Gain an early view of the Microsoft priorities shaping FY27
As AI innovation, agentic applications, and Microsoft Marketplace opportunities continue to reshape customer demand, early alignment has never been more important. This Microsoft Marketplace community article explores why MCAPS Start for Partners on July 22 is a key moment for Software Development Company (SDC) partners, ISVs, and Marketplace publishers looking to align with Microsoft’s FY27 priorities. Learn how Microsoft Marketplace investments, co-sell opportunities, app modernization initiatives, and emerging AI trends can influence your growth strategy, solution roadmap, and customer engagement plans for the year ahead. The article also highlights practical steps partners can take now to strengthen Marketplace readiness, identify areas for differentiation, and translate Microsoft priorities into actionable business outcomes. If your organization develops, sells, or publishes solutions through Microsoft Marketplace, this timely read will help you prepare for the opportunities shaping FY27. 👉 Read the full article: Why MCAPS Start for Partners on July 22 Matters for Software Development CompaniesWhy 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 22Discover how Microsoft Marketplace helps accelerate AI innovation
Looking to simplify the path from AI exploration to commercial success? This Microsoft Marketplace event highlights how software development companies can access AI models, streamline procurement and deployment, integrate developer solutions, and scale customer reach through a single trusted platform. Learn practical strategies for packaging, monetizing, and distributing AI-powered solutions across Azure, Microsoft 365, and the broader Microsoft partner ecosystem. Whether you're focused on product development, go-to-market strategy, alliances, procurement, or IT operations, this session offers valuable insights into accelerating time to market and delivering customer value through Microsoft Marketplace. Learn more: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/event/azureevents/from-ai-evaluation-to-deployment-with-microsoft-marketplace/4537062Marketplace trainings and events calendar (updated 07/15/26)
-Welcome to our calendar for accessing upcoming Marketplace trainings and events, along with links to recent resources. This page is a go-to resource for discovering training sessions and events designed specifically for software development companies related to Microsoft Marketplace. Whether you’re building innovative solutions or publishing to the commercial marketplace, you’ll find content to help you stay ahead in today’s fast-moving tech landscape. We’ve organized dedicated areas for partners and customers, making it easy to find sessions most relevant to your needs. Some events are upcoming, while others are past recordings that remain valuable for learning and growth. This page is updated frequently with new opportunities. Be sure to subscribe for notifications; instructions are provided at the bottom of this post. Explore the upcoming AI events below, revisit past sessions, and feel free to comment with any questions. ****Sessions updated as of 07/15/2026**** Partner and Channel Partner sessions Upcoming sessions Date Time Area Title Description Link 08/06/2026 (JAPAN) 9:30 AM JST Office Hours (Partner) Multiparty private offers through Marketplace: channel growth in Japan Description to come Link to come Recorded Partner Office Hour Sessions Date Area Title Description Link 07/15/2026 (AUS) 9:30 AM AEST Multiparty private offers through Marketplace: channel growth in Australia Microsoft Marketplace offers multiple ways for partners to work together and grow through the channel. With multiparty private offers launching in Australia on July 16, alongside resale enabled offers, join us to learn how can you can activate channel-led sales. View the recording 06/17/26 Office Hours The Marketplace playbook for channel-led sales Get a practical playbook for scaling channel-led sales through Microsoft Marketplace, including how to recruit and activate partners using resale-enabled offers and multiparty private offers. Learn proven best practices, go-to-market resources, and real-world lessons. View the recording 05/19/26 Office Hours Multi-currency private offers in Microsoft Marketplace Join a practical walkthrough to learn how multi-currency transaction are managed through Marketplace. Gain confidence in creating private offers in local currency and get foundational knowledge to support sales of resale enabled offers. View the recording 05/07/26 Partner Session Turning co-sell readiness into real Microsoft Marketplace revenue Join Clazar as they share insights on how to be co-sell ready and how to translate it into a meaningful pipeline and an active, revenue generating partnership with Microsoft sellers. View the recording 4/28/26 Partner Session Maximize selling with Microsoft and Marketplace ROI Join us as WorkSpan shares real workflows used by partners who have closed over $5B in co-sell revenue with Microsoft. Learn best practices for navigating selling end-to-end with Microsoft. View the recording 04/15/26 Office Hours Seamless private offers: From creation to purchase and activation Join this Partner Center walkthrough of private offer execution from creation to customer purchase to partner activation View the recording 04/02/26 Partner Session Why Azure belongs in your multi-cloud strategy Tune in to hear WeTransact share when and why Azure