Modern Work & Security Switzerland topics

📢 Swiss Partner Townhall – May Edition

IDiyor — Tue, 27 May 2025 14:50:46 GMT

🗓 May 28th
🕤 9:30 – 10:30 AM (Online)

👉 Register here: https://aka.ms/swisspartnertownhall

We’re back with our Monthly Swiss Partner Townhall, your go-to forum for the latest updates, strategies, and guidance to empower your business.

💡 This month’s agenda is packed with timely topics and expert speakers:

🔹 Top of Mind – Andrew Reid
🔹 New European Digital Commitments: What They Mean for Switzerland – Moritz Oberli
🔹 3-Year SKU Strategy & Promotional Roadmap – Thomas Rupp
🔹 Technical Presales & Development Services Benefits – Beat Weissenberger
🔹 Understanding Security Score Requirements: FAQs – Manuel Michaud
🔹 Events & Partner Enablement Updates – Diyor Iskandarov

🎯 Stay informed. Stay competitive. Stay connected.

We look forward to seeing you there.

👉 Register here: https://aka.ms/swisspartnertownhall

SwissPartnerTownhall MicrosoftSwitzerland PartnerNetwork Switzerland Cloud AI Innovation Technology TechUpdates DigitalSwitzerland PartnerEnablement CloudInnovation

Free Copilot Studio Training Series for Power Platform Makers

Andre_Heim — Thu, 15 May 2025 04:30:22 GMT

Are you experienced with Power Apps or Power Automate and curious how your skills translate to building AI agents? 🛠️

We’ve collaborated with Microsoft MVP of 20 years, Shane Young, to bring you over 2 hours of free, hands-on training designed to help you get started with Copilot Studio and walk away with your own agents!👇

The training series includes:

✅ Demos

✅ Step-by-step builds

✅ Deep dives into product-specific features

📅 We’re kicking things off today with 7 of 28 videos—new sections will drop every couple of days to get you fully prepped just in time for Microsoft Build! 🎉

1️⃣ Section 1 (Today): Introduction + Demos (7 videos) ✅

2️⃣ Section 2 (Thursday, May 15): How to build a conversational agent (8 videos)

3️⃣ Section 3 (Saturday, May 17): How to build an autonomous agent (10 videos)

4️⃣ Section 4 (Monday, May 19): Reusing your Power Platform skills (3 videos)

✨ Whether you're just getting started or looking to deepen your expertise, this series is packed with content to accelerate your journey into the world of AI agents.

🔗 Get watching here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi9EhCY4z99XR9Me1e4LZTF-YsnklmEsa&si=W84QMbeGVDG_lMHI

Copilot Studio Pricing Guide

Andre_Heim — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:19:08 GMT

With more and more features, functionalities, Agents and capabilities coming to Copilot Studio this link to MSLearn might be helpful to calculate potential costs of your AI solution built with Copilot Studio. It digs into scenarios for pay-as-you-go and message packs. Especially the brand new features Agent flow and deep reasoning are already inclded.

Billing rates and management - Microsoft Copilot Studio | Microsoft Learn

AI Guide for Swiss SMEs: Mastery and Implementation

IDiyor — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 19:03:07 GMT

The Growing Importance of AI for Swiss SMEs

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the daily operations across all industries. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), AI opens up new business opportunities and has the potential to significantly enhance efficiency and productivity through tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot. According to the study "New Technology: The Projected Total Economic Impact of Microsoft 365 Copilot For SMB," AI is set to revolutionize business processes profoundly.

Cross-Organizational Potential of AI Utilization

Over 50% of Swiss SMEs are already incorporating AI into their processes, yet only 9% are using it systematically. Studies reveal that 42% of companies anticipate noticeable efficiency and productivity gains within the next two years. AI can accelerate administrative tasks, automate data analysis, and support lead generation in sales, among other applications. The potential uses span the entire value chain and various roles within SMEs.

Building Knowledge and Competence as Key Factors

To remain competitive, it is crucial for SMEs to develop a fundamental understanding of AI, systematically build knowledge, and continuously expand practical applications. Establishing a solid foundation of AI knowledge and competencies enables strategic decision-making and efficient operational measures in the era of this transformative technology.

