Microsoft announce a “Period 2” 6-month extension for the special Extended Security Updates for Exchange Server 2016/2019 and Skype for Business Server 2015/2019.
Customers who want ESUs in the new May 2026 – October 2026 period should note that Period 2 isn’t an extension to the first period of ESUs, it’s a further purchase.
Find the announcement for Exchange Server here: https://bit.ly/4sNf1pi and Skype for Business Server here: https://bit.ly/4dWfgdY.
Microsoft announce a 20% price drop for Windows 365 Business, affecting new customers from 1 May 2026 and existing customers at their next renewal.
This SMB flavour for up to 300 users will benefit from a lower list price, enabled by an updated Cloud PC reconnection experience that optimises resource usage.
Don’t forget to keep track of all Microsoft price changes using our intuitive, filterable Product Price Plotter, exclusive to subscribers: https://bit.ly/ProductPricePlotter.
Find the Windows 365 announcement details here: https://bit.ly/4mJUmAX.
The Power Platform licensing resources are updated (twice!) for April 2026: initially, they were almost completely unchanged compared to March, but a second version arrived shortly after.
The (confusingly repetitive) summary of the different licenses at the start of the Licensing Guide has been removed, leaving information about one license type in just one section each. AI in apps capabilities are added to the Summary of Power Apps table, showing that extra AI capabilities are available when you have a Power Apps Premium license (as opposed to using the Pay-As-You-Go meter) with, as you might expect, some features also requiring a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. That change is also made in the Licensing Deck.
The one-click “Power Platform” filter in our Licensing Guides Gallery gives subscribers quick access to all versions of the licensing resources: https://bit.ly/GuidesGallery. You’ll also find details of all the changes to be aware (and wary) of with our “What’s New” and “Cautionary Notes” features. Non-subscribers can find the latest Licensing Guide here: https://bit.ly/4dTI7zw, and the Licensing Deck here: https://bit.ly/42hIooI.
The latest (April 2026) Dynamics 365 licensing resources are now available.
Most changes are minor, but they feature the new Sales Opportunity Agent, which gathers information from emails, meetings, and Dynamics 365 Sales to try to help sales people prioritise opportunities and close deals faster.
The one-click “Dynamics 365” filter in our Licensing Guides Gallery gives subscribers quick access to the documents and all the updates to be aware (and wary!) of: https://bit.ly/GuidesGallery. Grab the Licensing Guide here: https://bit.ly/47Y2GXQ, and its sidekick, the Licensing Deck here: https://bit.ly/4sv8qQg.
The Copilot Studio Licensing Guide is updated for April 2026. This month the guide only has a few minor wording refinements, with no major updates.
The existing Cautionary Notes remain, which subscribers will find using the one-click “Copilot Studio” filter in the Licensing Guide Gallery: https://bit.ly/GuidesGallery. You’ll also find a link to the Licensing Guidance website version, helping you keep up to date with all resource types in one place.
Grab your copy of the guide here: https://bit.ly/3NPNnd2.
The latest (April 2026) Modern Work Plan Comparison documents are now available!
The Education flavour gets its first refresh in months, aligning it with various recent updates. The April 2026 changes to Teams Shared Space, Meetings, and Events are featured throughout them all – see our blog for a recap on what’s happened: https://bit.ly/4aV8Jy8.
The one-click “Microsoft 365” filter in our Licensing Guides Gallery gives subscribers quick access to the documents, full change details, and potential stumbling blocks with our Cautionary Notes: https://bit.ly/GuidesGallery. Non-subscribers can find the documents here: https://bit.ly/4hn2hS2. If you’re a partner and prefer the Excel version, contact us from your work email address and we’ll send it right over: info@licensingschool.co.uk.
Microsoft announce that from 21 April, 2026 you’ll be able to create a flow group with up to 25 cloud flows that can be licensed with a single Power Automate Process licence, rather than needing one licence for each cloud flow. Clearly this sounds like a wonderful way to save money on licences, but bear in mind that the daily action entitlement for that Power Automate Process licence (250,000 actions) will be shared across all the cloud flows in the flow group.
Find the announcement here: https://bit.ly/3OpWAJb, and the corresponding Learn documentation here: https://bit.ly/3QcuqBQ.
Microsoft announce two changes for Dragon Copilot. Firstly, the brand new (February 2026) Dragon Copilot Physician Practice licence will be End of Sale from 1 May, 2026; check out our blog if you blinked and missed that licence: https://bit.ly/48bhCl. Secondly, from 1 May, 2026 there’s a price reduction for the regular Dragon Copilot User SL.
Find the announcement here: https://bit.ly/4c0DX7B, and we’ll keep you posted for when the Microsoft licensing resources are updated.
The Agent 365 release on 1 May, 2026 introduces lots of new features and licensing concepts. Luckily, Microsoft are updating their resources in preparation, and these updated FAQs include newly-added licensing information.
Add this useful three-page document to your collection here: https://bit.ly/4srKfSz. A live website link and the document history are available in our Licensing Guides Gallery for subscribers: https://bit.ly/GuidesGallery.
Microsoft announce that CSP Software Subscription benefits are fully equivalent to Software Assurance from 1 April, 2026.
License Mobility (through Software Assurance) allows the use of eligible licences in Azure or on an Authorized Mobility Partner’s shared hardware and has long differentiated the two purchasing options. The change expands this outsourcing option to SQL Server, and the External Connectors for Windows Server and RDS. Of particular interest, Listed Providers Amazon, Google, and Alibaba are currently signed up as Authorized Mobility Partners.
Although System Center Server is also available as a Software Subscription, it’s somewhat neglected in the announcement, even though its Software Assurance counterpart has always been eligible for License Mobility.
Microsoft provide us with a range of resources to supplement the news.
Find the announcement here: https://bit.ly/4sWQsqH.
The updated License Mobility guides cover the process and further details. Grab them here: https://bit.ly/4mcoKDM and here: https://bit.ly/4czaPDJ.