New Commerce Experience

Status Update

This page will keep you up-to-date on the changes related to Microsoft's New Commerce Experience and the impact it has on your ability to manage licenses.

It will be updated when we know of up coming changes and when they have been implemented.

You may find these FAQs useful:

Direct CSP
Indirect CSP

For General Enquiries

Please contact your Account Manager as they are best placed to help you. Alternatively you can contact Chris Chandler, our Microsoft Alliance Manager

Email: chrisc@greymatter.com
Tel: +44 (0) 1364 654 100

For License Changes

Please contact our support team directly if you wish to add or upgrade a license.

help@cloudknowhow.com

Progress and Status Updates

Update #11 – legacy subscriptions

Any legacy subscriptions due for renewal must be renewed into NCE, you can see your subscription renewal date under subscriptions in the portal, please speak with your account manager for any questions.

Effective date: 11th July 2022

Update #10 – upgrades

You will be able to upgrade subscriptions through the storefront, for example an upgrade from Business Standard to Business Premium. For 365 subscriptions, you will be able to toggle auto-renewal on/off for your subscriptions.

Predicted effective date: 22nd July 2022

Update #9 – subscription management functionality

The functionality to increase and decrease all applicable NCE subscriptions using GM Cirrus has been updated. All customers now have access to full NCE subscription management.

Effective date: w/c 29th April 2022

Update #8 – full billing functionality

The adding of NCE subscriptions has started, all customers should be able to see subscriptions and add new ones by 21st April - many will have access before this date.

Effective date: w/c 19th April 2022

Update #7 – full billing functionality

Full NCE billing functionality will be added to GMCirrus by Monday 11th April. Customers will be able to see existing subscriptions by Friday 15th April.

Effective date: w/c 11th April 2022

Update #6 – Legacy CSP cut off

From today (10th March 2022) new subscriptions for Legacy CSP can not be purchased, these will instead be done via the Microsoft New Commerce Experience on CSP. Renewals of existing subscriptions will be allowed until the 30th June 2022.

For the avoidance of doubt you can still add additional licenses to existing subscriptions.

If you have any questions on the above, please contact us.

Effective date: 10th March 2022

Update #5 – Important Reminders

Please remember:

  1. Legacy licenses all need to be renewed onto NCE from 1st July 2022
  2. Please double check the contract length (monthly or annual) you are committing to when you purchase licenses

If you have any questions on the above, please contact us.

 

Update #4 – Legacy Renewals

As part of the transition from existing (legacy) CSP to new commerce, the ability to place new subscription orders on legacy CSP will be terminated on March 10, 2022. Between March 10 and June 30, 2022, a legacy subscription can be renewed at the end of its term, and all legacy policies and capabilities and the legacy billing date will remain in effect until the subscription reaches the end of its term. Starting July 1, 2022, any legacy subscription must be renewed in new commerce.

Effective from: 10th March 2022

Update #3 – Existing NCE Subscriptions

All subscriptions that have already transitioned to NCE will be imported into GMCirrus to allow management through the Cloud marketplace.

Expected delivery: 25th March 2022
Status: In progress

Update #2 – Annual Commit, Monthly Pay Subscriptions

New version of GMCirrus to accommodate the purchase and management of new Annual Commit, Monthly Pay NCE subscriptions.

Expected delivery: 21st March 2022
Status: In progress

Update #1 - Billing Dates

Because NCE is billed on a calendar month basis, your next NCE bill will be generated shortly after the 10th March for the full month.

As you have moved from a different billing pattern there will in most cases be a final bill on around the 20th March for the balancing days from the previous month.

We are working hard to simplify the process as much as possible and if you or your finance department have any questions please contact your Account Manager.

Expected delivery: TBC
Status: In progress

Direct CSP New Commerce Experience

Q1: Which seat-based subscriptions does NCE impact?

Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Windows 365 offers, plus associated add-ons.

Q2: Will there be any changes to the billing cycle?

Yes, the billing cycle will be updated to reflect a beginning of month to last day of month cycle.

Q3: Will there be changes to the available subscription terms?

Yes, as well as continuing with the 12-month commit term, Microsoft will be introducing 1-month and 3-year commit terms for subscriptions.

