New To The Community
Hello ISV Success Community, As a new member to the community, I decided to start with an introduction. I’m Aubin Bakana, Founder and CTIO (Chief Technology & Innovation Officer) of Baobab Logix LTD, now based in Leeds, UK. I lead technology and innovation, driving solutions that are secure, ethical, and intelligent. At Baobab Logix, we’re building future-ready platforms that empower businesses to thrive. One of our flagship innovations is KeepComm Intel, a next-generation contact center solution that combines AI-driven automation with human-in-the-loop architecture for speed, accuracy, and trust. As a Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Harvard CS50 certified, and full-stack developer, I bring deep technical expertise and a vision for sustainable innovation. I’m here to connect, collaborate, and share insights with fellow innovators who believe in shaping technology for good. Looking forward to engaging with this amazing community and exploring opportunities to build impactful solutions together! thank you.Lock in marketplace terms for up to five years with multiyear contract durations
Co-authored by Trevor_Yeats We’re excited to announce that the Microsoft marketplace now supports multiyear contract durations—enabling customers and partners to lock in terms and pricing for up to five years. New options include four and five-year terms for SaaS and Professional Services, and two, four, and five-year terms for Virtual Machine Software Reservations (VMSR). These contract durations are available globally across all marketplace-supported currencies. The value for your customers and for you With multiyear contract durations, customers can buy with confidence knowing they will have stability and continuity of service, making it easier to plan and forecast expenses and lock in substantial savings that often come with longer contracts. Partners benefit by supporting customers’ budget needs, strengthening customer relationships, reducing administrative burdens, and growing reliable revenue streams. “Our customers value five-year contracts for the stability and long-term value they provide. With multiyear contracts now available in Microsoft marketplace, we can better align with their operational timelines, reduce renewal cycles, and focus on building lasting relationships—while driving predictable revenue.” Sue Wilkinson, Global Director of Partners, IFS How it works To enable multiyear contract durations, software partners must take the following steps: Create a public offer with multiyear contract durations. Partners must ensure their public offers include extended contract terms before they can create private offers with those durations. Partners have two options: Update an existing public plan to support new options for extended durations (i.e., four and five-year options for SaaS offers and two, four, and five-year options for VMSR), or Create a new public plan that includes multiyear contract durations. Create private offers with multiyear contract durations. Once a public offer with multiyear contract durations is published, partners can configure private offers that leverage those durations. Notes: As of October 31, multiyear contract durations are available for CSP offers. Existing customer agreements cannot be modified mid-term to extend contract length. Customers must cancel their current plan and purchase a new one that includes the desired extended duration. Creating multiyear contracts with flexible billing schedules Partners can create private offers that combine multiyear contract durations with flexible billing options—like quarterly, semiannual, or bimonthly—making it easier to align with customer needs and streamline sales. “Microsoft’s recent launch of multiyear contracts and flexible billing has been a game changer, simplifying the buying process and enhancing the customer experience. We can now build private offers in the Microsoft marketplace in a more natural way that mirrors our contracts in the platform.” Sue Wilkinson, Global Director of Partners, IFS Learn more about flexible billing schedules and capturing the marketplace opportunity. Eligibility for multiyear contracts and how to get started Any company who is part of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program can sell on the marketplace with multiyear contract durations. Details are provided in our documentation, but at a high-level: Be a member of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program (it’s free to join) Sign the marketplace publisher agreement Publish your public offer with multiyear contract durations. Sell private offers with multiyear contract durations. In addition, we have many support resources for partners depending on where they are on their marketplace journey. For example, software development companies can join ISV Success, within the Partner Program, for tools and resources that help them publish their solution and maximize reach through the marketplace. Learn more by visiting: Microsoft commercial marketplace transact capabilities FAQs: https://aka.ms/multiyear-FAQs
SharePoint Embedded guide for software companies
Looking to accelerate your SaaS solution with SharePoint Embedded? This new blog post breaks down key success factors, positioning strategies, and how to align your architecture for maximum impact. Read the full article here: SharePoint Embedded guide for software companies: success factors, positioning & key insights | Microsoft Community HubSharePoint Embedded guide for software companies: success factors, positioning & key insights