should be part of your strategy. Find out how to replicate solutions for Azure. Hear why Marketplace-aligned companies are able to move quickly using Microsoft tools, funding, and incentives. View the recording 03/24/26 Partner Session Best practices for scaling Marketplace channel-led sales Join guest speaker team from Tackle as they walk through opportunities to scale partner driven revenue. Hear how to activate channel opportunities using multiparty private offers and learn when to leverage resale-enabled offers to expand partner reach. View the recording 03/18/26 Office Hours (Partner) Build, publish, and optimize Marketplace offers with App Advisor Learn what App Advisor is, how it works, and how it can help partners accelerate Marketplace offer creation. Live demo walk through; validating value to publishing and optimizing your listing. View the recording 03/11/26 Partner Session AI-powered automation for Marketplace private offers and IP co-sell Learn from guest speaker Jon Yoo, Suger, how software development companies can use AI-powered automation to simplify buying through Microsoft Marketplace, streamline private offers, and optimize co-selling opportunities. View the recording 02/25/26 Partner Session Inside Azure IP co-sell: What high-performing software developers do differently Get an inside look at the signals Microsoft uses to evaluate Marketplace and Azure IP co-sell readiness with insights from Barbara Treviño of Labra. Learn what top software companies do differently to accelerate approvals and boost GTM impact. View the recording 02/18/26 Office Hours (Partner) How to build a Microsoft Marketplace channel practice Building a successful Marketplace practice takes the right people, process, and strategy working together. Learn how top performing partners organize their teams across alliances, operations and leadership View the recording 1/21/26 Office Hours (Partner) Microsoft Partner Center reporting Get to know the Partner Center Insights and Earnings workspaces. Walk through Earnings, Customer, Order, Usage and Revenue reports. View the recording 12/18/25 Office Hours (Partner) Introducing resale enabled offers Explore resale enabled offers through Microsoft Marketplace. View recording 12/04/25 Partner Session AI-powered acceleration: scale faster on Microsoft Marketplace Go beyond listing basics and explore how Microsoft Marketplace can act as a strategic revenue engine. View recording 11/04/25 Partner Session How to structure your Microsoft Partner Center account for long-term success Learn best practices for setting up your Partner Center account for operational and marketplace success. View recording 08/28/25 Office Hours (Partner) Certified software designations: FY26 benefits updates Overview of certified software designations and FY26 benefit updates. View recording Customer sessions Upcoming sessions Date Time Area Title Description Link 07/29/2026 8:30 AM PDT Office Hours (Customer) From AI evaluation to deployment with Microsoft Marketplace Learn how Microsoft Marketplace helps software development companies simplify procurement, streamline integration, and access AI models and developer tools through a single platform. Find out how to accelerate time to market, enhance operational efficiency and scale customer reach across Azure, Microsoft 365, and the Microsoft global partner ecosystem. From AI evaluation to deployment with Microsoft Marketplace - Marketplace customer office hours Recorded Customer Office Hour sessions Date Area Title Description Link 06/24/26 Office Hours (Customer) Microsoft Marketplace as FinOps platform Learn how Marketplace can help organizations simplify procurement, centralize billing, and better align software investments to optimize cloud and AI spend. Discover actionable strategies to improve cost visibility and ROI and leverage Marketplace as a key component of your FinOps approach. View the recording 05/28/26 Office Hours (Customer) Dragon Copilot AI apps and agents in Microsoft Marketplace Healthcare organizations discover how Dragon Copilot can help accelerate time to value by connecting with trusted partner solutions that streamline workflows and embed AI directly into daily operations. View the recording 04/29/26 Office Hours (Customer) Using Microsoft Marketplace to optimize Azure spend For organizations with an Azure cloud commitment Microsoft Marketplace can be a powerful tool for optimizing how the spend is used. Explore how your organization can leverage its Azure commitment to support software investments through Microsoft Marketplace. View the recording 03/25/26 Office Hours (Customer) Charting your AI strategy for manufacturing with Marketplace Build, buy, or blend? Gain the insights you need as a manufacturer to scale AI apps and agents across the factory floor using Microsoft Marketplace. Hear about practical manufacturing scenarios View the recording 02/25/26 Office Hours (Customer) Accelerate AI adoption through Microsoft Marketplace Explore practical AI use cases available through Microsoft Marketplace - from prebuilt AI apps and agents to AI-powered solutions that simplify deployment. View the recording 01/28/26 Office Hours (Customer) Optimize cloud cost and performance Learn proven strategies to accelerate time-to-value for cloud and AI investments using Microsoft Marketplace. View the recording 12/11/25 Office Hours (Customer) Chart your AI app and agent strategy Insights into build, buy, or blend approaches for AI apps and agents using Microsoft Marketplace. View recording 07/30/25 Office Hours (Customer) FinOps and the Microsoft Marketplace Learn how Microsoft Marketplace supports FinOps practitioners and accelerates AI transformation. View recording Subscribe to this post If you're not already a Tech Community member, create an account at techcommunity.microsoft.com. Select Subscribe from the three‑dot menu in the upper‑right corner of this post. Under Notification Settings, choose to be notified of edits and comments, and select whether you'd like updates immediately, daily, or weekly (weekly recommended). You can also subscribe to the entire Marketplace Community via the Marketplace Community homepage. ``Microsoft Marketplace Partner Digest
