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New Microsoft requirements for direct bill partners.
Hassle-free business growth with ALSO
Move from CSP direct to indirect with ALSO
Being a direct (Tier 1) partner has its benefits, but with changes announced by Microsoft, you also face higher costs, e.g., 13 500 EUR annual support policy. You must meet the turnover threshold of 300 000 USD. As a CSP provider, we can help you to save costs when you become an indirect reseller with ALSO.
Desktop-as-a-Service
Current direct bill partners must meet the following new requirements to remain in the CSP direct bill partner program:
We’re here to help you grow
At ALSO we help grow and scale your cloud business. Whether you need technical, development,sales, or marketing support, we’re here for you. We make your transition from direct to indirect partner easy and seamless, so you and your customers don’t even notice the change and can rather focus on what matters most – serving your customers.
Benefits of the ALSO Cloud Marketplace
ALSO Cloud Marketplace (ACMP) is our digital ecosystem bringing together vendors, resellers, and end customers. ACMP is more than a shop system. It’s a management platform for all software licenses. Our marketplace covers your needs as an IT reseller, allowing you to both host your own services but also provide a large number of products and services to your customers. Our ACMP is easy to handle. On the platform, add your own services and create individual offers and bundles. Integrate the marketplace with reseller ERP systems to automate your invoicing.
The most popular ACMP services are
Easy Billing
Quick reporting
Effortless provision
24/7 Support
Instant Offers
Business Intelligence Tools
Simple API
NCE renewal tool
White-labelling
Services on offer:
Key features:
Service Providers
Marketing-as-a-Service
Independent Software Vendors
Infrastructure-as-a-Service
Device Management
Platform-as-a-Service
Financial Services
Software-as-a-Service
Hardware & Software
ACMP offers over 100 vendors and around 1000 products and services, making the management platform a business opportunity for you as a reseller. With ACMP you can rapidly establish and expand your cloud offering, allowing for a more stable source of recurring revenue for your business.
Microsoft’s new requirements for direct bill partners
1
Support
Direct bill partners are required to have a Microsoft support plan, either Advanced Support for Partners or Premier Support, which means significant costs for you (at least 13 500 EUR per year).
2
Revenue
Direct bill partners must meet at least 300K USD in Cloud Solution Provider program annual revenue during the preceding twelve months. If the revenue target is not met, the partners will be removed from the program. Starting March 2021, Microsoft will offboard partners who haven’t fulfilled requirements as soon as their support contract ends.
3
Managed Service
Direct bill partners must provide at least one managed service, IP service, or custom solution application to remain in the program.
Ready to become an ALSO partner?
Get in touch with us directly, and we’ll talk things through. We know the challenges you may face in Partnercenter and we can help with the ideal setup that fits you perfectly. Our team will support you with the migration and your registration to make sure everything runs smoothly. We’re excited to work with you.
Top 5 benefits of becoming an indirect partner and partnering with ALSO
1. A premier platform
ALSO offers a provisioning platform (ALSO Cloud Marketplace) free of charge. You no longer need to take care of the development or maintenance of your own platform, marketplace, or shop system..
2. No additional costs
You don’t need to pay 16 500 EUR per year for support services, because ALSO already has the best possible support contract with Microsoft. In case you would like to keep your direct support line with Microsoft, you have the possibility to do that.
3. Optimized billing
No more unclear invoices from Microsoft that drive you crazy, but clear insights per customer per product what has been sold
4. Automation
Decrease process costs by automating your processes. ACMP offers a user-friendly API that helps you to be more efficient / save costs
5. BI-based management information and reporting
32 reports ranging from Azure plan insights, to security reports and security scores, seat changes, and many more.
Become an indirect reseller with ALSO
1
Join Microsoft Partner Network (if you have not already done so)
If you decide to move from a direct bill business to an indirect reseller business, there are several steps you will need to take. Additional information can be found at this Microsoft page.
2
Sign in as global admin and click on “Become an indirect reseller”
3
Review your partner details and enroll
4
When your enrolment is approved, sign in, and accept the indirect reseller agreement.
Explore the resources
Explore the resources
Why Partner with ALSO?
Cloud Solution Provider Guidebook
Monetise your Cloud Business with ALSO Cloud Marketplace
Why and how to become an indirect Microsoft CSP partner?
The ALSO Cloud Marketplace explained in less than 3 minutes
The Microsoft Cloud Solutions (CSP) Program explained in less than two minutes
NCE upgrade tool
The Shortest Path to Cloud Profitability?
