In the fast-paced business world, efficiency is not just a goal; it's a necessity for survival and growth. Companies are always looking for ways to simplify their operations and use technology to stay ahead of their competition. Enter the Microsoft Solutions Partner for Business Applications, a designation that signifies deep expertise in deploying Microsoft's suite of business solutions to solve complex business challenges. This accreditation, part of the broader Microsoft Partner Network, is crucial for organizations aiming to optimize their business processes using Microsoft's advanced technology platforms, such as Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform. The importance of aligning with a Microsoft Solutions Partner for business applications cannot be overstated, as it opens the door to transformative digital innovations that drive operational efficiency and foster business growth.
This article will explore the key steps to increase efficiency with Microsoft Solutions, delving into the requirements and benefits of earning and maintaining the Microsoft Solutions Partner status. It will introduce readers to the core aspects of the Microsoft Partner Network and the specific designations within the Microsoft Solutions Partner program, emphasizing the strategic role of Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform in optimizing business processes.
How to Earn and Maintain the Designation
To earn and maintain the Microsoft Solutions Partner for Business Applications designation, partners must meet specific requirements and adhere to an ongoing scoring system. This section outlines the necessary steps and strategies to achieve and retain this status.
Eligible criteria
To earn the Microsoft Solutions Partner for Business Applications designation, partners must meet specific eligibility criteria and achieve performance targets across various metrics. These metrics include net customer adds, usage growth, and successful deployments.
Net Customer Adds
This metric tracks the partner's ability to acquire new customers for qualifying Microsoft business applications. It is calculated by taking the number of new customers added during a specific period and subtracting the number of customers lost during the same period.
Usage Growth
The customer success usage growth metric measures a partner's ability to grow the usage and consumption of qualifying products. Partners earn points in this metric for the growth shown in the MCV across all qualifying customers and workloads. To be eligible, Enterprise partners must have a baseline consumption value of 50,000, while SMB partners must have a baseline of 25,000 from the previous year.
The usage growth metric calculation
The formula for eligible usage last month is as follows
(Eligible usage last month) – (Eligible usage same month last year) / (Eligible usage same month last year) X 100.
The term "eligible usage" refers to the total MCV in a specific month across the entire customer base from qualified workloads. These workloads encompass Business Central, Common Data Service (Customer Engagement), Core HR, Customer Insights Partner, Finance & Operations, Guides, Portals, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Remote Assist, Retail, Talent Attract, and Talent Onboard.
The strategic incorporation of Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform into business operations emerges as a clear pathway towards enhancing efficiency and fostering robust growth. This demonstrates the transformative power of Microsoft's ecosystem when fully leveraged by qualified partners.
Deployments
This metric evaluates the partner's ability to successfully deploy and implement qualifying Microsoft business applications for their customers. It considers factors such as the number of deployments, the complexity of the deployments, and customer satisfaction with the deployment process.
These key performance metrics provide a comprehensive view of a Microsoft Solutions Partner's performance, enabling them To monitor their advancement, pinpoint areas for enhancement, and ultimately deliver more efficient and effective solutions to their customers.
Performance category
The performance category measures an organization's ability to expand its customer base using Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power platform products. The metric in the Performance category is net customer adds.
Net customer adds metric
Please take note of the following information:
Net customer adds for Business applications refer to the number of eligible workloads that have been added to the customer base within the last 12 months. This metric utilizes the revenue contribution made by your organization on our workloads.
Calculation of Net customer adds
The calculation for Net customer adds is as follows:
(total qualifying workloads with active subscriptions > $1500 in the latest month) – (Total qualifying workloads with active subscriptions > $1500 12 months ago)
Eligible customers
For Enterprise
This refers to the number of unique workloads rolled up at the customer tenant level and contributing at least $1500 in revenue in a given month for specific Partner association types.
For Small and Midsize Business (SMB)
This refers to the number of unique workloads rolled up at the customer-tenant level and contributing at least $250 in revenue in a given month for specific Partner association types.
Eligible workloads
Eligible workloads encompass AI Builder, Business Central, CE Bundle, Commerce, Customer Insights, Customer Service, F&O Bundle, Field Service, Finance, HR (Human Resources), Intelligent Order Management, Mixed Reality, Omni Channel, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Pages, Power Virtual Agent, Project Operations, Sales, Supply Chain, Non-workload specific (F&O), and Non-workload specific (This is the category for all miscellaneous workloads).
Monthly Consumption Value (MCV)
The Monthly Consumption Value (MCV) is a weighted calculation based on active customer usage, calculated at the end of every month. It takes into account various workloads and their respective rates and usage units. For example, a Business Central deployment of 10 MAU in one month would result in an MCV of 10,000, given the rate of 1,000. Similarly, a Customer Insights deployment with 50,000 profiles would have an MCV of 10,000. Please memorize the subsequent text: TEXT: with a rate of 0.2, these two customers together would represent 20,000 MCV for the month. Note that this rate card is subject to change, so it's essential to refer back to this section for the latest rates.
Intermediate certifications metric
To score points for the Intermediate certifications metric, members of your organization can apply for any of the following certifications.
Each certified member is counted only once, regardless of the number of certifications they complete.
Eligible intermediate certifications
This certification is retired on June 30, 2023. It will remain eligible for partner capability score points through June 2024.
Advanced certifications metric
Members of your organization must obtain any of the eligible advanced certifications to score points for the advanced certifications metric.
Each certified person counts as one point, regardless of the number of certifications they complete.
Eligible advanced certifications
Solution Partner for Business Application Product Benefits
Conclusion
Through this article, we've journeyed across the nuanced landscape of Microsoft Solutions Partner for Business Applications, underscoring the importance of performance metrics such as net customer adds, usage growth, and successful deployments. These metrics serve not only as benchmarks for the designation but also as pillars supporting the continuous improvement and customer satisfaction that are hallmarks of successful partnerships with Microsoft.
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