In this edition of the Microsoft Marketplace Partner Digest, you'll find essential announcements, events, and key updates designed to drive your business forward, accelerate deal closures, and maximize your Marketplace success. Partner Center announcements As we kick off the new fiscal year, we're building upon a quarter that delivered valuable enhancements for both Marketplace partners and customers. We’ve focused on expanding partner-led growth across regions, simplifying SaaS transactions, and helping you improve co-sell outcomes. 🌍 Multiparty private offers expand across EMEA and APAC On May 27, Microsoft Marketplace expanded multiparty private offers to 30 countries in Europe, with availability in Australia, Japan, and South Africa coming July 15. Read the blog to discover how we are enabling new opportunities for channel-led growth through Marketplace. Why it matters Software companies gain more opportunities to reach new customers and drive growth without adding operational complexity. Channel partners differentiate their offerings with vetted software solutions while maintaining customer relationships. Recommended action Microsoft’s Jason Rook breaks down six practical steps to activate your channel strategy through Microsoft Marketplace, helping software companies recruit, enable, and scale partner-led growth. 📗Get the playbook 🌏 Resale enabled offers support expands to New Zealand Microsoft continues expanding channel-led sales opportunities by making resale enabled offers available through Microsoft Marketplace to customers in New Zealand as of May 26. Why it matters Channel partners can create and manage offers directly, without relying on software companies to build bespoke private offers. For software companies, resale enabled offers provide a scalable way to grow through trusted channel partners and expand into new markets. 👉 Learn more 📆 Custom contract lengths As of July 6, custom contract lengths for private offers are generally available. Partners can now create private offers with custom contract lengths of up to 10 years in Microsoft Marketplace. Why it matters Flexibility to better meet customer requirements Ability to configure contract durations from 1 to 120 months Define non-standard contract lengths, like 18 months or 45 months Support for both SaaS and professional services transactions 👉 Read the announcement ⚡ Auto activation for SaaS offers On May 18, Microsoft released the optional auto activation for SaaS offers, streamlining customer's Marketplace purchase and onboarding experience. What’s new Billing and subscription activation can now begin immediately when a customer completes a purchase Partners receive a real-time webhook signal to trigger onboarding Available for both public and private offers Default behavior For existing plans auto activation is off, unless you enable it When creating new plans auto activation is on, by default, unless you disable it Why it matters Reduces friction between purchase and onboarding Improves revenue predictability with immediate billing Enables a faster, more seamless customer experience Recommended action Evaluate your SaaS offers and enable auto activation where it aligns with your onboarding model. Make sure your sales and customer guidance reflect the updated experience. 👉 Learn more 🔔 Improve referral quality to accelerate co-sell deals Microsoft has updated how inbound co-sell referrals are reviewed and processed to improve speed and alignment with Microsoft account teams. What’s changing All referrals are now automatically checked for completeness and quality at submission. To avoid delays, ensure every referral includes: Solution area / play Estimated deal value Estimated close date (valid future date) Clear customer need and business context Customer contact (or consent to share later) Why it matters Submitting complete referrals helps you: Get faster seller engagement Reduce rework and follow-ups Improve acceptance rates Move deals forward more predictably Recommended action Audit your referral submission process and ensure these five fields are consistently included across all deals. 