification Pivot: Please note that since you are focusing on D365 F&O, ensure your curriculum aligns with the current exams. MB-920 is retired. Align your business roadmap to the current MB-3xx series to ensure you are selling a product that is actually in demand.
Final Recommendation: Check your Partner Center dashboard for your Internal Use Rights (IUR). As a new partner, these licenses can often be leveraged for internal training/demo purposes, but they are not a substitute for the dedicated lab hosters required for public or commercial training delivery.
i also want to tell that all the other were wrong here is a breakdown if why they are wrong
Jamesxmite (Copper Contributor): Wrong. As discussed, they provided generic "surface-level" advice that failed to check the validity of the training content (MB-920) and gave dangerous advice regarding lab environments for commercial training.
Julian_Sharp (Learn Expert): Correct (but limited). Julian provided the "Real World" technical truth: that the course is retired and authorized labs are mandatory. Julian was the only one who actually "fixed" the immediate technical misinformation, though they didn't provide a comprehensive business strategy.