Grow your sales on Marketplace: App Advisor helps you understand improvements to negotiated deals
Want to dive into the details of negotiated deals and how to create them? Head to App Advisor: https://aka.ms/GrowMySales Not all customers buy apps in the same way. Some need negotiated pricing. Others have specific contract or billing requirements. Some want to buy through a trusted channel partner. Microsoft Marketplace already supports these scenarios through negotiated deals. Now, several new capabilities make those motions more flexible, accessible, and scalable. How do I sell more apps and agents? The best way to sell more apps and agents is to expand your sales footprint, not build more. This means making your apps and agents available through private offers, negotiated deals, and selling through channel partners. These types of deals have always given you flexibility, but new releases have improved their functionality. No matter how you’re selling, chances are good that you could grow your sales with at least one type of private offer (each detailed in App Advisor) Sell directly without another party → To-customer private offer. Bring a channel partner into a direct customer deal → Multiparty private offers (MPO). Authorize partners to repeatedly resell your offer → Resale enabled offers (REO). Sell through a customer's Cloud Solution Provider → CSP private offer. What changed for negotiated deals Over the last two months, Microsoft has improved capabilities and availability of several types of negotiated deals: Request private offer: Customers can now initiate a conversation about customized pricing and terms directly from an eligible Marketplace listing. Partners configure this when publishing an offer and a button appears on the listing for customers to reach out, reducing the gap between discovering an offer and beginning a negotiated sale. Custom contract lengths: Software companies can create eligible private offers with nonstandard contract lengths defined in months, including terms such as 18 months, with support extending up to 10 years for eligible SaaS and Professional Services scenarios. This helps align Marketplace transactions more closely with contracts negotiated with customers. Flexible billing: Eligible private offers can use customized billing schedules rather than forcing the transaction into a standard cadence. Current Microsoft documentation supports up to 70 installments and terms up to 120 months/10 years in supported scenarios. Expanded MPO reach: After expanding into 30 European countries earlier in the year, MPO expanded to Australia, Japan, and South Africa last month, creating more opportunities for software companies and channel partners to collaborate on Marketplace transactions. Expanded REO reach: REO expanded to New Zealand, extending the channel-led resale model into another market. What comes next Interested in expanding your sales footprint with minimal overhead? Follow along in this series as we discuss each type of private offer and advantages of each. To get started today, explore your negotiated selling options with App Advisor: https://aka.ms/GrowMySalesExpand Marketplace sales with MPO and App Advisor
Explore how multiparty private offers (MPO) enable software companies to collaborate with channel partners on Marketplace opportunities. Learn MPO requirements, eligibility, customer scenarios, and how App Advisor helps you navigate and create partner-led Marketplace deals.Close more custom deals on Marketplace with private offers and App Advisor guidance
This is part of a series where we look at improvements to negotiated deals in Microsoft Marketplace and how App Advisor helps you choose the right negotiated deal types for your business. Marketplace customers don’t just buy according to the pricing, terms, billing, and procurement structure of a standard public offer. Sometimes, they need a more customized option. A to-customer private offer gives you more flexibility to meet those requirements, negotiate directly with a specific customer, and keep the transaction in Microsoft Marketplace. Let's look at questions that businesses like you may be asking. Why would I use a to-customer private offer? Private offers give flexibility to particular customers. A private offer can be a good fit when a specific customer: Requires customer-specific terms, Wants to negotiate custom pricing, Needs a billing structure aligned with its budgeting or procurement process. They also give you, the seller, some flexibility because you can: Negotiate directly with my customer without involving a channel partner, Include supported professional services as part of the Marketplace transaction, Keep the negotiated transaction completely in Marketplace (while gaining benefits). For eligible offers, the purchase can also count toward the customer’s Azure cloud consumption commitment, while the sale can contribute toward unlocking benefits after publishing, Certified Software Designations, and Azure IP co-sell. To see more about the benefits of to-customer private offers, go to this deep dive in App Advisor Who can I sell to with a private offer? To-customer private offers support a broad range of Marketplace opportunities. Private offers are: Available globally, Available to all Microsoft partners, Available to MOSA, Enterprise Agreement (EA), and Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA) customers. How can I find more customers for private offers? Your existing sales pipeline is one place to start. But Marketplace now also helps customers signal when they’re interested in a negotiated deal. With the new Request private offer enabled on an eligible Marketplace listing, customers can initiate a conversation about customized pricing and terms directly from your product page. On your "Offer setup" page, toggle the "Would you like to enable private offer requests from customers?" ON to have a button appear on your listing that interested viewers can initiate a conversation with you. You still own the sales conversation and create the private offer. The difference is that interested customers now have another way to raise their hand. For software companies asking how to generate more app leads, this creates a clearer path: Marketplace discovery → customer interest → negotiated deal → purchase. How do I create a to-customer private offer? Once you have an interested customer, the basic process starts in Partner Center: Gather the customer’s billing information and identify who can accept and purchase the offer. Create a new private offer using your published Marketplace offer as a base. Define the customer, terms, contacts, negotiated pricing, and other deal requirements. Review and submit the private offer. Share the private-offer link so your customer can accept and purchase. Want all the details to consider (from customer permissions and prerequisites to offer setup and acceptance)? That’s where App Advisor can help. Use App Advisor to move your Marketplace deal forward App Advisor brings the detailed, curated guidance together in one place. You can use it to understand: When to use a negotiated deal, Which type of negotiated deal to choose, What you need to know about your customer to start, How to move through the process with customer checklists, walkthroughs, and supporting resources. Ready to customize and close your next deal? Use App Advisor to learn how to create a to-customer private offer and turn customer interest into a Marketplace sale. Next, we’ll look at resale enabled offers (REO) and how they can help you expand your Marketplace sales motion through channel partners.Four things leading partners teach their sellers to turn a Marketplace listing into co-sell growth
About the author: Reis Barrie is the Founder and CEO of Carve Partners, a growth advisory firm that helps software companies build and scale their Microsoft partnerships. Reis and his team have deep expertise in co-sell, Marketplace, Partner Center, and incentive programs helping software development companies handle both the strategy and the operational work underneath it, end to end. Carve works with some of the fastest-growing partners in the Microsoft ecosystem, and Reis is a regular voice in the broader partner community. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Software companies are under pressure to reach more customers, accelerate sales cycles, and grow recurring revenue. Leading partners respond by creating repeatable buying experiences that help customers discover, purchase, and deploy solutions more efficiently through Microsoft Marketplace. Becoming transactable is an important milestone, but it is only the beginning. The next step is building Marketplace into the company’s go-to-market motion so sellers can connect customer needs with an efficient path to purchase. Microsoft Marketplace supports this motion by connecting customer interest, commerce, and opportunities to co-sell with Microsoft and its partner ecosystem. When sellers understand how to position Marketplace, qualify opportunities, and use available incentives, a live offer can become a foundation for repeatable growth. This post explores: Why the sales momentum is the actual work, not the listing itself The four things leading partners train their sellers to do Key indicators to evaluate and strengthen Marketplace performance across your pipeline What the partners who get there fastest do differently By the end, you should have a clearer view of where your sales motion is working and where it can be strengthened. Who this is for This advice is for you if you're already transactable and Azure IP co-sell eligible. If you're not there yet, go get that first; nothing below substitutes for it. If you're close, the fastest first transaction is usually a customer you already have moved onto Marketplace at their next renewal. The moment it lands, Microsoft sellers can see you. The opportunity Once an offer is established, the goal is to build sales momentum, improve forecasting, and give customers a buying experience aligned with how they prefer to purchase technology. Leading partners treat Marketplace as part of their go-to-market strategy, not simply as a publishing milestone. They prepare sellers to introduce Marketplace naturally in customer conversations and explain how an eligible purchase may apply toward a customer’s Azure commitment. That fluency can help customers move from interest to purchase more efficiently while creating opportunities for co-sell engagement and business growth. What leading partners train their sellers to do 1. Build Marketplace into the sales process Marketplace should be incorporated into discovery and qualification rather than treated as a separate sales motion. Two useful conversation starters are: Discovery: “Does your organization have a Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment?” Positioning: “An eligible purchase through Microsoft Marketplace may count toward your Azure commitment, helping you maximize an investment you have already made.” Sellers do not need to manage every transaction detail. Establish a clear handoff so the seller identifies the opportunity, introduces the customer value, and connects the appropriate partnerships or operations team to support the transaction. Before publishing detailed eligibility or transaction guidance, confirm it against current Microsoft documentation. 2. Make account insights accessible to sellers Give sellers relevant Marketplace and account insights before customer conversations. Depending on the benefits and data available to your organization, useful CRM fields may include: Marketplace purchase indicators Azure commitment information Microsoft account alignment Relevant propensity or engagement signals These indicators should guide prioritization rather than serve as absolute qualification rules. Account context, customer needs, purchase readiness, and an active sales opportunity should remain part of the assessment. 