👉 Learn more about managing co-sell opportunities ⚠️ Review: Ensure the right contacts receive important partner communications Now is a great time to take care of digital housekeeping. Microsoft is reminding partners to review assigned Partner Center roles and email configurations to avoid missing critical notifications and account updates. Why it matters Having assigned roles like global admin or billing admin does not guarantee email delivery. If accounts aren’t configured correctly, you and your team may miss time-sensitive notifications. Missing communications can result in missed compliance deadlines or delayed actions that may impact your business. Recommended actions Verify your primary contact email is up to date Ensure role-based accounts can receive emails Add Microsoft system emails as safe senders Review role guidance on Microsoft Learn ✨ Bonus: Sign up for the monthly Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program newsletter to stay informed of updates, incentives, and partner opportunities. It’s an easy way to get partner news delivered directly to your inbox. Events Recent events Marketplace as a FinOps platform Explore how Microsoft Marketplace helps simplify purchasing, centralize billing, and better align software investments to optimize cloud spending. As organizations scale cloud and AI investments, managing spend across tools and vendors becomes more complex. Tune in to learn practical ways to better understand the ROI of your organization’s cloud and AI investments. You will walk away with actionable insights to use Microsoft Marketplace as part of your FinOps strategy 📽️ Watch the recording The Marketplace playbook for channel-led sales Get step-by-step guidance and go-to-market resources to help you recruit and activate partners for channel-led sales through Microsoft Marketplace. Through resale enabled offers and multiparty private offers, software companies can empower partners to sell on their behalf to drive scale, reach new markets, and unlock new co-sell opportunities. In markets where both resale enabled offers and multiparty private offers are available, software companies can also scale through distributors, who can activate their broader channel networks. 📽️ Watch the recording Multicurrency transactions explained As Marketplace adoption continues to grow more partners are navigating sales that involve multiple currencies, local customer invoicing, and evolving seller of record responsibilities. Understanding how currency exchanges impact private offers, partner payments, and customer billing is critical to successfully managing Marketplace transactions across global geographies. 📽️ Watch the recording Upcoming events Channel growth in Australia ⌚Wednesday, July 15 at 9:30 AEST Microsoft Marketplace provides several ways for partners to collaborate and grow through the channel. With multiparty private offers launching in Australia on July 16, alongside resale enabled offers, this expansion helps partners strengthen customer relationships, fuel more partner-to-partner opportunities, simplify transactions, and find new growth opportunities. Leave with practical guidance on how these capabilities work together and how to put them into action. 📆 Save to your calendar MCAPS Start for Partners 📆 Wednesday, July 22 from 7:00 – 11:00 am PDT MCAPS Start for Partners gives software companies an early look at Microsoft’s FY27 priorities, investments, and growth opportunities. Learn how AI innovation and agentic applications are creating new customer demand, discover marketplace and co-sell opportunities to expand reach, and explore strategies to modernize, differentiate, and grow your business in the year ahead. 👉 Learn more and register today 🚀 Closing thoughts The last quarter delivered meaningful platform enhancements to make Microsoft Marketplace easier to scale, faster for customers to discover solutions and transact, and more effective for partners to manage business. 👍 Take the next step Explore new regions for multiparty private offers and resale enabled offers Review your strategy for activation of customer SaaS subscriptions Improve your co-sell submission quality Small changes in these areas can have a big impact on your pipeline, conversion, and overall Marketplace success.Event Recap - TechCon Chicago 2026
TechCon 365 Chicago is part of the TechCon series of regional Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Azure data conferences — one of the most widely attended community-run Microsoft conference series in North America. For FY26, the Chicago edition was focused on Microsoft 365, Collaboration, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Power Platform. Dates: June 15–19, 2026 Venue: McCormick Place South, 2301 S. King Drive, Chicago, IL 60616 Reach: 650+ attendees | 43 US states | 14 countries Event website: Home - Microsoft TechCon365 Chicago - A Microsoft 365 Conference & Copilot Conference In a Nutshell TechCon 365 Chicago 2026 delivered: A full-stage, 90-minute keynote anchored by Microsoft leaders, using a baseball playbook metaphor to frame the AI + Microsoft 365 transformation story 20+ Microsoft-led and 100+ Community-led sessions spanning Copilot adoption, AI in SharePoint, Power Platform, governance, and community engagement A dedicated Microsoft Community Zone (Expo Hall) for face-to-face engagement, demos, and community resource sign-ups Multiple Ask the Experts slots giving attendees direct access to product experts The Women in Tech and Allies Discussion, building on the MGCI community inclusion agenda Microsoft / Team Involvement Microsoft was a principal sponsor of TechCon 365 Chicago 2026, with the SCALE Microsoft Community Team leading the Microsoft engagement from planning through execution. Microsoft Production Team Heather Cook, Principal PM, SCALE Team — Production Lead & Keynote/Session Speaker Bryan Wofford, Principal PM, SCALE Team — Production PM & Session Speaker, MVP Lead Jonathan Jones – Program Manager, SCALE Team - Booth & Community Emily Hove — Event Logistics, SCALE Team Event Producers (TechCon side) David Wilhelm Sharon Toler Ashley Wilhelm Liz Sundet Key Content & Highlights Keynote “Stepping Up to the Plate: Winning Strategies to Empower Your Team” | Wed, June 17 | 8:30–9:40 AM | Stage S105bcd The 90-minute keynote used a baseball lens to map the Microsoft 365 + AI + Power Platform transformation journey, organizing the message into four “bases”: First Base: AI in Action – From Promise to Real Work (Copilot as leadoff hitter) Second Base: The Foundation Matters – Governance, Security, and Readiness Third Base: Adoption Is the Hard Part – coaching, culture, and confidence Home Plate: Building the Platform – Extensibility and What's Next with Power Platform The keynote brought together Microsoft and community voices on the same stage, reinforcing the message that AI transformation is a team sport. Speakers included Heather Cook, Bryan Wofford, Charles Lakes II, Liam Clearly, Julie Turner, Shannon Lindsay, and Mark Kashman. We may have had a seventh inning stretch to sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame". Named Microsoft Sessions 20+ Microsoft-led sessions were delivered across the five days, spanning beginner to advanced levels. Microsoft Led Breakout Sessions (Times are in Central Time (CT)) Building Enterprise AI Agents: From Low‑Code Copilot Studio to GitHub Copilot Integration with Minhaj Sahibzada (Wednesday 11:30 AM to 12:40 PM) Backstage event production with Microsoft 365 Copilot with Heather Cook and Bryan Wofford (Wednesday 11:30 AM to 12:40 PM) Secure and Govern AI and Agents with Microsoft & Agent 365 with Craig Jahnke and Sophie Ke (Wednesday 11:30 AM to 12:40 PM) Driving productivity with Power BI and M365 with Lada Hill and Lauren Faber (Wednesday 1:40 PM to 2:50 PM) Engage Everywhere: Communities, Events, and Storylines in Teams, Powered by AI with Steve Nguyen (Wednesday 1:40pm - 2:50 pm) How to Get What You Want: The Art of Prompt Engineering for Copilot with Michelle Gilbert (Wednesday 1:40pm - 2:50 pm) Avoiding the “Go-Live Hangover”: Battle-Tested Best Practices for Contact Center Implementations with Vinoth Balasubramanian (Wednesday 3:30 PM to 4:40 PM) Setup M365 for Education: Copilot. Teams & More with Max Fritz (Wednesday 3:30 PM to 4:40 PM) Beyond Compliance: How Accessibility Improves Productivity in Microsoft 365 with Max Fritz (Thursday 9:00 AM to 10:10 AM) From Hocus Pocus to Focus: Contextualize Your Power BI Data with Stephanie Bruno and Shannon Lindsay (Thursday 9:00 AM to 10:10 AM) Introduction to Vibing with the M365 Tools Frontier Agents and Power Platform with Ralph Rivas and Craig Jahnke (Thursday 9:00 AM to 10:10 AM) Work Smarter with OneDrive: AI-Enhanced Productivity Across Microsoft 365 with Vishal Lodha (Thursday 9:00 AM to 10:10 AM) The Next Generation of Community Storytelling: Powered by AI with Jonathan Jones (Thursday 9:00 AM to 10:10 AM) AI Ready - An Evolutive Approach with Juan Carlos Chipi (Thursday 10:40 AM to 11:50 PM) Accessibility by Design: Building Inclusive Experiences with Microsoft 365 and Copilot with Darryl Rowe and Laurie Allen (Thursday 10:40 AM to 11:50 PM) Engage, Learn, Lead: Maximizing Impact with the Microsoft Tech Community with Josh Leporati (Thursday 12:50 PM to 2:00 PM) The Rise of AI Agents: Designing the Platforms That Power Enterprise AI with Marco Salas Robles and Kevin Leal (Thursday 12:50 PM to 2:00 PM) Voice Bots That Work: Designing AI Conversations Customers Don’t Hang Up On with Vinoth Balasubramanian (Thursday 2:10 PM to 3:20 PM) From Data Chaos to Copilot Confidence: Building a Secure Foundation with Purview & SAM with Bryan Wofford (Thursday 4:00 PM to 5:10 PM) Extending Copilot with Connectors: Powering Intelligent Agents with Your Data with AJ Goldie (Thursday 4:00 PM to 5:10 PM) Why Power BI Copilot Works (and When It Doesn’t) with Sanjay Raut and Dan English (Thursday 4:00 PM to 5:10 PM) Your Copilot Adoption Playbook: Getting Started with Microsoft Adoption Resources with Gina Hoffman and Bryan Wofford (MCAG) (Friday 9:00 AM to10:10 AM) What’s New in the Microsoft 365 Copilot App: Your AI Command Center for Work with Michael Goad (Friday 9:00 AM to 10:10 AM) AI in SharePoint in Action with Bryan Wofford (Friday 10:20 AM to 11:30 AM) Building Smarter Agents: What’s New in Agent Builder and What’s Coming Next with AJ Goldie (Friday 12:30 PM to 1:40 PM) For all community sessions and the overall agenda from this show: https://aka.ms/TechCon365/2026/Sessions Thank you to all the Microsoft speakers who gave terrific sessions and staffed our Microsoft Community Lounge: AJ Goldie, Allison Michels, April Delsing, Bryan Wofford, Carrie White, Craig Jahnke, Dan English, Darryl Rowe, Gina Hoffman, Jonathan Jones, Juan Carlos Chipi, Lada Hill, Lauren Faber, Marco Salas Robles, Max Fritz, Michael Goad, Michelle Gilbert, Minhaj Sahibzada, Nisaini Rexach, Sanjay Raut, Sophie Ke, Steve Nguyen, Vinoth Balasubramanian, Vishal Lodha. Thank you to all community speakers for bringing your awesomeness to this show, so many repeat speakers bringing their A game and welcome to all of the first timers!! You Rock! Ask the Experts Microsoft experts participated in open drop-in Ask the Experts sessions in the Expo Hall / South Concourse Lobby, giving attendees direct access for one-on-one Q&A and guidance. Microsoft Community Zone (Expo Hall) The Microsoft Community Zone served as the hub for community engagement throughout the event — featuring branded resources, QR code sign-up stations for MGCI and Microsoft Tech Community, and staffed meet-and-greet hours with Microsoft speakers and experts. Microsoft MVPs at TechCon A big thank you to all the Microsoft