Welcome to the definitive Q&A guide for software development companies exploring SharePoint Embedded for their SaaS applications. This blog series addresses the most frequently asked questions from our thriving software company community, drawing from real-world implementations across partner organizations spanning financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology sectors. Whether you're building a multi-tenant document management platform, modernizing legacy systems, or creating industry-specific collaboration solutions, this guide provides practical insights into SharePoint Embedded's unique advantages for software company scenarios. From multi-tenant architecture patterns and customer data isolation to Office integration strategies and competitive positioning, we've compiled the essential knowledge you need to accelerate your development and go-to-market success. SharePoint Embedded represents a paradigm shift for software companies who have traditionally faced the choice between building complex storage infrastructure or compromising on enterprise-grade features. With its consumption-based pricing model, API-first design, and native Office integration, SharePoint Embedded enables software companies to deliver enterprise-ready document experiences while focusing on their core business logic and customer value. Q: What are the key success factors I should focus on as a software company using SharePoint Embedded? A: Based on our analysis of successful software company implementations, there are three critical success factors: Building a scalable document management platform is complicated and detracts from the business logic you want to focus on with your solution. Users are demanding modern collaboration tools that Microsoft Office provides at scale. SharePoint Embedded gives you the foundational tools and features that integrate with your solutions, providing you a competitive advantage. Software development companies can unlock significant value by building on SharePoint Embedded. Its distributed architecture empowers software companies to deliver scalable, multi-tenant solutions, ensuring each customer’s data is securely isolated within dedicated containers. By leveraging SharePoint Embedded, software companies can guarantee that compliance and data residency requirements are met directly in the customer’s own Microsoft 365 tenant, streamlining regulatory approvals and building customer trust. The platform’s flexible, consumption-based billing model aligns costs with actual usage, supporting growth and simplifying budgeting for both software companies and their customers. At the same time, software companies retain full control over their application code base, allowing them to innovate and differentiate their offerings, while Microsoft manages the underlying infrastructure, security, and compliance features. Q: How do I position SharePoint Embedded against competitors in sales situations? A: SharePoint Embedded offers unique competitive advantages across different competitor categories: Against Pure Storage Solutions: Native Office Integration: Unmatched co-authoring and collaboration experiences Enterprise Security: Built-in compliance and governance vs. costly add-on features Microsoft Ecosystem: Leverage customers' existing Microsoft investments Software company-Focused APIs: Purpose-built for integration vs. consumer-focused APIs Against Building Custom Storage: Faster Time to Market: Significantly reduce development time Enterprise Features: Compliance, security, and scale built-in Office Integration: Impossible to replicate the native Office experience independently Global Infrastructure: Microsoft's global scale without operational overhead Against SharePoint Online: True Multi-Tenancy: Better customer isolation and independent scaling Consumption Pricing: Costs align with customer success vs. per-user licensing API-First Design: Developer-friendly vs. SharePoint customization complexity No Limitations: Independent scaling without site collection or storage quotas Q: Is the content stored in SharePoint Embedded AI ready? A: When you ingest documents into SharePoint Embedded, they are automatically added to the platform’s search and semantic indexes. This seamless integration ensures that your content is immediately available for advanced AI capabilities, such as intelligent search, document automation, and content summary. As a result, users can quickly benefit from AI-driven insights and enhanced discovery, making collaboration and workflow automation more powerful and efficient across their teams. AI Ready by Design: SharePoint Embedded provides secure, structured, and highly accessible data storage, ensuring content is ready for AI integration from the start. Robust APIs & Easy Integration: The platform’s powerful APIs and seamless Microsoft ecosystem integration make it simple to connect content to AI services like Azure AI Foundry and Microsoft 365 Copilot. Advanced Capabilities: Organizations can enable advanced search, automation, and generative AI scenarios, leveraging their information in new, intelligent ways. Enterprise-Grade Compliance & Security: Content remains protected with built-in security and compliance, crucial for enterprise adoption of AI-powered workflows. Empowering Business Value: This foundation allows businesses to unlock added value from their content and drive smarter, more