Microsoft Marketplace community topics

How to choose the right Marketplace offer type for your AI app or agent

j_weller_nv — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:40:59 GMT

Selecting the right Microsoft Marketplace offer type is one of the most important—and often most complex—decisions when bringing AI apps and agents to market. In this latest Marketplace blog article, you’ll learn how different offer types align to AI delivery models and why this choice directly impacts architecture, security boundaries, customer experience, and monetization strategy.

The article breaks down key considerations across SaaS, Azure Managed Applications, containers, and virtual machines, helping software development companies understand how to balance control, scalability, and operational ownership. It also highlights how offer type decisions influence where AI workloads run, how data is managed, and how customers deploy and interact with your solution.

If you’re building or publishing AI solutions in Microsoft Marketplace, this guidance will help you make informed decisions early—before development, security, and go-to-market plans are locked in.

Read the full article: Marketplace Offer Types for AI Apps and agents: SaaS vs Managed App vs Containers

Improve your Microsoft Marketplace listing performance with AI-powered, personalized recommendations

j_weller_nv — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:25:57 GMT

Discover how to strengthen your Microsoft Marketplace listing and increase discoverability with new AI-powered optimization capabilities available in App Advisor. This article explores how software development companies can receive fast, personalized recommendations that help improve clarity, strengthen value propositions, and align listings with Microsoft Marketplace best practices.

In today’s competitive Marketplace environment, listing quality plays a critical role in whether customers discover, engage with, and ultimately choose your solution. The new listing optimization experience provides immediate, actionable feedback across key areas such as value proposition, solution description, and overall presentation—helping teams identify gaps and make improvements with confidence.

Learn how this capability works, what it evaluates, and how your organization can use it to continuously refine your listing and drive better outcomes. Read the full article to explore how you can move from guesswork to data-driven optimization in Microsoft Marketplace.

Microsoft Marketplace at Channel Partners Conference

ElizabethBeals — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:20:15 GMT

Microsoft Marketplace was a first-time sponsor of the 2026 Channel Partners Conference & Expo—the world’s largest channel event—held in Las Vegas, April 13-16. With 59% of cloud marketplace revenue expected to flow through channel, this event provided a clear opportunity to reinforce Marketplace as a core platform for channel‑led growth. The channel is central for customer Frontier transformation, and Marketplace helps power the commercial foundation, connecting partners, software companies, and customers through flexible, channel-led sales models that scale. Our team really enjoyed the conversations we had after our sessions, on the expo floor, and in private meetings!

Did you attend Channel Partners Conference this year? We'd love to hear your takeaways!

And if you missed the event, check out this article on the keynote delivered by Microsoft's Kevin LeBlanc, GM of Partner and Marketplace Marketing. Resources for software companies and channel partners are always available on our partner site.

Securing and governing AI agents before deployment

j_weller_nv — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:13:14 GMT

April 30 | 2:00-3:00 PM (GTM +10) Join this live webinar to learn how to secure and govern AI agents before they go live. Explore how to provision agents with Entra Agent ID, manage identities and credentials, enforce least-privilege access, and prevent risks like Shadow AI and agent sprawl. Join to gain practical guidance on governing AI agents across their full lifecycle—so you can deploy with confidence.

To view the session live, register here: Securing and Governing AI Agents Before They Go Live

You can view previous Security for Software Development Company series sessions on demand here: Security for Software Development Company Series: Securing the Agentic Era

How to design production-ready AI architectures for apps and agents on Microsoft Marketplace

j_weller_nv — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:18:00 GMT

As organizations accelerate the development of AI-powered applications and agents, moving from prototype to production requires a strong architectural foundation. This article explores what it takes to build AI solutions that are ready for enterprise deployment through Microsoft Marketplace—where reliability, security, scalability, and operational readiness are essential.

Learn why “production-ready” architectures are critical to meeting customer expectations, how early design decisions impact long-term success, and what patterns software development companies should consider when aligning solution architecture with Marketplace offer types. The article also highlights key considerations around ownership, runtime environments, and operational responsibilities that shape how AI solutions are deployed and supported.