About The AI Guide

This guide by Innovate Switzerland is a carefully curated collection of selected content that makes the diverse field of AI accessible for different roles within SMEs. It aims to help SMEs find a productive entry point into the topic, build trust in AI technologies, and successfully implement them both strategically and operationally.

Key Takeaways for Microsoft Partners

AI's Growing Role: Emphasize the increasing significance of AI for Swiss SMEs and the transformative potential of tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Educational Resources: Highlight the availability of concise and informative resources for understanding generative AI and Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Broad Applications: Showcase the wide-ranging applications of AI across various business processes and roles within SMEs.
Competence Building: Stress the importance of developing AI knowledge and competencies to make informed strategic decisions and enhance operational efficiency.
Supportive Guide: Promote the training guide by Innovate Switzerland as a valuable resource for SMEs to navigate the AI landscape effectively.

By leveraging these insights, Microsoft Partners can better support Swiss SMEs in their AI journey, helping them unlock new opportunities and drive growth through innovative AI solutions.

Discover more and access the full guide here:

German: https://innovate-switzerland.ch/de/ki-verstehen-und-anwenden
French: https://innovate-switzerland.ch/fr/comprendre-et-appliquer-lia/

Coming soon: Microsoft Copilot specialization

Andre_Heim — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 07:57:43 GMT

The Microsoft Copilot specialization showcases your expertise providing consulting and professional services around Copilot.

Once available in June 2025, the Microsoft Copilot specialization will demonstrate your experience and capabilities with Copilot, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Chat, Copilot Studio, and agents. Partners with this specialization can help their customers: 

Explore AI Advisory Services for Microsoft Copilot.  
Adopt Copilot. 
Deliver data security and deployment. 
Enable extensibility with agentic focus.

With the Microsoft Copilot specialization, you can continue to work toward attaining a Solutions Partner designation for Modern Work and/or a Solutions Partner designation for Business Applications. If your organization has already attained one or both of these designations, please review the criteria for earning a Microsoft Copilot specialization and begin to work toward the requirements. This specialization is planned for release in June 2025.

The requirements include:

Performance requirements 

1,000 monthly active user (MAU) growth of Microsoft 365 Copilot in the trailing twelve months (TTM). (Claiming partner of record (CPOR), Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) Tier 1 or 2) 
Five Copilot net customer growth in TTM (CPOR, CSP Tier 1 or 2)

Skilling requirements 

Four people with MS-102: Microsoft 365 Administrator (Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert)
Two people with APL-4002: Prepare security and compliance to support Microsoft 365 Copilot
Two people with MS-7008: Create and extend custom copilots in Microsoft Copilot Studio

Customer references 

Provide three customer references, which must include at least one example of transforming business processes with agent implementation.

Swiss Partner Townhall – January 30th, 9:30 CET

IDiyor — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 14:49:51 GMT

Dear Partners,

We are inviting you to our monthly Swiss Partner Townhall, happening on Tuesday, January 30th, from 9:30 to 10:30 CET. This virtual event is your go-to source for the latest updates, insights, and opportunities to maximize your success as a Microsoft Partner.

📅 Date: January 30th, 2025

⏰ Time: 9:30 - 10:30 CET

📍 Online

👉 Register now

Agenda at a Glance

Time	Topic	Speaker
9:30–9:35	Opening	Diyor Iskandarov
9:35–9:45	Key Partner Priorities	Andrew Reid
9:45–10:05	Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat Announcement	Stefanie Thommen
10:05–10:20	Copilot Studio & Agents	Nadine Nyffenegger
10:20–10:30	Partner Benefits Updates	Jana Caduff

Why Attend?

Join us to explore how AI-powered tools like Copilot Chat, Copilot Studio, and Agents can transform collaboration, streamline business processes, and deliver tailored customer solutions. Plus, get key updates on the MAICPP & IUR to ensure you’re maximizing your partner benefits. This Townhall is your chance to stay ahead with cutting-edge AI innovations and unlock the full potential of your Microsoft partnership.

👉 Register now to secure your spot and kickstart a successful 2025 with Microsoft.

We look forward to seeing you there.