3. Help sellers identify strong co-sell opportunities Train sellers to evaluate whether an opportunity has a clear customer need, an active buying motion, and a specific reason for Microsoft engagement. Useful considerations may include: Whether the customer has an Azure commitment Whether Microsoft is actively engaged with the account Whether the customer has experience purchasing through Marketplace Whether the opportunity aligns with shared customer and business outcomes These indicators can help sellers prioritize opportunities, but they should not be presented as a definitive co-sell eligibility test. When engaging a Microsoft seller, lead with customer context, demonstrated progress, and a specific request. Use partner-led visibility when no direct seller action is needed and request active engagement when there is a clear role for Microsoft. 4. Build repeatable programs around customer incentives Customer incentives can support qualified opportunities when they address a defined deployment, migration, or adoption need. They should complement the customer value proposition rather than replace it. Create a consistent program with: An owner: One person or team responsible for available funding and program guidance Clear criteria: Published guidance describing suitable use cases and approval requirements Tracked outcomes: Visibility into which opportunities received support and how that support contributed to the result Confirm current availability, eligibility, and terms before referring to specific funding or sponsorship programs. Indicators that can strengthen Marketplace performance Common opportunities for improvement include: Treating an offer as a source of demand without connecting it to a broader go-to-market motion Limiting Marketplace expertise to operations teams Requesting active co-sell engagement without a clear role for Microsoft Failing to incorporate available account insights into seller preparation Applying incentives before an opportunity is qualified Allowing outdated opportunities to remain in the pipeline Waiting for inbound interest rather than building momentum through existing customer relationships What leading partners do differently Fluency, account insights, qualification, and incentives work best as a connected system. Seller fluency makes account insights actionable. Better insights support stronger qualification. Strong qualification helps teams apply incentives more effectively. Leading partners tend to: Treat Marketplace as part of the sales process Give sellers useful account context before customer conversations Align co-sell requests to customer and Microsoft priorities Manage incentives through clear ownership and criteria Build early momentum through active customer relationships At Carve Partners, we help software companies makes these practices repeatable by improving seller readiness, integrating account insights into sales workflows, strengthening qualification, and establishing practical incentive programs. Join our How leading partners drive co-sell success with Marketplace session on September 10th at 8:30 AM PT. We will explore how these practices work in real scenarios and share practical considerations for strengthening your Marketplace sales motion. Resources Azure Consumption Commitment benefit: how Marketplace purchases count toward a customer’s commitment Co-sell requirements: what it takes to reach co-sell ready and Azure IP co-sell eligible status Marketplace Rewards: the benefits that unlock as your Marketplace business grows Private offers overview: custom pricing and terms for specific customers and partners
Accelerate healthcare innovation with Dragon Copilot apps and agents in Microsoft Marketplace
Imagine spending less time navigating systems and more time caring for patients. AI brings data, insights, and content directly into the flow of work. Dragon Copilot streamlines clinical documentation and routine tasks, so clinicians spend less time navigating systems and more time focused on patient care. By simplifying physician and nursing charting, notes, flowsheets, and radiology reporting, it reduces rework and cognitive burden, helping care teams work more efficiently and confidently throughout the day. Microsoft Marketplace now supports Dragon Copilot AI Apps and Agents, creating a scalable path for partners to bring innovation directly into clinical workflows. Dragon Copilot unifies intelligence and context at the point of care, while Microsoft Marketplace is how partner innovation becomes part of that experience, enabling AI apps and agents to operate within the trusted procurement, security, and governance frameworks customers already rely on. Partners building AI apps and agents for Dragon Copilot can use Microsoft Marketplace as their commercial engine. Marketplace supports multiple enterprise‑ready sales motions, whether selling direct, or through partners for channel-led sales. This gives partners flexibility in how they go to market and meet customers where they prefer to buy. With support for per‑user and flat‑rate pricing, flexible billing options, and contract terms ranging from monthly to multi‑year, Marketplace enables partners to align their commercial model to customer procurement needs while scaling globally through trusted Microsoft purchasing, security, and global commerce. Dragon Copilot offer types in Microsoft Marketplace Microsoft Marketplace will support a family of Dragon Copilot offer types designed for partner solutions across clinical roles and workflows. The first offer type - Dragon Copilot Physician Apps and Agents - is now available, enabling partners to publish solutions that surface directly within physician workflows. Each offer type defines the intended user, where the solution appears in Dragon Copilot, and how customers discover, purchase, and deploy it, making offer selection a strategic decision that shapes monetization and the end-to-end customer experience. Supported offer type Dragon Copilot Physician Apps and Agents AI solutions that will surface directly inside Dragon Copilot at the physician point of care. They deliver in‑workflow access to insights, task automation, clinical decision support, and documentation assistance without requiring clinicians to leave their existing tools. These solutions are purchased through Microsoft Marketplace and become automatically available within Dragon Copilot after deployment. (Available in the United States) Best for: AI apps or agents built specifically for physician workflows Partners delivering role‑based intelligence Scenarios where fast, in‑context