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Have you ever wondered what it is Microsoft has been doing lately? If so, you're in the right place. We've carefully selected Microsoft's most significant updates over the last month, making sure you're always up to date.
As Microsoft eventually makes changes that directly impact your business, understanding the latest releases can give you a competitive edge.
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Microsoft Updates - [06/2024]
Expanded Availability for Copilot for Microsoft 365
- Date of Announcement: June 24, 2024
- Effective Date: June 12, 2024
- Workspace: General
- Impacted Audience: All Partners transacting Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365
Relevance: This expansion enables partners to provide enhanced AI capabilities across a broader range of Microsoft 365 applications, increasing productivity and collaborative opportunities for customers, thereby driving higher adoption rates and customer satisfaction.
Summary: Microsoft has expanded the availability of Copilot for Microsoft 365 to include more standalone plans, enhancing productivity tools across various business scales. Partners can now offer these expanded capabilities to a broader range of customers.
Monthly Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program Update
- Date of Announcement: June 28, 2024
- Workspace: Membership
- Impacted Audience: Partners enrolled in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program
Relevance: The newly available designations and subsidies offer a unique opportunity for partners to distinguish their solutions, potentially leading to increased market visibility and sales opportunities within the competitive cloud marketplace.
Summary: The Solutions Partner designation with certified software is now generally available, providing substantial benefits and a 50% subsidy for the audit process for a limited time. This update aims to help partners further differentiate their offerings in high-demand areas.
Partner Center Technical Corner Blog Series: June 2024 Edition
- Date of Announcement: June 18, 2024
- Workspace: General
- Impacted Audience: All partners
Relevance: These regular updates equip partners with the latest insights and developments within the Partner Center, helping them stay ahead in securing channels and optimizing their offerings based on the newest platform capabilities.
Summary: The latest edition of the Partner Center Technical Corner blog is now live, featuring updates on Solutions Partner designations and securing the channel. This edition also highlights new partner incentives and performance rewards.
Migrate to Enhanced CSP Billing Reconciliation APIs
- Date of Announcement: June 18, 2024
- Workspace: General
- Impacted Audience: CSP direct bill and indirect providers
Relevance: The migration to enhanced APIs is crucial for maintaining seamless billing processes and service continuity, impacting partners’ operational efficiency and customer billing accuracy.
Summary: A new Asynchronous API for billing reconciliation is now available. Partners are required to migrate to this enhanced API by September 30, 2024, to avoid service disruption.
Viva Glint General Availability through Cloud Solution Providers
- Date of Announcement: June 1, 2024
- Workspace: General
- Impacted Audience: CSP partners transacting Viva Glint, Modern Work CSP partners
Relevance: As organizations increasingly focus on employee well-being, Viva Glint offers CSP partners a significant opportunity to integrate engagement solutions into their portfolio, potentially opening new revenue streams and client relationships.
Summary: Viva Glint, focusing on employee engagement, will be generally available for CSP partners from July 1, 2024. This launch includes a minimum purchase requirement and targets partners with experience in employee engagement and human capital consulting.
Launching Extended Security Updates for SQL Server 2014
- Date of Announcement: June 1, 2024
- Workspace: General
- Impacted Audience: CSP partners, CSP-Hosters, and SPLA partners
Relevance: The availability of extended security updates ensures that organizations using SQL Server 2014 can maintain compliance and security standards, critical for those unable to upgrade to newer versions immediately.
Summary: Extended Security Updates for SQL Server 2014 will be available in the CSP catalog starting July 10, 2024. This provides an additional year of support for SQL Server 2014, extending past the initial end-of-support date.
Next Steps for Partners:
1. Engage with New Programs and Updates
Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program and Solutions Partner Designation:
2. Adopt Technological and Process Updates
CSP Billing Reconciliation API Migration:
Viva Glint Preparation:
SQL Server 2014 Extended Security Updates:
3. Update Skills and Compliance Requirements
Certification and Skilling Updates:
Compliance and Renewal Preparation:
Community Engagement and Training: