Microsoft announced that its Cloud Solution Provider program will be expanded to include Dynamics CRM Online, enabling Dynamics partners to sell integrated offers and solutions across all Microsoft cloud services and experience other benefits of the CSP program.
Announced Monday at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) in Orlando, Fla., Dynamics CRM Online is joining Office 365, Azure, Intune and EMS as the latest addition to the CSP program. Through the program, partners own the end-to-end customer lifecycle, with direct provision, management and support, as well as the billing relationship, as partners create an offer, set the price, and manage the billing terms. CSP partners can also add services and IP to offer complete end-to-end solutions to customers.
“CSP is a great fit for Dynamics partners as it enables the provisioning and management of subscriptions for multiple cloud services and a smoother buying process for customers, allowing partners to become trusted advisors and one-stop source for selling Business Solutions from Microsoft,’” wrote Neil Holloway, corporate vice president of sales and partners for Microsoft Business Solutions, in
Microsoft also announced the upcoming Dynamics AX7, to be publicly previewed this quarter and released later this year, will also join CSP.
The program is structured to span several steps of the customer relationship and process, including the evaluation and testing of software, deployment, management, upgrades, and continuous optimization.
In addition to expanding CSP, Microsoft is redesigning its partner certification programs. Also announced at the WPC, this will change the requirements for Certified for Microsoft Dynamics (CfMD) to validate the solution and methodology partners provide customers to deploy, test and operate solutions through Microsoft’s Azure-based Dynamics Lifecycle Services (LCS). LCS was introduced two years ago to help business design, deploy and operate ERP projects through best practices and methodologies.
Solutions passing the CfMD test will be listed and placed on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. Those standards will also be applied to requirements for the ISV track of the MPN ERP Silver and Gold Competencies for Dynamics AX.