  • 1-month commit term (incurs 20% price uplift vs legacy)
  • 1-year (12-months) commit term (same as legacy pricing)
  • 3-year (36 months) commit term (currently Dynamics 365 subscriptions only - others expected March 2022)

Q4: Can I commit to annual terms and still pay monthly?

Yes, you can choose to commit to a 1-year or 3-year term and pay for subscriptions monthly. However, you will be unable to decrease seat count or subscription type each month during the commitment period. You can only do this at renewal.

Q5: Can I increase or decrease my seat count mid-term?

You CAN INCREASE your subscription(s) seat count mid-term with immediate effect and the additional seats will be pro-rated to the original commit term end date.

You CANNOT DECREASE your subscription(s) seat count mid-term. You will need to wait until subscription commit term renewal to reduce the seat count.

Q6: Can I upgrade or downgrade a subscription mid-term?

You CAN UPGRADE your subscription(s) mid-term (partial/all) with immediate effect and the upgraded subscription will be pro-rated to the original commit term end date.

You CANNOT DOWNGRADE your subscription(s) mid-term. You will need to wait until subscription commit term renewal to downgrade/change to a lesser subscription.

Q7: Are subscription seat adds pro-rated when adding mid-term?

Yes, you can increase your subscription(s) seat count mid-term and the additional seats will be pro-rated to the original commit term end date.

Q8: When will I have to transition to the Microsoft CSP New Commerce Experience model by?

Originally planned for 10 March 2022, Microsoft announced on 12 November 2021 that they will extend the period during which subscriptions can be renewed on the legacy CSP platform to 30 June 2022.

Indirect CSP New Commerce Experience

Q1: Which seat-based subscriptions does NCE impact?

Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Windows 365 offers, plus associated add-ons.

Q2: Which seat-based subscriptions does NCE impact?

Yes, the billing cycle will be updated to reflect a beginning of month to last day of month cycle.

Q3: Will there be changes to the available subscription terms?

Yes, as well as continuing with the 12-month commit term, Microsoft will be introducing 1-month and 3-year commit terms for subscriptions.

  • 1-month commit term (incurs 20% price uplift vs legacy)
  • 1-year (12-months) commit term (same as legacy pricing)
  • 3-year (36 months) commit term (currently Dynamics 365 subscriptions only - others expected March 2022)

Q4: Can a customer commit to annual terms and still pay monthly?

Yes, customers can choose to commit to a 1-year or 3-year term and pay for subscriptions monthly. However, they will be unable to decrease seat count or subscription type each month during the commitment period. They can do this at renewal only.

Q5: Can a customer increase or decrease my seat count mid-term?

Customers CAN INCREASE their subscription(s) seat count mid-term with immediate effect and the additional seats will be pro-rated to the original commit term end date.

Customers CANNOT DECREASE their subscription(s) seat count mid-term.
They will need to wait until subscription commit term renewal to reduce the seat count.

Q6: Can a customer upgrade or downgrade a subscription mid-term?

Customers CAN UPGRADE their subscription(s) mid-term (partial/all) with immediate effect and the upgraded subscription will be pro-rated to the original commit term end date.

Customers CANNOT DOWNGRADE their subscription(s) mid-term. They will need to wait until subscription commit term renewal to downgrade/change to a lesser subscription.

Q7: Are subscription seat adds pro-rated when adding mid-term?

Yes, customers can increase their subscription(s) seat count mid-term and the additional seats will be pro-rated to the original commit term end date.

Q8: When do I need to transition my customers the Microsoft CSP New Commerce Experience model by?

Originally planned for 10 March 2022, Microsoft announced on 12 November 2021 that they will extend the period during which subscriptions can be renewed on the legacy CSP platform to 30 June 2022.

Q9: Will this impact my Microsoft incentive payments?

Yes, from the end of 30 September 2022, you will no longer earn incentives for customers remaining on the legacy CSP model. Ensure you’ve migrated customers leveraging Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Windows 365 offers and associated add-ons to CSP NCE subscriptions in advance.

To make the most of the available Microsoft incentives please contact us and one of our Microsoft team will be in touch.