#SwissPartnerTownhall #Microsoft365 #CopilotChat #MicrosoftPartners #Switzerland #Copilot #AI

Swiss DCs Partner Update Call September 2024

Primo_Amrein — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 12:39:46 GMT

Please find attached the pdf slides from this quarter's partner Swiss DCs update call. The recording and AI recap is here: Regular Partner Q&A Call on CH DC-20240920_140148-Meeting Recording.mp4 (sharepoint.com)

Main info covered:

New Public Story

5 years Swiss DCs

Azure

More powerful NVIDIA GPUs NVv5 now generally available in Switzerland North in two zones, enabling e.g. resource-intensive applications such as CAD for Virtual Desktop
Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB vCore available very soon in Switzerland North

Modern Work

GPU cloud PCs in Windows 365 available in Switzerland

Final Call

Similar to established areas with mature DCs such as DE / FR / UK, there is no local DC Lead any longer in Switzerland
Please approach your Microsoft partner team or Martin Abrle for Swiss DCs requests
I will delete the call series for the future as I transitioned to the role of AI National Skills Director
Thank you VERY MUCH for the past collaboration and everything you've done for Swiss DCs!

Swiss DCs Partner Update Call June 2024

Primo_Amrein — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 13:03:20 GMT

Please find attached the pdf slides from this quarter's partner Swiss DCs update call. The recording and AI recap is here: Regular Partner Q&A Call on CH DC-20240621_140141-Meeting Recording.mp4 (sharepoint.com)

Main info covered:

New Public Customer Story

Luzerner Kantonsspital with partner Polypoint

Azure

Azure OpenAI GPT-4 Turbo and GPT-4o available as Provisioned Throughput in Switzerland North - PAYG not yet available, will be listed here:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-services/openai/concepts/models
Azure VMware Solution now generally available in Switzerland North
More powerful NVIDIA GPUs NVv5 now generally available in Switzerland North, enabling
e.g. resource-intensive applications such as CAD for Virtual Desktop
Azure Storage Actions (preview), a fully managed platform that helps customers automate
data management operations for Azure Blob Storage and Azure Data Lake Storage
Please approach me if your customers have a need for further workloads in Swiss DCs

Defender

Announcement Post | LinkedIn
Covered solutions: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint MDE, Microsoft Defender for
Identity MDI and Microsoft Defender XDR as underlying platform
Be aware of a few specific points per the pdf or call recording

Next Call

Current call series will be extended, next call will be on Friday Sept 20 2024 14.00
Please approach me if you'd like to join as well

FSI round table - keynote

wouterdeblank — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 19:18:08 GMT

Dear MSFT Partners,

I am in the midst of organizing FSI Roundtable for CISO's at the MSFT office in the Cirlce in Zurich in June.

If you are interested to host a keynote session focused on thought leadership, please fill out the Forms by Apr 10.

Thank you
Wouter

Swiss DCs Partner Update Call March 2024

Primo_Amrein — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:16:04 GMT

Please find attached the pdf slides from this quarter's partner Swiss DCs update call. The recording is too large to share here, please approach me directly in the next four weeks if you would like to access it. Main info covered:

New Public Customer Stories

Azure OpenAI at Rhaetian Railway with startup ParetoLabs
SAP on Azure at Canton Aargau
M365 at Universitäts-Kinderspital beider Basel
Azure OpenAI at startup Apiax
M365 at Schweizer Paraplegiker Zentrum
Azure OpenAI at Pictet with startup Unique

M365

M365 Backup available as public preview, including Swiss DCs – invoicing follows the pay-as you-go model as part of Microsoft Syntex per-user licensing
M365 Copilot Local Data Residency, as long as M365 tenant is located in Swiss DCs
- Was added to Product Terms on March 1 2024, publicly also documented
- Stored data is “content of interactions”: the user's prompt and Copilot's response, including citations to any information used to ground Copilot's response
- Data isn't used to train foundation LLMs
- LLM located outside Switzerland, processing happens there as publicly documented