MVPs who spoke and staffed the event: Andrew Hess, Anna Bordioug, Antonio Maio, Asif Rehmani, Brian Alderman, Cathy Dew, Charles Lakes II, Chris McNulty, Christian Buckley, David Drever, Derek Cash-Peterson, Don Kirkham, Drew Madelung, Galen Keene, Geetha Sivasailam, Gokan Ozcifci, Heidi Jordan, Jared Matfess, John Kerski, John White, Joy Apple, Julie Turner, Karinne Bessette, Lindsay Shelton, Luc Labelle, Marc D Anderson, Mark Kashman, Mark Rackley, Mike Maadarani, Norm Young, Paul Papanek Stork, Prashant G Bhoyar, Ralph Rivas, Ryan Schouten, Samir Makwana, Sarah Haase, Scott Shearer, Shari Oswald, Stephanie Bruno, Susan Hanley, Tiffany Songvilay, Treb Gatte, Vlad Catrinescu, Wes Preston, and William Huneycutt. Women in Tech and Allies Discussion Heather Cook led a collaborative discussion alongside Nisaini Rexach, April Delsing, Carrie White all from Microsoft and Kelly Fernandez, Executive Director of TedXChicago bringing together women in tech and allies to share perspectives, experiences, and inspiration. The session is part of Microsoft's ongoing Women in M365 community initiative. Sponsors A big thank you to all the sponsors What Attendees Valued Most When asked what they valued most, attendees consistently cited five themes: Networking — the #1 answer: meeting peers with shared challenges and forming lasting connections Workshops & hands-on demos — live, participatory sessions cited as highlights by both new and returning attendees Direct access to MVPs & experts — one-on-one conversations with speakers and subject matter experts Copilot & AI sessions — practical, applicable Copilot and AI implementation content Overall session quality — well-paced sessions with actionable takeaways and strong speaker insight Wrap-Up Summary TechCon 365 Chicago 2026 was a clear success and a strong validation of Microsoft's investment in community-run, practitioner-focused technical events. A Big THANK YOU to the TechCon producers David Wilhelm, Sharon Toler, Ashley Wilhelm, Liz Sundet and the entire team for an outstanding event.Unlock Channel Growth in Australia with Multiparty Private Offers through Marketplace
Multiparty private offers are coming to Australia, creating new opportunities for software companies and channel partners to accelerate growth through Microsoft Marketplace. Join this Partner Office Hours session to learn how multiparty private offers and resale-enabled offers work together, strengthen partner collaboration, and drive channel-led sales. Gain practical guidance, localized insights, and actionable next steps to help you activate your Marketplace strategy. 👉 Register now: Multiparty private offers through Marketplace: channel growth in AustraliaEvent Recap - Microsoft at the Digital Workplace Conference Australia 2026
The Digital Workplace Conference 2026 (DWC AU) proved to be an unforgettable two days at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins from 28–29 May 2026. Australia's premier in-person event for Microsoft 365 professionals brought together power users, business leaders, IT pros, and adoption and change managers from across the region under this year's theme — One Change. Big Impact. With deep focus on Microsoft 365, AI and Copilot, SharePoint, governance, and real-world adoption, attendees were treated to a packed programme of community-led learning, customer stories, and the kind of practical, take-home guidance that makes DWC such a standout on the Australian tech calendar. DWC in a nutshell 30+ speakers from 5 countries 247+ years of combined digital workplace experience represented on stage 3 parallel tracks across 2 days — Productivity, AI & Copilot, and Customer Journeys Microsoft as a sponsor, with our team on the keynote stage and on the floor Post-event attendee survey across roles, industries, states, and countries captured (full breakdown in the Attendee Insights section below) Give a read to the DW Results recap as well: Digital Workplace Conference Australia: What We Learned About AI, Governance, and Why People Still Matter - DW Results Opening Keynote From AI Hype to Everyday Impact Thursday 28 May, 9:00 AM, Grand Ballroom (90 minutes) Panelists: Heather Cook (Microsoft), Debbie Ireland (DWR), and Brett Gilbertson (ASI Solutions). The opening keynote set the tone for the two days — cutting through AI hype and grounding the conversation in what is actually working inside Australian organisations today. The panel landed honest stories about where Copilot is delivering value, where adoption is getting stuck, and how the right single change — well chosen and well executed — really can have an outsized impact. The energy carried straight into the first round of breakouts and shaped the customer conversations that followed across both days. Breakout Sessions Overview DWC 2026 ran three parallel tracks across two days, anchored on the official conference themes: Productivity Sessions in this track focused on getting more ROI from the Microsoft 365 tools customers already own — practical patterns to work smarter, not harder, and the unlocks people did not know they had. AI and Copilot This was the dominant theme — sessions ran the full lifecycle from governance and security through implementation to adoption, with a strong focus on moving teams from novice to nimble with Copilot prompts, agents, and Copilot Studio. Customer Journeys Real-world case studies from organisations who have shipped — the trials, the tribulations, and the lessons. Customer Journeys remains the track attendees consistently rate as the most valuable. Featured sessions and speakers Build Your Own M365 Copilot Reporting Dashboard — Loryan Strant (Avanade, Microsoft MVP) Adoption & Change Management for AI: The People Side — Troy Waller (ASI Solutions) From SharePoint Foundations to AI Agents: The Blackmores Journey — Sujith Sukumaran and Liza Tinker (Blackmores) Data Security Considerations for M365 Copilot and Agents — Andrew O'Young (Microsoft MVP) Not Just Slop: How AI Agents Run Our Managed Services Helpdesk — Mark Rhodes (Rapid Circle) Novice to Nimble: Mastering Microsoft 365 Copilot Prompts — Kirsty McGrath (OnPoint Solutions) (Microsoft MVP) Side by Side with Copilot Cowork: Reimagining Collaboration with AI — Lisa Crosbie (Akkodis, Microsoft MVP) The Copilot Mirror: Why AI Isn't the Problem, Your Governance is — Alpesh Nakar (EDUC4TE) and James Milne (FrontRow Technologies) Making AI, SharePoint and Intranets work well together — Natalie Ryan (Step Two) Keepin' it real: Lessons from the trenches — Debbie Ireland (DWR) (Microsoft RD) and Shannon Donovan (DWR) Gone but not forgotten: Lifecycle and retention — Jenn Jones (Datacom) Reaching Every Employee: Strategic Decisions Behind High Impact Employee Platforms— Benoit Rabreaud (LumApps ANZ) and Carolyn Coon Unshackled: Forge Your AI Personalised AI-Powered Digital Workplace — Emily Hughes (Circle T) The PowerPoint hacks every M365 user should know — Sharon Connolly (Microsoft MVP) Deliver more, govern better: Practical M365 governance — Peter Varitimidis, Connor Martin (Orchestry), and Louie Newlove (Rapid Circle) From Copilot Pilots to Business Impact: Turning AI Hype into Measurable Workplace Value — Daniel Brown (Archon Gnosis) (Microsoft MVP) You Have No Idea What Copilot Can Do Now — Daniel Anderson (Microsoft MVP) The Future of Intranets: AI Meets SharePoint — Steve Knutson, Stratos Technology Partners (Microsoft RD & MVP) Who Am I Now? Evolving Roles in the Modern Digital Workplace — Megan Strant, Kirsty McGrath, Bec Gallen, Jacob Laurence and Mathew Gilbertson Microsoft on the agenda Beyond the opening keynote, our Microsoft team carried sessions across both days. The Microsoft-led sessions at DWC 2026: From AI Hype to Everyday Impact (Opening Keynote panel) — Heather Cook, with Debbie Ireland (DWR) and Brett Gilbertson (ASI Solutions) — Thursday 28 May, Grand Ballroom Cultivating Trust and Leadership Excellence: Strategies for Respect and Empathy in the Workplace — Heather Cook — Friday 29 May, 9:00 AM, Sydney Room Why do my services keep breaking? — Elaine van Bergen, Principal Site Reliability Engineer, Azure Reliability — Friday 29 May, 9:00 AM, Brisbane Room Agent 365 — the why, what and how? — Jian Sun, Principal Program Manager — Friday 29 May, 12:45 PM, Brisbane Room Microsoft MVPs and Regional Directors Microsoft MVPs and Regional Directors were a huge part of the DWC programme this year — across SharePoint, Microsoft 365 Apps, Business Applications, AI Platform, and Copilot. The MVPs and RD on stage and in the community spaces at DWC 2026: Andrew O'Young Daniel Anderson Daniel Brown Debbie Ireland Kirsty McGrath Lisa Crosbie Liza Tinker Loryan Strant Matthew Gilbertson Brett Gilbertson Megan Strant Sharon Connolly Steve Knutson Their contributions, alongside customers, partner consultants, and DWR community leaders, reinforced exactly what makes DWC valuable — the community in this room shines, and they came ready to share what works and their experiences. Community Highlights DWC has always been a community-first event, and 2026 was no different. A few moments that stood out: The opening keynote panel — a packed Grand Ballroom and a lively Q&A that ran right up to the morning tea bell Thursday Networking Drinks in the Exhibition Area — two hours of unstructured time where the best conversations of the conference happened Customer-led case study sessions that drew standing-room-only crowds Recognition for Debbie Ireland and the DWR team for 35+ events across Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia since 2009 Exhibition Area and the Microsoft booth The Exhibition Area was the centre of gravity for both days — morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and Thursday's networking drinks all happened in the same space, which meant the Microsoft booth had a steady stream of attendees and a constant flow of conversations across both days. Microsoft on-site: Ana Maria Suarez — Cloud Solution Architect Ashish Trivedi – Sr Program Manager, FastTrack Eddie Chua — Sr Program Manager Elaine van Bergen — Principal Site Reliability Engineer, Azure Reliability Garrett White — Biz Apps STU Heather Cook — Principal PM, M365 Customer Advocacy Group Jian Sun — Principal Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation Paul Mineo – Sr Solution Engineer Conversations at the Microsoft booth ran throughout the two days alongside sponsor and partner check-ins — see the attendee insights and themes sections below for what came out of those conversations. Who Was in the Room — Attendee Insights DWR shared post-event demographics from their attendee survey (approximately 64 responses). The room was a genuine cross-section of the Australian and New Zealand digital workplace community: Geography: Attendees came from across Australian states and territories — Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and beyond — plus international guests from New Zealand and further afield Roles: Business Analysts, Change Managers, Developers, Information Architects, IT