efficient operations. Q: What are the key talking points that resonate with enterprise customers? A: For software development companies, these value propositions drive success with enterprise audiences: Onboard your application: Easily deploy your solution through the Microsoft Marketplace to your customer tenant. Content lives in your customer's tenant: Software companies can leverage built-in compliance and security features to speed up enterprise sales cycles and meet stringent requirements. You control the billing: Software companies can grow alongside their customers, with consumption pricing that supports expansion and rewards success. Your customers security posture is honored: When your solution is deployed to customer tenants, it will inherit all the security, compliance and governance they have configured. Content is always maintained in the geo they specify. Risk Reduction for software companies: By utilizing Microsoft’s infrastructure and security, software companies can reassure enterprise customers and minimize operational risk. Q: How do I get started building a POC for my software development companies' solution? A: Follow this proven software company-focused POC approach that has delivered success across our partner ecosystem: Getting started is easy: Install the Visual Studio Code extension and start a 30 day trial of SharePoint Embedded. For longer development cycles that allow you to simulate a real production environment, configure SharePoint Embedded without any storage or throughput limitations. Software Development Company Development Lifecycle for Re-Platforming on SharePoint Embedded Phase 1: Technical Foundation – Begin by establishing a secure, multi-tenant architecture using SharePoint Embedded’s container model to ensure robust customer data isolation. Integrate with Microsoft Office experiences to provide seamless co-authoring and collaboration, a key customer demand. Validate authentication flows for enterprise-grade user security and conduct thorough performance testing to guarantee fast, reliable document access at scale. Phase 2: Business Alignment – Move beyond technical validation to align your solution with real-world customer scenarios. Test end-to-end workflows and migrate sample data from legacy systems, ensuring the platform meets customers’ expectations for business continuity. Collect hands-on feedback from customer users to refine user experience and validate your pricing model based on projected usage, addressing concerns around cost predictability and ROI. Phase 3: Production Readiness – Prepare your solution for launch by executing a comprehensive security and compliance review, leveraging Microsoft’s built-in controls to address enterprise requirements. Perform scale testing with production-sized datasets and user groups to ensure reliability under peak loads. Establish monitoring, alerting, and support processes to deliver a consistent operational experience. Finally, enable your sales and onboarding teams with go-to-market resources, ensuring a smooth transition for customers migrating to your new platform. Key Success Metrics That Address Customer Demands: Verified customer data isolation for privacy and compliance High user adoption of Office integration, satisfying customers’ desire for familiar productivity tools Consistent fast document loading, meeting performance expectations Validated cost model based on real usage, delivering value and transparency to customers By following this development lifecycle, software companies can re-platform on SharePoint Embedded with confidence, addressing top customer demands for security, scalability, seamless Office integration, and predictable costs—all while accelerating time to market and driving adoption. Q: How can I gain additional customers by having my app in the Microsoft Marketplace? A: Listing your app in the Microsoft Marketplace opens the door for software companies to reach new customers and increase sales by leveraging Microsoft’s ecosystem and global reach. The Marketplace acts as a powerful channel to showcase your solution to millions of enterprise buyers who trust Microsoft to deliver secure, reliable products. Technical Resources to Drive Adoption: ISV Success Program – Get expert guidance to optimize your app for Marketplace visibility and customer engagement, ensuring your solution stands out and is ready for enterprise adoption. Solution Architect Reviews – Receive feedback from Microsoft experts to ensure your product meets the needs of customers and is positioned for growth in the Marketplace. Preview Access – Early access to new features helps you differentiate your app, attracting customers looking for cutting-edge solutions. Software Development Company Documentation – Access to tailored implementation guides ensures your SaaS offering is Marketplace-ready and easy for customers to deploy. Go-to-Market Support to Accelerate Sales: Marketplace Listing – Promote your app to a global audience, driving qualified leads and expanding your reach beyond your existing customer base. Partner Development Managers – Benefit from dedicated business support and introductions to new customers in strategic verticals. Co-sell Opportunities – Collaborate with Microsoft’s sales teams for joint selling, increasing your exposure and boosting sales potential. Industry Programs – Join vertical-specific programs and events to connect directly with customers seeking solutions in your area of expertise. In summary, Microsoft Marketplace empowers software companies to accelerate customer acquisition and drive sales growth by providing broad exposure, technical and business support, and opportunities for collaboration with Microsoft’s network. Have more questions or want to talk to the team, contact us at SharePointEmbedded@microsoft.comUltimate Partner LIVE Fall 2025: AI ecosystem masterclass & partner success summit
