Microsoft To Ditch Action Packs In Partner Benefits Overhaul

Solution provider silver and gold benefits “remain in effect for one year after your last purchase or renewal, but they will not undergo the January 2025 update,” Microsoft said.

Microsoft revealed that it plans to no longer sell its Action Pack, Learning Action Pack or legacy silver and gold benefits starting Jan. 22 – and that it will add licenses for Copilot products, Defender for Endpoint and GitHub to its newer partner benefits packages.

The Redmond, Wash.-based tech giant will make the change “to bring our partners the most up-to-date benefits,” according to a blog post authored by Julie Sanford, vice president of partner go-to-market (GTM), programs and operations.

“Partners who purchase or renew these legacy benefits packages before January 22, 2025, will be able to use their benefits for 12 months from their purchase/renewal date,” said Sanford (pictured above). “Those with an eligible active legacy silver/gold purchase status as of January 21, 2025, will be eligible for the remainder of the FY25 CSP incentive term (January 22, 2025, to September 30, 2025).”

[RELATED: Microsoft Launches New Partner Benefits Packages]

Microsoft Action Packs To End

Microsoft has more than 400,000 partners worldwide and is a member of CRN’s Channel Chiefs.

CRN has reached out to Microsoft for comment.

Randy Jorgensen, managing member of South Jordan, Utah-based Microsoft solution provider RJNetworks, told CRN in an interview that discontinuing MAP is “frustrating” and “another nail in the coffin of the small partners just trying to help small businesses do the best they can with limited budgets.”

“It is like they do not care about nor want small partners anymore,” said Jorgensen, who has used Action Packs. “It truly feels that Microsoft does not feel they need to worry about small businesses.”

He said that Microsoft has been incentivizing moves to cloud when many of his customers “are not interested in renting everything they use.”

Robby Hill, CEO of Florence, S.C.-based Microsoft solution provider HillSouth told CRN in an interview that he stopped using Action Packs and shifted to packages that are cloud-focused and help with the Microsoft 365 bundle of applications.

“Where we would like to see Microsoft continue to refine is offering partners free or reduced cost AI services,” Hill said. That way, “partners can prepare to enhance their services to clients and learn how to sell the newest AI products customers will be asking for soon.”

Microsoft Action Pack Changes

Although Action Packs are going away, Microsoft partners “can continue to access product, support, and advisory benefits through purpose-built offerings that provide more choice and value for our partners,” according to the blog post.

“While the new product licenses will not be added to legacy benefits offerings—which include Microsoft Action Pack, Learning Action Pack, or legacy silver/gold benefits—our updated offerings empower you to do more, and with the latest Microsoft products to help you reach your business goals,” according to the post.

In January, Microsoft launched three new benefits packages for partners:

• Partner Launch Benefits for $345 a year
• Partner Success Core Benefits for $895 a year
• Partner Success Expanded Benefits for $3,995 a year

CRN has done a breakdown of each of the packages.

Microsoft said in the blog posts that solution provider silver and gold benefits “remain in effect for one year after your last purchase or renewal, but they will not undergo the January 2025 update.”

“There are no requirements to purchase, and your partner admin can perform the transaction in Partner Center,” according to the blog post.

Microsoft recommends Partner Success Core Benefits and Partner Success Expanded Benefits for solution providers who used or currently use Action Pack and Learning Action Pack.

For solution providers with legacy silver and gold benefits, Microsoft recommends its most expensive package, Partner Success Expanded Benefits.

Solution providers can buy one or more partner benefits packages to supplement “solutions partner” designation benefits, according to Microsoft. Providers can also buy packages before attaining a designation.

More Product Licenses In Packages

The latest partner program news did include an expansion of the newer partner benefits packages, with Microsoft adding more than 20 product licenses on Jan. 22, according to Microsoft documents on the partner program changes.

Depending on the benefits package, this includes licenses for Copilot products and Defender for Endpoint.

In the blog post, Microsoft said that solution providers should look to partner benefits packages and “solutions partner” designations – which replaced the old gold and silver system – because they give solution providers hands-on experience with Microsoft offerings, contain licenses for Microsoft offerings ranging from 365 Business Premium to Power BI Premium and savings on the retail value of buying Microsoft offerings outside of the benefits package.