It’s Surprisingly Indirect
Time to take the indirect route?
HINT: There are strong reasons to go Indirect with ALSO
Making the switch is easy
The shortest path to cloud profitability? It’s surprisingly Indirect. Make the switch. Partner with ALSO as a Microsoft Indirect Reseller and experience accelerated cloud business without the burdens.
Easy Billing
Indirect with ALSO
It's good cloud business
Microsoft has made Direct-bill prerequisites and thresholds stricter and higher, with further changes on the horizon. It’s time to ask: Is going Indirect more efficient and manageable than the Direct path?
For many CSPs, absolutely. Are you one of them? We think so.
Become a Microsoft Indirect Reseller and partner with ALSO for real benefits, dedicated support, and lower operational burdens. Make the switch and up your competitiveness while avoiding stringent prerequisites and high thresholds.
Support Requirement
Direct bill partners must have a Microsoft Support Plan. Whether Advanced Support for Partners or Premier Support, you’re losing €13.500 every year.
Revenue Requirement
If you haven’t made at least 300K (USD) in the previous 12 months in the CSP program, you’re ineligible for the direct bill program. And perpetual software sales don’t count towards your calculated revenue.
Managed Service Requirement
To remain in the program, direct bill partners must provide at least one managed service, IP service or custom solution and offer a scalable marketplace.
Top ALSO indirect partner benefits
All perk and no pressure
ALSO Cloud Marketplace
Our cloud marketplace revolutionizes and simplifies cloud business. You’ll never need to develop, maintain, or pay for your provisioning platform again. With your customizable ALSO Cloud Marketplace, you’ll be up and running in no time. ACMP includes intuitive tools for a smooth transition to Microsoft New Commerce with expanding features for upgrades, subscription pauses, and auto-renew.
Financial Services
Efficient payment processing and uncomplicated online services. Our flexible financing is the freedom you need.
ALSO Premium Support
Great support doesn’t need to cost you 13 500 EUR per year. We have the best possible support contract with Microsoft that will save you thousands. And If you want to keep your direct support line with Microsoft, you can do that, too.
Optimized billing
No more cryptically unclear invoices from Microsoft. You’ll always know what’s coming in, what’s going out, and exactly where you are in your cloud business.
Microsoft Azure Deployment
30+ BI reports. AZURE plan insights, security reports and scores, seat and usage reports, and much more.
Exceptional value-added services
Our international team of experts assist you every step of the way, including Azure deployment and consultancy, marketing support, and access to comprehensive learning and certification platforms.
Microsoft E-Learning Portal
Our e-learning portal provides you a wealth of learning content, material and exam preparation – including how to achieve more in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program (MAICPP). It’s all easily accessible and curated for your needs. You’re sure to find the right course to supercharge your professional journey.
Marketing Services
Access an array of lead-generation campaigns, customizable assets, and co-funded programs to take existing customers further and bring in new customers. ALSO’s individualized Marketing Support Plans accelerate your business's growth.
Consultancy Services
Empowering Microsoft partners to build profitable cloud businesses by offering expert guidance, and resources for navigating through the cloud market. Our consultancy services aim to optimize sales strategies, enhance technical knowledge, and identify growth opportunities for your business.
Instant Offers
Quick reporting
Effortless provision
24/7 Support
White-labelling
NCE renewal tool
NCE upgrade tool
Simple API
Business Intelligence Tools
Key ACMP features
Go Indirect with ALSO in 5 simple steps
Going Indirect is only 5 steps away. Feel confident and in control as our experts take you step-by-step through the process, ensuring minimal impact on your daily business. (Additional information about going from direct to indirect is available from Microsoft here.)
Become an ALSO partner and get your custom ALSO Cloud Marketplace
Join the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program and enroll as an Indirect Reseller
Upload your customer list to the ACMP – done in minutes!
Prepare migration of seat-based offers and consumption-based subscriptions with our experts
Schedule and initiate your guided migration or simply use our NCE transfer tool
Become an ALSO partner
We know Microsoft’s Partner Center can be daunting. We can help. Our team is ready to support you with the migration and registration to ensure everything runs smoothly. We’re excited to work with you.
Go Indirect with ALSO and get the perks without the pressure.
Time to take the indirect route?
HINT: There are strong reasons to go Indirect with ALSO
Making the switch is easy
The shortest path to cloud profitability? It’s surprisingly Indirect. Make the switch. Partner with ALSO as a Microsoft Indirect Reseller and experience accelerated cloud business without the burdens.
