How to become a Partner at Microsoft. The first "how-to" Guide

Iron Contributor

Apr 28, 2023

Unlock the possibilities of your Microsoft partnership - get your "MPN ID"

What’s the MPN ID?

A unique identifier of your business that gives you access to all the resources and benefits of your partnership with Microsoft. Your Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) ID is:

Free to obtain,
Ready in seconds, and
Crucial to manage your overall relationship with Microsoft.

Watch a detailed description in this 101 video

How do I get one?

If you’re not a partner already, j oin the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) make sure to select the “Build” option and check your spam folder if you don't receive confirmation.
Verify your account via this link . Get familiar on the steps on how to create an account here
Done! Your MPN ID can be found in the Microsoft Partner Profile page of the Partner Center .

Why you need a MPN ID

1. Start getting recognized for your business

All your transactions and revenue are properly documented that will allow you to make the most of these next benefits.

2. Choose from different levels of involvement to suit your business’s needs and scope, including preparation for a competency

Success means different things to different businesses. That’s why Microsoft lets you pick your partnership level —Network Member, Action Pack , or Competency (Gold and Silver), each with an increasingly comprehensive level of support, training, and service.

While, as a Network Member , you can start out slow, however to get a kick start package with v alue for money you can purchase a Microsoft Action Pack for a discounted annual fee of $475, designed with resources designed to help your organization continue building. Learn more about the Microsoft Action Pack here.

3. You get access to Microsoft resources and benefits

After you’ve completed the initial setup and customized your partnership, it’s time to dive deep into the resources . These include (but aren’t limited to):

a portfolio of go-to-market services to help you grow your business
technical presales and deployment services
product licenses including internal-use rights (not for commercial use)
product support (varies by partnership level)

4. You get rewards through incentives where eligible

Here’s where documenting your revenue comes in especially handy! Microsoft offers a solid range of incentive programs that ISVs can qualify for by driving revenue, selling strategic products, adding customers, expanding channels, influencing customers’ usage—the list goes on. In short, the options are many and chances are you’ll find an incentive program that suits your specific business.

How to know if you have the right MPN ID

Because the Microsoft ecosystem is rather complex, hiccups do happen. Your MPN ID might be linked to an expired program, you might be using the wrong one, or you might actually need multiple IDs!

How can you check this doesn't happen to you? Let’s break it down step by step.

1. Start with roles and permissions

Before anything else, verify the roles and permissions your user has for the Partner Center. You must be a global admin to give yourself the additional permissions for MPN Admin and Account Admin. These are required for the next steps. Here’s what it should look like

2. Find out if you have the right MPN ID

In the Account settings dashboard, under the Reseller profile tab, you will find the Associated MPN ID

3. Fact about MPN ID

needs to be renewed every 365 days
You can log in at https://partner.microsoft.com , where you can view or renew your partner ID and perhaps find some more information about your partner status .
Renewal Partnership ( How to renew your competency or Microsoft Action Pack )

Important: only the Primary Program Contact can re-activate and is able to the exact expiration date.

Have more questions? Contact Partner Center support