September 2025 announcements

This page provides the announcements for Microsoft Partner Center for September 2025.

Now Live! Partner Center Technical Corner blog series: September 2025 edition

The September edition of the Partner Center Technical Corner blog is now live! This edition spotlights new AI assistant capabilities for enhanced partner support, tools to optimize small and medium enterprises, and a summary of recent releases.

• Date: September 29, 2025
• Workspace: General
• Impacted audience: All partners

The September blog edition covers the following key areas:

• Spotlight: Advancing partner success - SMB growth and AI transformation
• Securing the channel: MFA enforcement and call for actions
• New commerce experience in CSP:
  • New CSP incentive
  • Reseller partner of record validation API
  • MCA attestation enhancement
  • Billing API upgrade
  • Partner Center AI assistant scenario expansion
• Just released:
  • Partner Center AI assistant (preview) in seven languages
  • New capabilities in co-sell
• Partner Center resources

Previous editions

• June 2025 edition
• December 2024 edition
• September 2024 edition
• June 2024 edition

Next steps

Check out all the partner blogs.

Introducing: Microsoft Marketplace - new investments to power growth

The reimagined Microsoft Marketplace is here: your trusted source for cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents.

• Date: September 30, 2025
• Workspace: General
• Impacted audience: All partners

Details

The reimagined Microsoft Marketplace is here, your trusted source for AI apps, tools, and agents.

• A new AI apps and agents category that extends Microsoft 365 Copilot and Azure AI Foundry
• Expanded discoverability and improved co-sell opportunities across a unified Microsoft storefront, simplifying the buying journey and creating new ways to reach customers in every industry, geography, and line of business
• New channel-led opportunities with resale-enabled offers (in private preview)
• Distributor integration to deliver trusted solutions faster with differentiated customer value

This is a milestone for partners to expand routes to market, amplify innovation, and accelerate growth with Microsoft.

Learn more from Nicole Dezen, Chief Partner Officer and CVP, Global Channel Partner Sales.

Already have a solution? Publish it today.

Next steps

Learn more.

Announcing Two New CSP Promotions for Microsoft 365 Copilot

We’re launching two CSP promotions to help you start and scale Microsoft 365 Copilot with customers. One offer is optimized for first-time adoption; the other accelerates broad deployment.

• Date: September 23, 2025
• Workspace: General
• Impacted audience: All CSP Partners transacting Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365

Microsoft 365 Copilot – Getting Started CSP Promotion (15% off)

Who it’s for: New-to-Copilot organizations starting with a team or department before scaling.

Offer details:

• Discount: 15% off net partner price
• Minimum license: 10–2,400 new Copilot licenses
• Term: 12 months
• Flexible additions: Add licenses anytime during the subscription term, up to 2,400 total
• Billing: Annual commitment; annual or monthly billing (+5% price uplift for monthly)
• Availability: Worldwide, October 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025
• Customer eligibility: New to SKU Microsoft 365 Copilot customers transacting via CSP. Ineligible if the tenant has any existing paid Microsoft 365 Copilot license, regardless of purchase channel (EA, eCommerce, CSP, etc.).

Microsoft 365 Copilot – ScaleUp CSP Offer (20% off)

Who it’s for: A targeted, named set of SME&C CSP customers ready to scale AI adoption across the business.

Offer details:

• Discount: 20% off net partner price
• Minimum license: 100+ Copilot licenses
• Term: 12 months
• Flexible additions: Add licenses anytime during the subscription term
• Billing: Annual commitment; annual or monthly billing (+5% price uplift for monthly)
• Availability: Worldwide, October 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025
• Customer eligibility: Select new and existing SME&C customers transacting in CSP*

Other customer eligibility criteria (ScaleUp):

• At least 300 base licenses of O365/M365
• No upcoming Copilot renewals of 50+ licenses through Q3
• Partners can download customer eligibility via Cloud Ascent

Next steps

• Review the Promo Readiness Guide for more details.
• Download the CSP Copilot Promo Kit and FAQ.

Monthly update: Important actions partners need to take to secure the partner ecosystem

Important capabilities and updates to improve your security posture and protect your customers' tenants are now available.