Indirect with ALSO
It's good cloud business
Microsoft has made Direct-bill prerequisites and thresholds stricter and higher, with further changes on the horizon. It’s time to ask: Is going Indirect more efficient and manageable than the Direct path?
For many CSPs, absolutely. Are you one of them? We think so.
Become a Microsoft Indirect Reseller and partner with ALSO for real benefits, dedicated support, and lower operational burdens. Make the switch and up your competitiveness while avoiding stringent prerequisites and high thresholds.
Where do you stand?
Microsoft’s current requirements for direct bill partners
Support Requirement
Direct bill partners must have a Microsoft Support Plan. Whether Advanced Support for Partners or Premier Support, you’re losing €13.500 every year.
Top ALSO indirect partner benefits
All perk and no pressure
Easy Billing
Instant Offers
Quick reporting
Effortless provision
24/7 Support
White-labelling
NCE renewal tool
NCE upgrade tool
Simple API
Business Intelligence Tools
Key ACMP features
Go Indirect with ALSO in 5 simple steps
Going Indirect is only 5 steps away. Feel confident and in control as our experts take you step-by-step through the process, ensuring minimal impact on your daily business. (Additional information about going from direct to indirect is available from Microsoft here.)
Become an ALSO partner and get your custom ALSO Cloud Marketplace
Join the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program and enroll as an Indirect Reseller
Upload your customer list to the ACMP – done in minutes!
Prepare migration of seat-based offers and consumption-based subscriptions with our experts
Schedule and initiate your guided migration or simply use our NCE transfer tool
Become an ALSO partner
We know Microsoft’s Partner Center can be daunting. We can help. Our team is ready to support you with the migration and registration to ensure everything runs smoothly. We’re excited to work with you.
Go Indirect with ALSO and get the perks without the pressure.
Revenue Requirement
If you haven’t made at least 300K (USD) in the previous 12 months in the CSP program, you’re ineligible for the direct bill program. And perpetual software sales don’t count towards your calculated revenue.
Managed Service Requirement
To remain in the program, direct bill partners must provide at least one managed service, IP service or custom solution and offer a scalable marketplace.
ALSO Cloud Marketplace
Our cloud marketplace revolutionizes and simplifies cloud business. You’ll never need to develop, maintain, or pay for your provisioning platform again. With your customisable ALSO Cloud Marketplace, you’ll be up and running in no time. ACMP includes intuitive tools for a smooth transition to Microsoft New Commerce with expanding features for upgrades, subscription pauses and auto-renew
Financial Services
Efficient payment processing and uncomplicated online services. Our flexible financing is the freedom you need.
ALSO Premium Support
Great support doesn’t need to cost you 13 500 EUR per year. We have the best possible support contract with Microsoft that will save you thousands. And If you want to keep your direct support line with Microsoft, you can do that, too.
Optimized billing
No more cryptically unclear invoices from Microsoft. You’ll always know what’s coming in, what’s going out, and exactly where you are in your cloud business.
Automation
30+ BI reports. AZURE plan insights, security reports and scores, seat and usage reports, and much more.
Exceptional value-added services
Our international team of experts assist you every step of the way, including Azure deployment and consultancy, marketing support, and access to comprehensive learning and certification platforms.
Microsoft E-Learning Portal
Our e-learning portal provides you a wealth of learning content, material and exam preparation – including how to achieve more in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program (MIACPP). It’s all easily accessible and curated for your needs. You’re sure to find the right course to supercharge your professional journey.
Marketing services
Access an array of lead-generation campaigns, customizable assets, and co-funded programs to take existing customers further and bring in new customers. ALSO’s individualized Marketing Support Plans accelerate your business's growth.
Consultancy Services
Navigate the cloud market with confidence and build profitable cloud businesses with the help of expert guidance and resources. Our consultancy services optimize sales strategies, enhance technical knowledge, and identify growth opportunities for your business.
ACMP
The provisioning platform you need and deserve
As a Direct-bill partner, you’re either maintaining your own provisioning platform or paying for one. Either way, the burden’s on you.
Our ALSO Cloud Marketplace is a platform high on functionality and full of automation. You don’t buy it. You don’t maintain it. It’s a powerful provisioning and customer management tool that’s yours as an ALSO partner.
When you become an Indirect Reseller with ALSO, you can leave high costs and inadequate platforms at the door. You’ll get everything you need with ACMP, including Microsoft NCE Upgrade and Renewal tools.