Management, Knowledge Managers, and Site Administrators and Power Users Industries: Banking and Finance, Government, Education, Health, Professional Services, Technology, Energy, NFP, Defence, Manufacturing, Retail, Transport, and more What attendees told us — four themes from DWR's post-event feedback The pace of AI is real — but no one has it fully figured out. People spoke openly about how hard it is to stay on top of how fast things are moving. There was genuine relief in hearing that even experts are working through it in real time. Foundations matter more than ever. One of the strongest signals: AI isn't the starting point. Good data, clear ownership, and solid governance still underpin everything — without that, even the most advanced tools struggle to deliver value. The biggest challenge is helping people change how they work. Even in a conference heavily focused on AI, the strongest recurring message wasn't about tools — it was about people. Supporting teams through change is still the hardest and most important part. Learning happens faster when we do it together. Again and again, attendees called out the value of being in the room — the informal conversations between sessions, shared experiences, and honest exchanges that are impossible to replicate online. Customer Conversations at the Microsoft Booth Customer conversations at the Microsoft booth throughout DWC 2026 were highly productive. These weren't formal meetings — they were the organic, drop-by conversations that happen when you're in the room — and they clustered around adoption, governance, and what's next for AI in the Australian enterprise. Top themes surfaced Microsoft 365 Copilot — adoption, ROI measurement, governance, agent extensibility, and moving teams from "I tried it once" to embedded daily use Copilot Studio and Agents — where to start, who should build, how to govern citizen-built agents, and how to keep them healthy in production SharePoint as the knowledge platform — search accuracy, information architecture, archive and retention, and getting the foundations right so Copilot actually returns useful answers Data security and Purview for AI — label rollout, sensitivity handling, and what "governance done right" looks like before scaling Copilot organisation-wide Adoption and change management — the people side keeps being named as the gap that determines whether AI investment pays off Intranet modernisation and employee experience — practical stories from customers building production-grade intranets quickly, with AI features layered on top Australian customers consistently asked for sharper guidance on moving Copilot beyond basic tasks toward creative, workflow-specific use cases — and reinforced that internal champions, structured adoption stages, and embedded security and compliance are critical to success. Public sector and federal government attendees raised human-centred digital practice and Australian-specific compliance considerations as recurring themes. Thank You A huge thank you to every attendee, speaker, sponsor, and volunteer who helped bring DWC 2026 to life. Your passion, curiosity, and commitment made this year's event genuinely exceptional. DW Results and Debbie Ireland Special thanks to event founder and producer Debbie Ireland and the entire team at Digital Workplace Results. DWR has delivered 35+ events across Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia since 2009 — and the welcoming home you create for this industry each year is a big part of why Microsoft is proud to sponsor and show up the way we do. Microsoft MVPs, customers, and community speakers Thank you to the MVPs, Regional Director, customers, partners, and community speakers who carried the bulk of this year's programme. The full DWC 2026 speaker roster: Alpesh Nakar, Andrew O'Young, Andrew Pope, Annabel Hay, Benoit Rabreaud, Brett Gilbertson, Cairo Walker, Carolyn Coon, Connor Martin, Daniel Anderson, Daniel Brown, David Mitchell, Debbie Ireland, Elaine van Bergen, Emily Hughes, James Milne, Jan Krist, Jemma Hirst, Jenn Jones, Kirsty McGrath, Jian Sun, Lisa Crosbie, Liza Tinker, Loryan Strant, Louie Newlove, Mark Rhodes, Mathew Gilbertson, Megan Strant, Mel Finnigan, Mia Tait, Natalie Ryan, Peter Varitimidis, Shannon Donovan, Sharon Connolly, Shelley Van Hoos, Steve Knutson, Sujith Sukumaran, Sutter Schumacher, and Troy Waller. The community in this region keeps showing up with sharp, practical content — thank you for the time, the prep, and the generosity of sharing what you've learned. Sponsors Microsoft is proud to be part of the DWC 2026 sponsor community. Thank you to: Platinum: ASI Solutions Gold: Rapid Circle, Orchestry, Ideagen Silver: Athentra, LumApps, EDUC4TE, Audio Visual Distributors / Barco ClickShare, Microsoft, Datacom, Circle T, DW Results Bronze: Step Two, Technomancy Whether it was your first DWC or you've been with us since the early years, your presence helped create an inspiring and unforgettable experience. What's Next? The journey continues. Watch the dwcau.com.au and DWR channels for the 2027 dates and venue announcement — and in the meantime, keep the momentum going on the customer follow-ups and adoption commitments that came out of this week's conversations. Until then, let's keep the energy alive. Continue exploring, innovating, and collaborating with this community. The Australian M365 ecosystem is one of the strongest and most generous in the world, and DWC 2026 was a reminder of exactly why. #DWCAU | One Change. Big Impact
