The Dynamics 365 track on Get Licensing Ready has been updated for all the recent changes up to and including February 2020, and the content has been split into two modules – Licensing the Dynamics 365 CRM applications, and Licensing the Dynamics ERP applications. Head over to GLR to learn about the licensing with video and reference material and to take a test to prove your knowledge: http://bit.ly/GLRD365.
Authorized Education Partner program update
Microsoft announce that from 1 October, 2019 the requirement for a partner to be certified as part of the Authorized Education Partner program to sell Academic licences to education customers is now ONLY a requirement in China. All partners are still required to confirm education customer eligibility before transacting Academic licences, using the Microsoft Qualified Education Users document. Find details and links here: http://bit.ly/2Ov2hDl.
Azure Cost Management: January update
Azure Cost Management helps customers to feel in control of their Azure spending and to maximise their cloud investment. There are continual innovations to the functionality available, and this January update details the latest changes including improved reporting, new ways of saving money with Azure, and recent changes to Azure usage data: http://bit.ly/2Ov9pQ9.
Dynamics 365 Business Central Licensing Guide
There’s an updated (January 2020) Dynamics 365 Business Central Licensing Guide. It’s not a major update – just some small changes to the geographic availability and licence requirements for Essentials functionality on page 10. Find this guide here: http://bit.ly/BusCentLGJan2020.
Using SQL Server on Azure
There’s text added to page 30 of the January 2020 Product Terms document stating that customers must indicate their use of SQL Server on Azure when making use of the Azure Hybrid Benefit or Disaster Recover Rights. For details on how to do this see our blog post: http://bit.ly/2ZB6nwI.
Dynamics 365 Mixed Reality Licensing Guide
There’s an updated (January 2020) Dynamics 365 Mixed Reality Licensing Guide. There’s information added on page 5 to clarify which Remote Assist users need to be licensed with Teams: the Expert giving assistance DOES need a licence, but the user being assisted DOES NOT. There’s also a new section and Appendix added detailing Dynamics 365 Support Plans and policies, and you’ll find these on pages 8/9 and 10. Grab this guide here (http://bit.ly/MixRealLGJan2020) to keep your Licensing Guide collection up-to-date.
New Phone System From SA User SL
Microsoft add a new Phone System From SA User SL to the January 2020 Product Terms. Available only in the EA, the usual From SA rules apply with the qualifying licences being Skype for Business Server Plus CALs or a Skype for Business Plus CAL User SL. You’ll find the new licence added to the table on page 69 and the qualifying licences detailed on page 100. Download the Product Terms document here: http://bit.ly/MSproductterms.
Power Apps Licensing Guide
There’s an updated (January 2020) Power Apps Licensing Guide. There’s some useful information added on page 3 detailing the licensing requirements for external users, and confirmation included on page 4 that if the same Power Apps app exists in two environments, a user would require two Per App SLs to access both. As usual there’s a detailed Change Log on page 25, and you can find the updated guide here: http://bit.ly/PowAppsLGJan2020.
Self-service purchase capability
14 January, 2020 is the day that Microsoft’s new self-service capability goes live for commercial customers in the US.
This functionality allows end-users to buy Power BI licences on their organisation’s tenant without going through the IT department. They pay with a credit card and get limited access to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center so that they can assign licences to other users as required. IT administrators can see any licences that have been purchased in this way through their view of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, and can turn off users’ ability to self-serve using PowerShell if required. End users will be able to purchase licences for Power Apps and Power Automate soon, and the functionality will be available in other geographies through 2020. Find an FAQ here: http://bit.ly/2uNNQU3.
Microsoft Partner Agreement
Microsoft remind partners that the new Microsoft Partner Agreement needs to be signed by all Cloud Solution Provider partners by the end of January, 2020. Find instructions and resources for all types of partners here: http://bit.ly/3a4RU2a.