Mark your calendars! Ultimate Partner LIVE Fall is coming to the Washington, D.C. area, October 27-29, and this event presents a unique, high-impact opportunity for partners looking to stay ahead of the tectonic shifts, align priorities, and accelerate performance in 2026. We are taking the ecosystem to Carahsoft's facilities for a masterclass in how to become the Ultimate Partner. With immersive workshops, direct access to decision-makers, and a curated executive audience; you’ll accelerate your strategy to new levels. Here is what you can expect: Decode the Tectonic Shifts: Learn how AI, Marketplaces, Co-Selling, and Ecosystems are reshaping partner success — and what you must do now. Hear directly from Microsoft leaders, Erwin Visser, Matt Berg and Wole Moses who will take you through the exciting $450B+ durable cloud budget flowing through marketplaces, FY26 AI priorities, and where you should align. Access Proven Frameworks & Playbooks: Attendees will also participate in hands-on workshops facilitated by top industry experts including: The Odigo Group, Carve Partners, ISSI, AvePoint, Bridge Partners, Digitalzone, WorkSpan, Revstacker and more! Workshops will focus on co-selling, AI marketing strategy and Building Service Models to grow revenue. Be in the Room with Leaders Network with 200+ executives, thought leaders, ISVs, GSIs, MSPs, distributors, and consultants in an intimate, high impact setting. 40+ amazing speakers will share their secrets to successful partnering! ⭐SPECIAL OFFER As a valued Microsoft partner, Ultimate Partner is offering a 15% discount on general passes to experience UP LIVE⭐ 👉 [Register Now for UP LIVE: Reston] USE CODE: ULTIMATEVIP15 at checkout Hope to see you there, Vince Menzione CEO, Ultimate Partner ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ultimate Partner is the go-to destination for technology leaders and partners aiming to thrive in the Hyperscaler ecosystem. Ultimate Partner delivers high-impact content, expert insights, and exclusive events—both live and digital. Our mission is to “Empower technology leaders to achieve their greatest results through successful partnering”. Learn more
FY26 Q1 update: Make the most of your certified software designation
Key reminders for partners with current top tier benefits Now: Partners can start the process of attaining a certified software designation—which is required to access benefits like partner-reported Azure consumed revenue (PRACR) reporting. Until December 31, 2025: Partners can retain access to current top tier benefits, including PRACR reporting and Azure partner-led incentives. Starting January 1, 2026: Partners will need to have a certified software designation to continue accessing these benefits. Updates for FY26 PRACR-reporting partners PRACR reporting has moved to Partner Center: PRACR reporting is now centralized in Partner Center and tied to active contracts—meaning that partners will need to register legacy deals and renewals as net-new to maintain eligibility. Partners who missed the April 30 deadline for estimated Azure consumption (EAC) percentage (EAC%) will receive a default rate unless updated proactively. If partners are renewing expired deals as net new through the deal registration process in Partner Center, please ensure a co-sell motion has occurred as part of the renewal. Review the Partner Center requirements for PRACR and ensure your reported deals are registered accordingly. Make the most of PRACR with vNext documentation: To support your success with vNext PRACR, we’re launching a suite of clear, actionable documentation designed to guide you through onboarding, transitions, and ongoing participation. News and announcements From FAQs to playbooks, our resource collection has the tools you need to succeed as a Solutions Partner with a certified software designation. Explore resources Enhanced FY26 go-to-market benefits: Solutions Partners with certified software designations can access updated go-to-market (GTM) benefits, including solution play cards, solution briefs, and an animated solution video—all designed to raise awareness of your solution and support your co-sell success. Learn more here or here. New Industry AI designations now available: We introduced six new designations for industry-specific AI—Energy, Government, Telecom, Education, Defense, and Nonprofit—so software development companies can further differentiate and align their solutions to sector-specific needs. Learn more here. Incentives and offers Microsoft’s FY26 Partner Incentives empower software development companies to accelerate customer migrations and modernizations with substantial financial rewards. Partners with certified software designations—including Azure, Security, and Industry AI—can earn up to $175,000 USD for qualifying Customer Migrate & Modernize engagements. These incentives, a part of Marketplace Rewards Advanced Package, support a wide range of customer scenarios, from migrating on-premises environments to Azure-hosted solutions, moving from competitive platforms, expanding Azure solution footprints, and