action inside Dragon Copilot is critical How it works Bringing an app or agent to Dragon Copilot through Microsoft Marketplace is designed to be simple and enterprise‑ready. Marketplace provides the commercial, operational, and discovery foundation so partners can focus on building differentiated AI experiences. Healthcare organizations can also choose to build and deploy apps or agents in Dragon Copilot and expand usage through the Marketplace. Step 1: Create offer selecting the offer type Begin in Partner Center by choosing the Dragon Copilot offer type that best aligns to your solution and target clinical persona. This choice determines where your solution surfaces inside Dragon Copilot, which roles it supports, and how customers discover, purchase, and activate it. After choosing the offer type, define pricing, billing, contract terms, and sales options. Microsoft Marketplace offers flexible pricing, sales channels, anc contract lengths to meet healthcare organizations' needs. Step 2: Customer discovery After publishing, customers can discover and purchase Dragon Copilot AI apps and agents through Microsoft Marketplace and through in-product experiences like, Azure. Step 3: Customer purchase Customers purchase Dragon Copilot solutions through the Azure portal using the same streamlined experience they use for other offers on Microsoft Marketplace. Customers complete their subscription details, and billing begins once they configure their account. From there, they are redirected to the Dragon Admin Center to complete a few final configuration steps and begin using the solution. Step 4: Customer usage After purchase, customers are guided to the Dragon Admin Center, where they activate and manage their Dragon Copilot solutions. From the admin experience, customers can complete any required configuration, assign the app or agent to the appropriate users or roles, and control how it is made available within Dragon Copilot workflows. The Dragon Admin Center provides a centralized place for customers to enable partner solutions, manage access, and ensure deployments align with their security, governance, and operational policies so AI apps and agents are ready for use at the point of care with minimal setup. What this means for you As Dragon Copilot adoption accelerates, Microsoft Marketplace provides a clear, scalable foundation for partner participation. With a dedicated Dragon Copilot offer type, partners can publish AI apps, agents, through a defined commercial model, gain targeted visibility through Dragon Copilot–specific discovery, and take advantage of Microsoft go‑to‑market programs. Learn more Read through our documentation on how extensions for Dragon Copilot work and how to build your own - AI apps and agents | Microsoft Learn Check out the sample repo with sample code and more - microsoft/dragon-copilot-extension-samplesAn overview of accelerating AI development with Microsoft Marketplace
“The best Marketplace listings explain what the solution does, who it serves, and the outcomes it helps customers achieve.” - Felipe Ospina The new reality of AI development The pace of AI innovation continues to accelerate. New models, frameworks, and development tools are arriving at an extraordinary rate, creating new opportunities for software companies to bring intelligent products to market. But delivering an AI-powered solution requires more than selecting a model and writing code. Developers must decide how to package their solution, how customers will consume it, how it will be discovered, and how to create a path from innovation to revenue. Microsoft Marketplace is increasingly becoming part of that journey. By bringing together cloud and AI solutions, developer tools, distribution channels, and commercialization capabilities, Marketplace helps software companies move from experimentation to customer adoption through a connected Microsoft Cloud experience. Building an AI solution starts with the right foundation Many development teams work across multiple services and providers as they create AI apps and agents. Models may come from one vendor, observability tools from another, databases from a third, and cloud infrastructure from yet another source. As AI projects grow, teams often spend as much time managing supporting services as they do building differentiated customer experiences. Microsoft Marketplace offers an alternative approach by helping developers source cloud and AI solutions directly within the Microsoft ecosystem. Models, developer tools, databases, analytics platforms, and observability solutions can be provisioned into Azure environments while remaining connected to existing development workflows. This creates an experience where developers can focus more of their energy on creating value for customers and less on stitching together disconnected processes. The importance of model selection One of the most important choices in any AI project is model selection. The model that delivers the best outcome is not always the largest model or the most recognizable name. Performance, cost, specialization, and intended use case all play a role in determining whether a model supports long-term product success. Through Azure AI Foundry, developers can compare models against specific scenarios and evaluate performance characteristics alongside cost considerations. This provides a data-driven approach to selecting the right model rather than relying on assumptions alone. The ability to evaluate, provision, and iterate on models creates flexibility for software companies. A solution can begin with one model, evolve toward a different provider, or expand into industry-specific variants while maintaining a consistent development experience. For teams building products in healthcare, financial services, legal services, and other specialized domains, that flexibility can play an important role in creating differentiated solutions. Not every AI journey starts from scratch There is a common assumption that success in AI requires building an entirely new product. In reality, many software companies already have established applications, existing customer relationships, proven workflows, and trusted user