Explore updated performance requirements for the SMB Management specialization
Microsoft is updating performance criteria for the Small and Midsize Business (SMB) Management specialization to better align with how partners go to market. Starting March 27, 2026, we're reducing the monthly active user (MAU) growth requirement from 35% to 15% and increasing the deployment requirement from 10 to 15 deployments. The revised criteria, which are based on partner feedback, emphasize new customer deployments while maintaining a focus on overall performance. The updates help ensure the SMB Management specialization continues to represent partners who meet the highest standards for service delivery and support. Review your current progress toward the SMB Management specialization in Partner Center and adjust your deployment and growth strategy to align with the updated criteria.
Stand out in the marketplace with a Microsoft Copilot specialization
The Microsoft Copilot specialization demonstrates 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. To earn this specialization, you must first attain one of three Solutions Partner designations: Business Applications, Modern Work, and/or Security. If your organization has already attained one or more of these designations, please review the Microsoft Copilot specialization criteria—which include performance metrics, skilling requirements, and customer references—and begin to work toward meeting them. You can check whether you currently meet the requirements by viewing your Partner Center dashboard. The requirements include: Performance requirements 1,000 monthly active users (MAU) growth of M365 Copilot in the trailing 12 months (TTM) (Claiming partner of record (CPOR), Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) Tier 1, CSP Tier 2) AND 5 net customer growth for Copilot in TTM (CPOR, CSP Tier 1, CSP Tier 2) Skilling requirements 5 people with MS-102: Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert AND 5 people with, cumulatively: SC-401: Implement information protection in Microsoft 365 OR APL-4002: Prepare security and compliance to support Copilot AND 5 people with APL-7008: Create custom agents with Microsoft Copilot Studio Customer references Provide three customer references, which must include at least one example of transforming business processes with agent implementation. Learn moreUpdated requirements for Finance, Sales, Service, and Supply Chain specializations
To empower more partners to qualify for specializations, we’ve adjusted the Performance and Knowledge requirements to earn certain Business Applications specializations. Updated Finance, Sales, Service, and Supply Chain requirements The Performance and Knowledge threshold requirements have been changed. The requirements are the same across all four specializations: Performance 3 large deployments (previously 5) >0% monthly consumption value (MCV) growth rate (previously >30%) Baseline of 25,000 MCV Knowledge 5 unique individuals with intermediate certifications (previously 15) No minimum number of individuals required to earn each certification (previously 3) 2 unique individuals with expert certifications (previously 5) Additionally, specific to the Sales specialization, the intermediate certification Customer Experience Analyst Associate has been added to replace the expired certifications. Your partner admin can check to see if you meet these new requirements and apply for the audit. If you’ve already earned one of the specializations, check to see if you meet the updated requirements before applying for renewal. Full details on the requirements can be found on the individual specialization websites: Finance Sales Service Supply Chain