Operational agility and scalability are not just keywords. They are keys to success. Partnering with ALSO puts the keys in your hands, unlocking increased support and greater profitability.
Operational agility and scalability are not just keywords. They are keys to success. Partnering with ALSO puts the keys in your hands, unlocking increased support and greater profitability.
Where do you stand?
Microsoft is updating the requirements for direct bill partners
Direct bill partners must have an annual confirmation of an active Microsoft Support Plan. To meet this requirement, partners must purchase either Advanced Support for Partners or Premier Support for Partners— that start at annual $16,500 for a limited number of incidents, with additional charges of $650 per incident. Going indirect and partnering with ALSO will give you the best possible support contract with Microsoft that will save you thousands.
Support Requirement
Revenue Requirement
The threshold is increasing to 1 million USD from 300K USD, effective October 2025. If you haven’t made at least 1 million USD in the previous 12 months in the CSP program within your area of operations, you’re ineligible for the direct bill program. Perpetual software sales don’t count towards your calculated revenue.
Managed Service Requirement
To remain in the program, direct bill partners must provide at least one managed service, IP service or custom solution and offer a scalable marketplace.
Solution Partner Designation
Direct billing partners need to achieve at least one solution partner designation from October 2025 to ensure expertise and commitment to delivering high-quality solutions. By transitioning to an indirect model and partnering with ALSO, you can leverage the support and resources we offer to achieve your goals.
Incentive program
Microsoft’s incentive program is evolving. As part of a streamlined approach, new prerequisites will be introduced to qualify for incentives. For Direct Bill partners, incentive eligibility will now be tied to MAICPP achievements, aligned by solution area. Becoming an indirect reseller makes it significantly easier to qualify for CSP incentives starting from October 2025, thanks to lower revenue requirements and more flexible qualification options that are specified in the current incentive guide.
Passing Security Score
Following the Secure Score recommendations can protect your organization from threats. From October 2025 organizations must meet or exceed a predefined threshold in a security assessment by implementing recommended security controls, conducting regular assessments, and continuously improving their security posture.
Assessment requirement
Partners will undergo an assessment—a streamlined version of an audit—designed to validate their capabilities, capacity, and adherence to security and compliance standards.
Current requirements
Signed Microsoft Partner Agreement (MPA) for indirect reseller
Twelve months or more as a transacting reseller
Minimum trailing 12 months (TTM) revenue requirement $300,000 at PGA
Minimum assessment score
Active support plan (Advanced Support for Partners, Premiere Support for Partners)
Signed MPA for direct bill
From October 2025*
Minimum trailing 12 months (TTM) revenue requirement $1 million at PGA
Pass annual assessment
Annual confirmation of active support plan (Advanced Support for Partners, Premiere Support for Partners)
At least one Solutions Partner designation attainment
Passing security score
* Current requirements will carry over on top of the new requirements.
Azure Acceleration with ALSO DCO
Accelerate your Azure growth with the ALSO Indirect model and our Data Center Optimization (DCO) program, combining simplified operations, advanced support, and strategic enablement. Reduce admin overhead while gaining access to ready-to-sell Azure services, expert migration support, and co-branded go-to-market resources. DCO helps you modernize on-premises workloads with Azure backup, DR, hybrid infrastructure, and security—driving higher consumption and recurring revenue.
AMM Enablement & Fast-Track Access
Tap into Microsoft’s Azure Migration and Modernization (AMM) program with ALSO’s dual-track approach. We help you qualify for AMM incentives through your own designations—or deliver migrations under ALSO’s umbrella. Get funding, technical resources, and guided enablement to accelerate cloud migrations and build credibility while progressing toward your own specialization goals.
Azure Acceleration with ALSO DCO
Accelerate your Azure growth with the ALSO Indirect model and our Data Center Optimization (DCO) program, combining simplified operations, advanced support, and strategic enablement. Reduce admin overhead while gaining access to ready-to-sell Azure services, expert migration support, and co-branded go-to-market resources. DCO helps you modernize on-premises workloads with Azure backup, DR, hybrid infrastructure, and security—driving higher consumption and recurring revenue.
AMM Enablement & Fast-Track Access
Tap into Microsoft’s Azure Migration and Modernization (AMM) program with ALSO’s dual-track approach. We help you qualify for AMM incentives through your own designations—or deliver migrations under ALSO’s umbrella. Get funding, technical resources, and guided enablement to accelerate cloud migrations and build credibility while progressing toward your own specialization goals.