Whether you are building your first AI app or scaling an existing solution, this guidance provides a practical foundation for designing trusted, enterprise-ready offerings that customers can confidently run in production.

Read the full article: Production ready architectures for AI apps and agents on Marketplace | Microsoft Community Hub

Why building secure AI apps and agents early matters for Microsoft Marketplace

j_weller_nv — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:16:24 GMT

Security is a foundational requirement for publishing and scaling AI apps and agents on Microsoft Marketplace. As AI systems become more autonomous, they introduce new trust boundaries across prompts, identity, integrations, and runtime behavior. This article explores why security must be designed in from the start—and how clear guardrails, identity controls, and enforcement help reduce risk, streamline Marketplace review, and build customer trust. Learn what it takes to create Marketplace‑ready AI solutions that are secure, scalable, and enterprise‑ready.
Read the full article: Securing AI apps and agents on Microsoft Marketplace | Microsoft Community Hub

Feedback on Partner Benefit Renewal Experience

Asgrimur_Skarp — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:04:48 GMT

I wanted to share a bit of feedback on the partner benefit packages based on our experience.

In the past we used the Action Pack and it worked very well for us. Renewal was simple and everything that was already configured just continued into the next period without any extra work.

After it was discontinued we moved to the Partner Success Core Benefits package. Our experience has been less smooth, especially with how the Azure credits are handled.

The credit must be assigned to a specific user, and if that user already has Azure credit it cannot be applied until the current one expires. When the credit expires, the subscriptions funded by it automatically switch to Pay As You Go. After that we need to contact support to convert the subscriptions back to Azure Sponsorship before the new credit can be applied, which involves several support teams and can take a few days. We also then need to ask support to cover the temporary Pay As You Go usage.

As you can imagine, this turns what should be a simple renewal into a fairly time consuming process.

Ideally, renewing the benefit package would just extend the existing setup, similar to how it worked with Action Pack, so everything continues without needing support involvement.

Scale manufacturing AI from pilot to production with Microsoft Marketplace

Felipe_Ospina — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:05:01 GMT

Manufacturers are facing growing pressure from labor constraints, rising costs, and increasingly complex supply chains—while expectations for AI-driven efficiency continue to climb. Yet many AI initiatives never move beyond the pilot stage due to fragmented data environments and the complexity of deploying solutions across production systems.

In this latest Marketplace blog, we explore practical insights shared during a recent Microsoft Marketplace customer office hour on what it takes to move manufacturing AI initiatives from proof-of-concept to scalable, production-ready deployments. Learn why establishing a unified data foundation across systems such as ERP, MES, IoT sensors, and asset management platforms is essential to unlocking real operational impact—and how Microsoft Marketplace can help organizations scale AI in a governed, sustainable way across plants and environments.

Read the full article: How manufacturers can scale AI from pilot to production with Microsoft Marketplace

Design AI guardrails to support and secure enterprise-ready apps and agents in Microsoft Marketplace

j_weller_nv — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:22:06 GMT

As AI-powered apps and agents become more autonomous, clearly defined guardrails are essential for helping protect sensitive data, control system behavior, and meet Marketplace certification and enterprise security expectations. This article explores how software companies can design enforceable guardrails that enable safe AI autonomy—supporting reliability, scalability, and customer trust from day one.
Read the full article:
Designing AI guardrails for apps and agents in Marketplace

Question on MPO and Partner Quotes, what is your best practice?

QuestSoftware — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:45:19 GMT

Hello community, a question regarding how does MPO accelerate your deals?

Today, direct to customer private offers can accelerate deals by using the private offer process for a customer to "electronically sign" a document attached to the private offer.

However, for MPO we do not have a way for a channel partner (aka: reseller) to "electronically sign" a partner quote via Marketplace because MPO does not have a way to attach a pdf that the partner exclusively sees & accepts. In other words, any pdf we attach is also visible to the end customer which we do not want. As a result, we struggle to use MPO to accelerate deals (note: we are in discussion with partners about using REO but they also want to use MPO)

Have you considered the MPO partner quote scenario and if so, have you found a way through this to accelerate deal making? What do you do?