acquiring net new customers. Check out the “ISV Engagements” tab in the incentives guide for more information. Partner success Hear how Symphony AI, Rockwell Automation, Rescale, Accenture, and Avanade are leveraging their certified software designations to expand global reach, increase brand visibility, and deliver cutting-edge AI-powered solutions. View here. Follow the tag certified software designations to stay updated on quarterly partner news for certified software designations. *“Solutions Partner” refers to a company that is a member of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program and may offer software, services, and/or solutions to customers. Reference to “Solutions Partner” in any content, materials, resources, web properties, etc. and any associated designation should be not interpreted as an offer, endorsement, guarantee, proof of effectiveness or functionality, a commitment or any other type of representation or warranty on the part of Microsoft. All decisions pertaining and related to your business needs including but not limited to strategies, solutions, partner selection, implementation, etc., rests solely with your business. **A certification is (1) specific to the solution’s interoperability with Microsoft products and (2) based on self-attestation by the solution owner. Solutions are only certified as of the date the solution is reviewed. Solution functionality and capability are controlled by the solution owner and may be subject to change. The inclusion of a solution in the marketplace and any such designations should not be interpreted as an offer, endorsement, guarantee, proof of effectiveness or functionality, a commitment or any other type of representation or warranty on the part of Microsoft. All decisions pertaining and related to your business needs including but not limited to strategies, solutions, partner selection, implementation, etc. rest solely with your business.App Advisor updates: Build smarter, publish faster with these new features
The App Advisor experience has been enhanced to help you build smarter and publish faster to the Microsoft Marketplace. The six new features make it easier to stay focused, move faster, and scale smarter with apps and agents. Whether you are in the planning, building, or publishing phase of your journey, the new features are designed to meet you where you are, offering curated guidance and actionable insights. Learn how the updates can help you today. Build smarter, publish faster: Here’s what’s new in App AdvisorBuild smarter, publish faster: Here’s what’s new in App Advisor
App Advisor just got a major upgrade - and it’s changing the game for software development companies building apps and agents for the Microsoft Marketplace. Since its MVP launch in January 2024, App Advisor has helped thousands of partners like you streamline their journey. 💬 What partners are saying App Advisor isn’t just a tool - it’s a game-changer. Here’s what partners have shared about their experience: “I appreciate that App Advisor curates the content for the partner since the amount of data available is just so vast. It does a great job of curating for them based on their goals.” Frank Valdivieso, President & CEO, Gryphon Consulting ⚡What’s new? Smarter focus, faster execution, and scalable growth Now, with six new features launched in the US (and global availability coming soon), App Advisor is making it easier than ever to stay focused, move faster, and scale smarter with apps and agents. Here’s what’s new: 🛠️ In-app marketplace offer creation Start your marketplace journey directly within App Advisor - no context switching required. You can now initiate offer creation for popular offer types without leaving the platform. Not signed up to publish - no problem! App Advisor can get you signed up and on your way to creating your offer. 🚀 Tailored recommendations by marketplace offer type Confidently align your app with the right marketplace offer and pricing model using our interactive wizard. Get personalized recommendations based on your app profile and program membership - and fast-track publishing to launch sooner. 📁 Multi-project save with Partner Center linking Advance multiple apps and agents from a single, centralized experience. Save guidance across projects and link each to its Partner Center offer for seamless continuity. 🎯 Membership-based guidance Receive personalized guidance based on your ISV Success or Marketplace Rewards membership. App Advisor adapts its recommendations to help you make faster, smarter decisions. ✅ ISV Success sign-up integration Sign up for ISV Success and resume your workflow without disruption. Unlock benefits like cloud credits, technical consults, and go-to-market resources - all without breaking your build flow. 🎥 Embedded video playback Explore how to build, publish, and grow your apps and agents with step-by-step video guidance. Watch demos and guidance videos directly within App Advisor. Stay in flow with seamless, distraction-free learning, all while keeping the AI-powered assistant visible and ready to help. Ready to accelerate your marketplace success? Dive into App Advisor today to build, publish, and sell transactable offers with clarity, speed, and confidence. Make sure you check out the new Microsoft Marketplace - the single destination to find, try, and buy AI apps, tools, and agents. Read the blog to learn more. Ready to level up with App Advisor? Watch this quick video and unlock what’s next!