experiences. For these organizations, adding AI capabilities to an existing product may create a faster path to growth. Others may choose to build entirely new AI-native agents and applications designed around emerging user experiences. Both approaches can be successful. The key is aligning the strategy to business goals, product differentiation, and desired time to market. What matters most is making intentional architectural and commercialization decisions early in the process. Choosing the right Marketplace offer type One of the most practical lessons for developers is that commercialization planning should begin while the product is being designed, not after development is complete. Microsoft Marketplace provides multiple offer types; each designed for different deployment and customer scenarios: SaaS offers are often a strong fit for applications hosted and operated by the software company. Container offers can support customers that require solutions to run within their own environments. Managed applications provide a model where customers control their Azure environment while the publisher operates the solution. Apps, agents, and connectors for Microsoft Copilot help publishers bring experiences directly into Microsoft 365 and Copilot workflows. These decisions influence architecture, deployment patterns, customer onboarding, billing approaches, support models, and go-to-market strategies. Determining the right path early helps create alignment across the entire product lifecycle. Publishing is about more than listing a product A successful AI solution needs visibility. Publishing through Marketplace is not simply about adding a product to a catalog. It is about connecting a solution to customers already working across Azure, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Copilot, Azure AI Foundry, and Microsoft partner channels. This approach allows software companies to publish once while creating opportunities for discovery across multiple Microsoft experiences. For developers and technical founders, this changes how go-to-market planning can be approached. Instead of building entirely separate distribution channels, organizations can focus on strengthening the product while benefiting from distribution pathways already connected to Microsoft Marketplace. The opportunity is not just Marketplace itself. The opportunity is reaching more customers, scaling product-led growth, and extending innovation through Microsoft's commercial ecosystem. Why intelligent discovery matters As the number of cloud and AI solutions continues to grow, discoverability becomes increasingly important. Intelligent Discovery, currently in preview, is designed to help customers describe business needs using natural language and receive relevant solution recommendations. Instead of relying only on traditional keyword searches, customers can search based on intent. For publishers, this creates an important responsibility. Product descriptions, use cases, categories, industries, and solution details become critical signals that help customers find the right offering. Clear, accurate descriptions are no longer just product marketing assets. They are part of the discovery experience itself. The more clearly a solution explains the problem it solves, the audience it serves, and the outcomes it supports, the better positioned it is to surface in relevant customer searches. Trust is built into the product AI adoption depends on trust. Customers are evaluating more than model quality. They are also evaluating security, privacy, governance, documentation, support readiness, and operational maturity. That is why secure-by-design principles should be considered from the beginning. Identity management, tenant isolation, least-privilege access controls, encryption, secure integrations, secrets management, and responsible AI practices all contribute to building customer confidence. The same principle applies to Marketplace readiness. Complete solution information, accurate support resources, strong documentation, and thoughtful onboarding experiences help customers evaluate and adopt solutions more effectively. Final thoughts AI development is no longer just about choosing a model or deploying infrastructure. Success increasingly depends on how effectively software companies connect development, publishing, discovery, customer adoption, and monetization. Microsoft Marketplace brings those elements together through a platform that helps software companies source cloud and AI solutions, publish offers, reach customers across Microsoft experiences, and grow through Microsoft's commercial ecosystem. We recently hosted a Marketplace community event that dove deeper into accelerating AI development and how Marketplace can support your next stage of AI development, publishing and growth. The complete office hour session offers additional guidance, examples, and recommendations for turning innovative ideas into scalable business opportunities. Watch and learn From AI evaluation to deployment with Microsoft MarketplaceMultiparty private offers are creating new opportunities for channel-led growth in Australia
The launch of multiparty private offers in Australia marks more than the availability of a new Microsoft Marketplace capability. It signals a meaningful shift in how software companies, channel partners, distributors, and Microsoft can collaborate to deliver customer outcomes through a single commercial experience. For years, many partner-led software transactions followed a fragmented model. A software company sold the application. A reseller owned the customer relationship. A services partner supported deployment or implementation. The customer then had to navigate separate commercial relationships, invoices, and procurement steps. Each participant added value, but the commercial process often created unnecessary complexity. Multiparty private offers help address that challenge by bringing software companies and channel partners into one Marketplace transaction. The model gives partners a more structured way to collaborate on customer opportunities, align commercial roles, and simplify procurement through Microsoft Marketplace. For