Explore what’s new for Microsoft Marketplace partners in April 2026

v-callahank — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:51:47 GMT

The latest Microsoft Marketplace Partner Digest is now live—featuring key updates to partner Specializations, new Partner Center MFA requirements, and go-to-market resources designed to help software development companies build, publish, and scale transactable AI solutions.

Catch up on the latest program changes and Marketplace opportunities to support your AI and co-sell strategies.

👉 Read the full article: Microsoft Marketplace Partner Digest | April 2026 | Microsoft Community Hub

Why governance is essential for scaling AI apps and agents in Microsoft Marketplace

j_weller_nv — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:28:42 GMT

As AI apps and agents become more autonomous and integrated across enterprise environments, governance is no longer a secondary consideration—it is foundational to building solutions customers can confidently adopt and operate at scale. In this Microsoft Marketplace blog, learn how governance transforms powerful AI capabilities into controlled, accountable solutions by establishing responsibility for system actions, defining acceptable behavior boundaries, and enabling ongoing review and auditability.

The article outlines how effective governance for AI apps and agents spans three core dimensions—policy, enforcement, and evidence—ensuring that AI behavior in production environments remains intentional, explainable, and aligned with customer expectations. For software development companies building and publishing AI-powered solutions through Microsoft Marketplace, readiness is increasingly defined not by raw technical capability, but by control, accountability, and trust in real-world deployment scenarios.

If you’re designing, publishing, or scaling AI solutions through Microsoft Marketplace, this guidance can help you strengthen enterprise trust and ensure your apps and agents are built for long-term operational success.

Read the full article: Governing AI apps and agents for Marketplace | Microsoft Community Hub

How AI-powered software development companies are winning in Microsoft Marketplace

j_weller_nv — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:57:04 GMT

Artificial intelligence is transforming how software development companies build, market, and scale solutions across the Microsoft ecosystem. In this latest Microsoft Marketplace guest partner blog, explore how an AI-powered partner is using Microsoft Cloud technologies and Marketplace go-to-market capabilities to accelerate innovation, expand co-sell opportunities, and deliver measurable customer value.

Learn how aligning AI-driven applications with Microsoft Marketplace can help software companies improve solution discoverability, streamline enterprise procurement, and unlock new revenue pathways through partner-led growth.

Read the full article:
The AI-powered partner: Winning in the Microsoft ecosystem | Microsoft Community Hub

Learn more and attend the live webinar on April 28th:
Maximize selling with Microsoft and Marketplace ROI - Microsoft Marketplace Community

Join Marketplace at Microsoft Build!

ElizabethBeals — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:00:44 GMT

The Marketplace team will be at Microsoft Build, June 2-3 in San Francisco, CA! We hope you'll join us in the Hub to meet with experts on how to build, publish, and monetize apps and agents with Microsoft Marketplace.

"Favorite" the Marketplace lightning talk which covers the start-to-finish publishing process and highlights benefits and incentives available from Microsoft for software developers: Monetize apps and agents with Microsoft Marketplace

Check out the full catalog to explore sessions across the topics: Cloud Platform & Data, Developer Tools & Frameworks, Apps & Agents, Model Training, Windows, and Responsible AI.

Can't make it to San Francisco? You can always register for the digital experience. See you there!

What changed for co-sell after QRP retirement — what ISVs should update now

vdineshk — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:46:55 GMT

Microsoft retired QRP last week and consolidated referrals into Partner Center. What most ISVs haven't caught yet is that the new AI-based matching reads your solution descriptions and industry tags differently than QRP did. If your listing hasn't been updated since early 2025, you may be getting matched to lower-quality leads or missed entirely.

Three things worth reviewing now: your solution area tags, your customer segment fields, and your co-sell 1-pager format. Happy to share more detail on what I've seen reviewing several listings. Drop your questions below.

