August 24, 2026 Microsoft Monday

This past week was busy! There are two deadlines to watch out for, along with some updates that may not impact your tactics but should be reviewed for any impact to your strategy for this fiscal year and beyond. We're sharing a few key updates from the full list our clients get in real-time.

Bonus: Partner1's Microsoft Marketplace Assessment helps you benchmark your current marketplace motion against FY27's new co-sell framework in seconds!

AUGUST 31 (next week!): If your team is working on certifications such as AZ-500, make sure you're keeping an eye on certification retirement dates so that you don't have to start from scratch. Certification is extremely important for solutions partners and software partners that are going after designations, and don't let that preparation go to waste.

SEPTEMBER 1 (next week!):

• Multiple SKUs are hitting end of life (that means no new purchases, including renewals). This includes 10 Microsoft Stream add-on and storage SKUs.
• New AI Cloud Partner Program Agreement becomes auto-effective. No action needed beyond legal review. Keep in mind the downstream December changes we flagged for CSPs and Microsoft partners. Certain partners in France need to explicitly attempt between December 2026 and February 2027.

The final countdown (couldn't resist): Azure Expert MSP designation will be retired by the end of 2027 and net-new enrollments end in September 2026, renewals ending in January 2027, transitioning into Cloud & AI platforms solutions partner designations and the Frontier Partner specialization.

At the end of September and start of October, CSPs will have two discounts end, and see a 5% uplift on annual software subscriptions billed monthly. We highlighted these in previous editions if you want the details.

The big picture

Consolidation seems to be the theme for the last few weeks - around clearer pathways, requirements and rewards. 2027 will be here sooner than expected, so manage your Microsoft partnership strategy operations proactively. If you aren't already doing so - let's get started here.

Take the Microsoft Marketplace Assessment to ensure your business is FY27-optimized and you're not leaving a single opportunity on the table.

This edition of Bits & Bytes covers the Microsoft partner ecosystem for CEOs, operators, and practice leaders. Partner1® is the premier partner activation firm built by former Microsoft executives. We help B2B companies grow profitably and globally through partner ecosystem-led growth.

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