partners developing a Marketplace strategy in Australia, this capability creates a practical path to combine software, customer expertise, implementation knowledge, and Microsoft cloud investments into a more cohesive go-to-market motion. Microsoft Marketplace is becoming a go-to-market platform Organizations are modernizing infrastructure, strengthening security, and improving data and analytics capabilities while looking for simpler ways to procure and deploy cloud solutions. Software remains a critical part of these initiatives, but customers often need more than a single application. They need software, implementation expertise, managed services, and customer-specific customization to come together in a practical solution. Microsoft Marketplace provides a framework for bringing those elements together. Software companies can publish applications through Marketplace while channel partners contribute implementation expertise, managed services, and customization for regulatory or proprietary needs. Microsoft cloud services provide the platform foundation, and Marketplace creates the commercial pathway that supports the software solution. This approach allows partners to move beyond individual product conversations and focus on solving broader business challenges. Instead of discussing a single application, partners can bring together software from relevant software companies with Azure, security, data and analytics capabilities, implementation support, and customer-specific customization. The result is a larger customer conversation centered on outcomes rather than individual technologies. Multiparty private offers bring multiple partners together in one transaction Multiparty private offers are designed to support collaborative selling through Microsoft Marketplace. The workflow begins when a channel partner identifies a customer opportunity. That opportunity may come from a software renewal, an Azure modernization project, a security initiative, or a broader business transformation need. After the opportunity is qualified, the channel partner engages the software company. The software company creates a multiparty private offer in Partner Center and extends it to the channel partner. The channel partner can then customize the offer, add margin, and present the final customer-ready offer through Marketplace. Once the customer accepts and purchases the offer, Microsoft manages invoicing and payment processing. Microsoft collects payment from the customer and distributes funds according to the transaction structure. This approach reduces operational complexity while preserving the commercial role of both the software company and the channel partner. For customers, the value is a more streamlined purchasing experience. They can acquire a partner-led software solution through a single Marketplace transaction instead of coordinating separate commercial relationships across multiple providers. For partners, the value is a clearer structure for collaboration, margin, customer engagement, and participation in Microsoft Marketplace-led sales motions. Channel-led growth is central to Marketplace success Successful software adoption rarely happens without partner expertise. Customers often depend on trusted advisors, managed service providers, systems integrators, distributors, and resellers to evaluate technology options, design solutions, manage implementation, and optimize long-term value. Multiparty private offers recognize that reality by placing the channel partner directly inside the Marketplace transaction. Rather than operating outside the software sale, the channel partner can participate in the commercial workflow and contribute differentiated customer value. For software companies, this model can extend reach through the Microsoft partner ecosystem. Channel partners often have established customer relationships, industry expertise, and delivery capabilities that help software companies enter or expand within target markets. For channel partners, multiparty private offers create a more direct way to participate in Marketplace software transactions. Partners can strengthen customer relationships, collaborate more closely with software companies, and engage Microsoft sellers around opportunities that align with eligible Marketplace offers. The result is stronger commercial alignment across the organizations responsible for delivering customer outcomes. Partners should choose the Marketplace offer model that fits the sales motion Resale enabled offers and multiparty private offers both support channel-led Marketplace selling, but they serve different collaboration patterns. Resale enabled offers are useful when a software company wants to delegate more of the transaction workflow to a trusted channel partner or distributor. In that model, the reseller assumes greater responsibility for creating the offer, managing the customer transaction, and handling partner-to-partner financial arrangements outside Microsoft’s direct view. Multiparty private offers are better suited to collaborative selling scenarios where both the software company and the channel partner remain actively involved in shaping the customer opportunity. The software company creates the offer and sends it to the channel partner, while the channel partner customizes and presents the offer to the customer. Partners deciding between the two models should evaluate several practical factors: The level of collaboration required between the software company and channel partner. Existing distributor or reseller relationships. Preferred payment and revenue recognition models. Geographic availability of each Marketplace capability. Customer purchasing agreements, including whether the customer buys through an Enterprise Agreement, Microsoft Customer Agreement, or Cloud Solution Provider motion. Whether the software company or channel partner needs to manage more of the commercial workflow. Multiparty private offers do not replace resale enabled offers. They expand Marketplace flexibility by giving partners another way to structure customer engagements based on the relationship, transaction model, and customer buying path. Azure benefit eligible