• Date: September 19, 2025
• Workspace: General
• Impacted audience: Direct bill partners, indirect providers, and indirect resellers transacting through the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program and with advisors.

Available now

MFA for M365 admin center - Microsoft is enforcing multifactor authentication (MFA) for all users signing into Microsoft 365 admin center portal. Review the latest information and timeline. 

Security Workspace AI Assistant - The Partner Center AI assistant can answer your questions about the Security workspace. The AI assistant provides guidance on various security-related tasks, including enabling MFA, managing security alerts, and understanding security roles and requirements. The AI assistant answers the most frequently asked questions about using the Security workspace and is available to help you:

• Resolve partner queries
• Clarify requirement details
• Navigate learning resources efficiently

How to access the AI assistant - In Partner Center, click the AI button in the top-right corner of the dashboard. Select the Security Workspace and select Ask AI to begin.

Explore the new Security requirements UI in Partner Center - The Security requirements experience has been redesigned to clearly separate mandatory and recommended controls, making it easier for partners to distinguish which security requirements must be completed as a condition of their continued CSP authorization. To learn more, see Security requirements for Partner Center.

Coming soon

Security Workspace for Resellers - We’re excited to announce that Security Workspace will begin a gradual rollout to indirect resellers starting in October. This phased approach will ensure smooth experience, with initial access provided to a limited group and expansion to all resellers over the following weeks. Stay tuned for more details on timing.

MFA For Partner Center - To enhance security, multifactor authentication (MFA) will be enforced for all pages in the Partner Center portal and for API access.

• MFA enforcement for all pages is being rolled out in the Partner Center portal starting Sep 8, 2025.
• The API will be code-ready for MFA on September 30, 2025.
• MFA will also be mandatory for API access starting April 1, 2026.

Adopting these updates promptly will help avoid service disruptions and ensure your systems stay aligned with Partner Center’s security standards. To learn more about MFA, APIs, and other security standards, see Mandating multifactor authentication (MFA) for your partner tenant.

Next steps

• Sign up for the CSP Community call to know more about upcoming changes.
• Sign up for dedicated CSP Technical Training to have your queries answered by subject matter experts.
• Review the July partner API blog and learn about other important API changes that will require action in the weeks ahead.
• Learn how to support and protect customers with security training and certifications covering ransomware, threat signals, and more.

Microsoft 365 15 percent off promotion extended

Launched January 1, 2025, the Microsoft 365 E5 15 percent off promotion helped CSP partners drive upsell conversation with new-to-M365 E5 customers.

• Date: September 18, 2025
• Workspace: General
• Impacted audience: CSP partners

Launched January 1, 2025, the Microsoft 365 E5 15 percent off promotion helped CSP partners drive upsell conversation with new-to-M365 E5 customers. To help CSP Partners continue building momentum, we’re extending this promotion through December 31, 2025, to provide a powerful, best-in-class cloud productivity solution with advanced security and compliance capabilities.

Next steps

Available first week of October, see Global Promo readiness guide and offer FAQ for more details.

One-Click Opportunity experience in Lead to Opportunity conversion

In September ‘25, Microsoft is introducing a One-Click Opportunity experience in Partner Center that simplifies co-sell engagement.

• Date: September 12, 2025
• Workspace: Referrals
• Impacted audience: All partners

In September ‘25, Microsoft is introducing a One-Click Opportunity experience in Partner Center that simplifies co-sell engagement. Partners can now convert leads into co-sell opportunities instantly— reducing multiple manual clicks and streamlining the entire process. Here, key fields are auto populated, minimizing errors and accelerating co-sell engagement.

Next steps

• To learn more, see Convert leads into co-sell opportunities.

Reminder: Upcoming changes to Pricing workspace UX effective October 2025

Beginning October 1, 2025, Pricing workspace will undergo couple of UX enhancements

• Date: September 10, 2025
• Workspace: Pricing
• Impacted audience: All Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners

Details

NCE Software price list file name change: The file names for NCE software product price lists will be unique and descriptive.