Azure

Microsoft Dev Box launched in Switzerland North, same price as in European DCs
Archive Tier within Azure Backup in Switzerland North
Azure NetApp Files Backup in both Switzerland North and West
Bsv2/Basv2 now GA in Switzerland North – Bsv2 also in Switzerland West
NDA update on Azure VMware Solution
NDA update on more powerful GPUs NVv5 for Virtual Desktop, enabling resource-intensive applications such as CAD
Please approach me if your customers have a need for further workloads in Swiss DCs

Next Call

Cadence switched to quarterly calls
Next call will be on June 21 2024 14.00
Participants who joined at least one call in the last 12 months were invited, please approach me if you'd like to join as well

Unlock the Value of a Smart Workplace with Teams and Copilot for Microsoft 365

SirBenji — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 16:37:19 GMT

We are pleased to inform you that we will be hosting a Partner webinar, titled: Unlock the Value of a Smart Workplace with Teams and Copilot for Microsoft 365.

‌

With the incredible impact AI is having on how organizations and individuals work. The endless opportunities powered by a smart workplace with Microsoft Teams sets the foundation for unleashing creativity and productivity to a whole new level, and partners play a critical role in guiding our customers along their AI journey.

‌

‌During this webinar, we’ll discuss the opportunity for partners in bringing together Microsoft Teams Phone, Teams Premium, Teams Rooms, and Copilot in Teams to support our customers AI transformations. You’ll also have the chance to hear from two Partners who quickly embraced AI as the compelling moment to position the Converged Communications solution play, and how it’s unlocked new revenue opportunities. They’ll share their experiences on the impact Copilot is having across all customer engagements, and how it unlocks additional new opportunities and emerging business models to stay relevant.

‌

Join us on March 13 from 17:30 – 18:30 for a live session on unlocking the value of Copilot across the Converged Communications solution play.

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Partner individuals attending this event will have the opportunity to interact with Microsoft subject matter experts through a moderated live Q&A chat.

Call to Action

Partners can register here: https://aka.ms/ConvergedCommsCopilotPartnerWebinar.

Microsoft Copilot for Security Partner Bootcamp | February 21-22

ManuelMichaud — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:11:11 GMT

Discover how Microsoft Copilot for Security can help security teams navigate security operations with speed and confidence. Join this bootcamp for insights into Copilot for Security capabilities, its interfaces and plugins, and how to enhance security operations center (SOC) efficiency using the power of AI.

REGISTER HERE

Day 1: Sales Track

Learn how to go-to-market with Microsoft Copilot for Security
Understand the value proposition and perfect your pitch for Microsoft Copilot for Security

Day 2: Technical Track

Understand data controls, data sharing, and architecture for Microsoft Copilot for Security
Learn all about prompts and plugins and how to troubleshoot common issues and errors

The Microsoft Copilot for Security Partner Bootcamp is an advanced level training event for sales professionals and technical experts looking to introduce Microsoft Copilot for Security capabilities. To get the most from this workshop, you should:

Possess foundational knowledge of Microsoft Security services
Ideally, have some knowledge of the relevant role-based certification content, but this is not required

Copilot for M365 – The road ahead for Microsoft partners

ManuelMichaud — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 16:07:53 GMT

(April 23 Update)

The purpose of this post is to inform you on the upcoming partner enablement activities related to Copilot for M365. This list will be kept up to date as things are moving very fast. If you have any question or are not sure which session is the best fit for you, don't hesitate to contact me (manumic@microsoft.com) or anyone from the Microsoft team.

Check also the Copilot for Microsoft 365 partner landing page for all partner related resources.

Events:

27th May in Geneva
CSP Masters GTM & Sales Training: Copilot for Microsoft 365
28th May in Geneva
CSP Masters Technical Training: Copilot for Microsoft 365
4th June in Zürich
Copilot for Microsoft 365: Deployment and Adoption Bootcamp

Don't miss: Cloud Solution Provider H2 Acceleration Moment | January 18, 2024

larabems — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 07:07:52 GMT

Join us for the Cloud Solution Provider H2 Acceleration webcast hosted by Microsoft executives Jared Spataro, CVP of Modern Work and Business Applications; Kevin Peesker, CVP SMC & Digital; and David Smith, VP of Global Channel Sales.