offers can strengthen customer conversations Azure benefit eligible offers play an important role in Marketplace transactions because many enterprise customers have Microsoft Azure consumption commitments, commonly referred to as MACC. When customers purchase eligible solutions through Microsoft Marketplace, those purchases can contribute toward fulfilling their Azure consumption commitments. This creates a practical connection between software procurement and cloud investment strategy. Instead of treating a software purchase and an Azure commitment as separate discussions, customers can evaluate how Marketplace procurement may support both technology needs and existing Microsoft cloud commitments. For software companies and channel partners, this context can make customer conversations more relevant and actionable. If a customer has a MACC, partners can prioritize Azure benefit eligible offers and explain how Marketplace purchasing may help the customer apply eligible spend toward that commitment. This is especially important in enterprise sales cycles, where procurement efficiency, budget alignment, and cloud investment optimization can influence how customers evaluate software options. Repeatable Marketplace growth starts with partner readiness Channel partners that want to transact multiparty private offers must complete foundational Marketplace readiness steps. They need to be Microsoft partners, enroll in commercial Marketplace through Partner Center, receive a seller ID, and complete the associated tax and payment profile. Completing these steps helps partners become eligible to participate in multiparty private offer transactions. It can also support broader Marketplace engagement, including Marketplace Rewards and engagement with Microsoft sellers on eligible Marketplace opportunities. Readiness alone, however, is not enough to build a sustainable Marketplace business. Partners also need strategic focus. Rather than pursuing every software vendor relationship, channel partners should prioritize software companies that align with their customer base, delivery capabilities, and growth priorities. A security-focused partner may choose to build relationships with cybersecurity software providers. A data modernization partner may focus on analytics, monitoring, or data platform providers. An application development partner may look for software companies that complement application development, monitoring, or modernization work. By selecting aligned software relationships and creating repeatable solution patterns, partners can turn Marketplace from a transaction channel into a scalable go-to-market motion. The future of Marketplace collaboration is already taking shape Customer interest in Marketplace procurement is increasing as organizations seek more agile purchasing experiences and faster deployment timelines. Industries ranging from financial services to education and mining are exploring how Marketplace can help them simplify procurement and accelerate technology adoption. At the same time, Microsoft sellers are becoming increasingly aligned to Marketplace-driven opportunities, creating additional incentives for collaboration across the ecosystem. Together, these trends point toward a future where Marketplace serves not only as a procurement destination but also as the foundation for solution selling across software companies, distributors, channel partners, and Microsoft teams. Watch the full session to explore the complete Marketplace opportunity The launch of multiparty private offers in Australia creates new possibilities for software companies, distributors, managed service providers, systems integrators, and resellers seeking to expand their Marketplace business. By enabling collaborative selling, simplifying transactions, and aligning customer procurement with Azure investments, multiparty private offers provide a framework for building stronger customer solutions through Microsoft Marketplace. To hear the complete discussion, explore the decision frameworks, and learn directly from the Microsoft experts who shared these insights, watch the full Marketplace partner office hour session and continue the conversation in the Marketplace community. Watch and learn Multiparty private offers through Marketplace: channel growth in AustraliaWhen cloud apps become a weak link: How FortiAppSec Cloud in Microsoft Marketplace bridges the gap
In this guest blog post, Srija Reddy Allam, Cloud Security/DevOps Architect, Fortinet, discusses the increase of attacks targeted at web applications and APIs and how FortiAppSec Cloud in Microsoft Marketplace provides a layer of adaptive security to address the challenge.Why MCAPS Start for Partners on July 22 matters for software development companies
Every new fiscal year begins with questions. Where is customer demand heading? Which technology investments matter most? How can software companies build solutions that stand out in an increasingly competitive Microsoft ecosystem? Software development companies, Marketplace publishers, architects, and developers across our partner community express a common theme: everyone is looking for clarity. Customers are moving quickly from AI experimentation toward operational AI adoption. New opportunities are emerging around agentic applications, modernization, and Microsoft Marketplace growth. At the same time, partners want to know where Microsoft is investing and how they can align their business for success. That is exactly why MCAPS Start for Partners on July 22 matters. This event is designed to help partners start FY27 with a clear understanding of Microsoft priorities, customer demand, and the opportunities ahead. More importantly, it is an opportunity to align early, before the year gains momentum and before critical decisions are made across solution development, go-to-market planning, and Marketplace strategy. The conversation we keep hearing from partners Over the last year, many software companies have invested heavily in AI. Teams have built proofs of concept, launched copilots, explored automation, and experimented with agents. Those efforts have created valuable learning, but customers are now asking a