Reshaping enterprise go-to-market with Microsoft Marketplace and ecosystem partnerships

juhisaha-partner1 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:32:09 GMT

As the pace of enterprise transformation accelerates, we’re seeing a fundamental shift in how organizations go to market—and it’s being powered by ecosystems, not silos. Partner1 recently hosted two industry events where we explored how Microsoft Marketplace is becoming a central engine for this change, helping partners unlock new routes to growth while making it easier for customers to discover, buy, and deploy innovative solutions.

From AI-driven offerings to multiparty private offers and deeper channel integrations, Marketplace is redefining how partnerships come together to deliver end-to-end value. It’s not just about listing solutions—it’s about creating scalable, repeatable growth through a connected ecosystem that meets customers where and how they want to buy.

If you’re thinking about how to evolve your go-to-market strategy, scale with partners, or tap into new revenue opportunities, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Read the full article to see how Marketplace and ecosystem partnerships are reshaping enterprise go-to-market—and what it means for your business.

How Microsoft Marketplace and ecosystem partnerships are reshaping enterprise go-to-market | Microsoft Community Hub

Why to include Azure in your multi-cloud strategy

j_weller_nv — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:00:54 GMT

For software companies building on AWS, adding Azure isn’t just a technical decision—it’s a growth strategy. In this Marketplace blog, learn how replicating your solution to Azure can unlock access to Microsoft’s global seller network, enterprise customers, and commercial marketplace incentives that can reduce procurement friction and accelerate deal velocity.

The article breaks down the business case, the role of Marketplace and co-sell, and the financial incentives available to partners—plus practical guidance on when and how to get started.

Read the full article to understand why expanding to Azure is increasingly a go-to-market decision, not just an infrastructure one. Replicating solutions to Azure: The business case, the incentives, and how to get there fast | Microsoft Community Hub

Learn more and join the April 2nd webinar for live Q&A Why Azure belongs in your multicloud strategy - Microsoft Marketplace Community

Seamless private offers are critical to closing negotiated deals faster in Microsoft Marketplace

Stephanie_Brice — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:53:48 GMT

The Seamless Marketplace private offers: creation to customer use | Microsoft Community Hub article walks through the end‑to‑end private offer journey, from creation in Partner Center to customer purchase and solution activation. Learn how Marketplace private offers support flexible selling motions, reduce friction for buyers, and help partners deliver a more streamlined purchasing experience. If you’re looking to strengthen your Marketplace transactions and improve deal execution, this is a must‑read.

To learn more and have questions answered join the live webinar on April 15, Seamless private offers: From creation to purchase and activation - Microsoft Marketplace Community, where we will share an end-to-end walkthrough of private offer execution with a live demo and Q&A.

Adding Azure into your multicloud strategy

j_weller_nv — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:03:00 GMT

Building a multicloud strategy? Learn why Azure plays a critical role in accelerating Marketplace success. Join WeTransact at the April 2nd Microsoft Marketplace webinar to explore how aligning Azure with your multicloud approach can help you increase deal size, unlock co-sell opportunities, and move faster using Microsoft tools, funding, and incentives. You’ll gain practical guidance on replication, modernization, and next steps to drive long-term Marketplace momentum.
Learn more and attend: Why Azure belongs in your multicloud strategy - Microsoft Marketplace Community

Securing AI agents in the agentic era

j_weller_nv — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 18:09:03 GMT

As AI agents take on more autonomous roles across enterprise applications, security must evolve just as quickly. In this article, explore a practical security playbook for the agentic era—covering key risks, governance considerations, and foundational principles for deploying and scaling AI agents responsibly. You’ll also learn why these security considerations matter for solutions built, published, and transacted through Microsoft Marketplace, where trust, compliance, and enterprise readiness are essential. Read the full article to understand what secure AI agent adoption means for today’s enterprises—and Marketplace publishers.
Securing AI agents: The enterprise security playbook for the agentic era | Microsoft Community Hub