We will provide the latest product updates, marketing program updates and new go-to-market investments to help you manage upcoming renewals and get customers AI ready!

New Modern Work partner marketing campaigns for you!

larabems — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 07:20:53 GMT

Want to generate more leads for your Modern Work solutions?

Take advantage of new Microsoft 365 partner-ready marketing campaigns!
Choose from customizable marketing content in Partner Marketing Center or find automated campaigns in Digital Marketing Content OnDemand.

Save time on making go-to-market content and focus more on creating productivity solutions for your customers.

Leverage campaigns

Microsoft Ignite 2023: AI transformation and the technology driving change

larabems — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 08:56:57 GMT

Yesterday, Microsoft Ignite kicked off, where we already announced numerous updates that touch on multiple layers of an AI-forward strategy, from adoption to productivity to security.

The blog, written by Frank X. Shaw - Chief Communications Officer, Microsoft, zooms in on a few key areas of impact below.

Read the blog

FY24 Modern Work & Security Partner Guide for SMB - now available for download!

YannicSamir — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 09:37:40 GMT

Dear Parters,

If you are present in the SMB market and would like to understand how Microsoft can support you programmatically in driving your Modern Work & Security business, then download and use our Modern Work & Security Partner guide. The guide summarizes programs and resources that help you to plan your enablement, go-to-market, target customers and identifying and developing opportunities from pre-sales to post-sales.

Please find the download link below and leverage the guide actively. The guide will be periodically updated so make sure you use the download link in order to always have the latest version at hand.

Microsoft 365 Copilot is generally available now! | FAQ

larabems — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 12:45:29 GMT

In March, we introduced Microsoft 365 Copilot to the world. Now, it's generally available for our enterprise customers.

Microsoft 365 Copilot combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with your business data, the Microsoft 365 apps millions use every day, and the web – turning your words into the most powerful productivity tool on the planet.

Whether it’s managing your inbox, putting together a great presentation, or brainstorming new ideas, Copilot changes the way you work, unlocking productivity and unleashing creativity. It frees you to focus on the work that’s most important and energizing – the work only you can do.

Frequently asked questions

What are the eligibility prerequisites for Microsoft 365 Copilot?

Eligible are enterprise customers licensed for Microsoft 365 E3/E5 with a minimum of 300 seats.

What applications are included in Microsoft 365 Copilot?

Copilot includes access to Microsoft 365 Chat and integrations with Copilot in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Loop, and other Microsoft 365 apps.

Is Microsoft Copilot available worldwide?

Copilot is generally available for purchase worldwide in public clouds - for enterprise customers only. We are currently working on our timeline for sovereign clouds.

Which languages does Microsoft 365 Copilot support?

Except for Excel, Copilot is supported in the following languages:

English (US, GB, AU, CA, IN)
Spanish (Spain, Mexico)
Japanese
French (France, Canada)
German
Portuguese (Brazil)
Italian
Chinese Simplified

Copilot in Excel is currently only supported in English.

We will extend coverage to additional languages in the future. The next set of languages includes: Arabic, Chinese Traditional, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Ukrainian.

Is there a trial of Microsoft 365 Copilot?

No, there is no trial available.

How can I purchase Microsoft 365 Copilot?

Contact your sales representative for Enterprise pricing to get started.

Explore Microsoft 365 Copilot

Building a Foundation for AI Success: A Leader’s Guide

larabems — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 05:52:26 GMT

Discover insights from Microsoft customers, partners, and industry analysts — to help your organization thrive on your path to AI transformation.

You’ll learn how to get started and continue with the pillars of AI success, including:

Business strategies, such as objectives, use cases, and measurement of AI.
Technology readiness for successful AI deployments.
AI expertise that embeds AI into the fabric of your business.
An organization and culture that supports AI.
Governance to help ensure AI systems are developed responsibly.

Access the whitepaper

Apply to host a keynote on Data Security during MSFT's security day on November 23

wouterdeblank — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:08:27 GMT

Dear MSFT Partners, I am in the midst of organizing a keynote session during our Swiss Security Day planned for November 23 at the MSFT office iin Geneva. If you are interested to host a keynote, please fill out the below form by October 13 --> fill out this FORM