different set of questions. Instead of asking what AI can do, customers are asking how AI can create measurable business outcomes. They want solutions that can be governed, operationalized, and scaled across teams and business units. They want trusted platforms that protect data and intellectual property while helping them move faster. This shift represents something larger than a technology trend. It reflects what Microsoft describes as Frontier Transformation: the movement from isolated AI experimentation toward AI and agents becoming part of repeatable business operations. For software companies and Marketplace publishers, that creates a significant opportunity. The partners who can help customers operationalize AI, modernize applications, and deliver scalable outcomes will be positioned to lead customer conversations in FY27. MCPS for Partners provides an early look into how Microsoft is thinking about this transformation and where partners can create value. Why early alignment matters One lesson learned from working with software partners is that timing matters. The strongest partners rarely wait until priorities become widely understood. They start early. They align their product roadmap, Marketplace strategy, sales motions, and technical investments before demand peaks. MCAPS Start for Partners is designed to provide that early alignment. During the event, Microsoft leaders will share perspectives on FY27 priorities, innovation areas, investment focus, and growth opportunities. Partners will gain visibility into topics including AI innovation, agentic applications, Marketplace growth, co-sell opportunities, security, cloud platforms, and business applications. For developers and technical leaders, this means understanding where customers are investing and how emerging capabilities may influence future solution architectures. For Marketplace publishers, it means learning where discoverability, go-to-market alignment, and Marketplace motions can create growth opportunities. For business leaders, it means connecting Microsoft investments to practical execution plans that support long-term growth. The Marketplace opportunity is becoming more strategic Customers increasingly want streamlined procurement experiences and trusted solution sources. At the same time, partners are looking for scalable ways to expand reach and accelerate customer acquisition. That makes Marketplace more than a publishing destination. It becomes a strategic go-to-market channel. Organizations attending MCAPS Start for Partners will hear how Marketplace fits into broader partner growth strategies and how Marketplace motions can support customer demand generation and co-sell engagement. For software companies, this is an opportunity to think beyond listings and consider how Marketplace can support solution differentiation, visibility, and customer engagement throughout FY27. The most successful Marketplace publishers are not simply reacting to market changes. They are aligning their offerings to where customer demand is moving and where Microsoft is investing. Preparing for the conversations that will shape FY27 As July 22 approaches, partners can consider customer conversations happening today. Where are customers requesting guidance around AI transformation? Which application modernization projects are gaining momentum? How are security, governance, and scalability influencing solution requirements? These questions are increasingly connected. Customers are seeking partners that can help them connect AI, cloud, security, and business outcomes into a cohesive strategy. They are looking for expertise that goes beyond implementation and extends into long-term transformation. MCAPS Start for Partners was designed to help organizations think through those challenges and identify where Microsoft priorities intersect with customer demand. That alignment becomes even more valuable when technical leaders, sales teams, Marketplace owners, marketing teams, and delivery organizations participate together. When everyone hears the same guidance and leaves with shared priorities, execution becomes significantly easier. What attendees should listen for As you participate in the event, consider listening through three lenses: Pay attention to where customer demand is moving. Understanding demand signals can help guide product investments, roadmap decisions, and solution packaging. Look for insights into Microsoft investments and priorities. These insights can help partners determine where to focus skilling, innovation, and go-to-market efforts. Think about differentiation. Customers increasingly want partners who can move beyond experimentation and deliver repeatable outcomes. The organizations that combine technical excellence with operational execution will have a distinct advantage. The goal is not simply to collect information. The goal is to leave the event with clarity about what actions matter most for your organization. Turning insight into action Every fiscal year presents new opportunities, but not every partner starts with the same level of insight. MCAPS Start for Partners provides software companies, developers, architects, and Marketplace publishers with an early opportunity to understand Microsoft’s FY27 priorities, evaluate evolving customer demand, and identify where AI innovation, agentic applications, Marketplace growth, and co-sell opportunities are creating new possibilities. The partners that act early will be better positioned to build differentiated offerings, strengthen customer conversations, and execute with confidence throughout the year. Registration closes soon, and July 22 is quickly approaching. If you have not secured your place, now is the time to act. Register today, invite your cross-functional team, and ensure your organization is prepared for the Microsoft priorities, investments, and customer opportunities that will define FY27. Whether you are responsible for product strategy, solution architecture, Marketplace growth, sales execution, or customer success, MCAPS Start for Partners offers valuable insights that can help transform planning into action. 👉 Register for MCAPS Start for Partners Before July 22