Starting October 2025, the CSV file inside the zip will follow a new format: {Month}{PriceList}{Market}.csv replacing the previous sheets.csv. Example: oct_nce_softwarepl_ga_us.csv. It's an improvement from the previous nomenclature and helps assist partners in easier file management. Zip file naming conventions don't change.

The updated naming convention is being introduced to:

• Improve clarity and make file contents more easily identifiable at a glance.
• Support automation and processing by providing a consistent, structured format.
• Reduce confusion when handling multiple pricelists across markets and months.

General availability of AI enhanced Price lists page: The Price lists (Beta) page, introduced in February 2025 with enhanced features including AI assistance, will reach General Availability (GA) in October 2025. At that time, the current Price lists page will be deprecated.

Price lists (Beta) page to GA effective October 2025

Price lists page to be deprecated effective October 2025

Next steps

• Learn about the NCE software price list fields.

Partner Center AI assistant anywhere (preview) in the Pricing workspace

Partner Center AI assistant anywhere (preview) scenarios are now enabled in the Partner Center Pricing workspace. The AI assistant scenarios enhance user productivity and make price list management easier.

• Date: September 8, 2025
• Workspace: Pricing
• Impacted audience: All Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners

Pricing Overview page

We're excited to share that AI assistant anywhere is now integrated into the Price lists (Beta) page to enhance partner support directly within the workspace experience.

This feature is designed to simplify and accelerate responses to common partner inquiries. Using AI, partners can quickly access insights across License-based, Software, and Marketplace topics, including:

• Pricing updates
• New offers
• Deprecated offers

Partners select a category, choose the highest-grossing SKU from the AI Assistant dropdown, and click on a question to receive an instant, AI-generated response.

If price changes have been made, the AI assistant returns all associated details, including effective date and price changes — all in one place for quick review.

The assistant provides concise, summarized answers along with direct links to relevant resources. For example, partners can:

• Clarify price list updates and changes
• Understand currency adjustments and their impact

This streamlined experience enables faster resolution and empowers partners with improved self-service capabilities.

Upcoming changes

• AI assistant anywhere will be expanded to Azure in the near future.

Next steps

• New to AI assistant? Get up to date on what AI assistant can do in the Pricing workspace and explore the wide variety of helpful prompts.

Migration of Unbilled Invoice Reconciliation API in Partner Center

The new asynchronous API for Unbilled Invoice Reconciliation is now live in Partner Center. Partners must migrate to the new API by March 15, 2026, to ensure uninterrupted service.

• Date: September 8, 2025
• Workspace: General
• Impacted audience: Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) direct bill partners and distributors who use billing APIs in Partner Center.

Details

Microsoft is upgrading its Partner Center billing system by replacing the legacy synchronous API (API v1) for unbilled invoice reconciliation with a new asynchronous API (API v2) using Microsoft Graph. This change optimizes API performance - retrieving millions of line items that could take over more than 15 hours with API v1 to just 15 minutes with API v2.

Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners must migrate to API v2, adopt the new request-reply pattern using SAS tokens, and update their systems to support Graph and Azure blob integration by March 15, 2026. API v1 will be retired at that time.

China 21Vianet and legacy offers will remain on API v1.

This Unbilled invoice line items reconciliation API migration is the fourth and final billing migration. Previously, 3 APIs (Billed daily rated usage, Unbilled daily rated usage, Billed invoice line items reconciliation) migrated to API V2 in the last 18 months.

Overview of the four APIs supported by the Partner Center Billing workspace:

1. Billed daily rated usage
2. Unbilled daily rated usage
3. Billed invoice line items reconciliation
4. Unbilled invoice line items reconciliation

Next steps

• Ensure your technical teams review the Get Invoice Unbilled Reconciliation Line Items Asynchronously API v2 article on Microsoft Learn to learn more about the new API.
• Use the AI Assistant on the Billing overview page in Partner Center if you need more assistance or open a support ticket.
• Register for upcoming CSP Technical Training and the Partner Community Q&A Call to learn more about the change. Sessions can be watched live or viewed on-demand.
• Learn more about other upcoming API changes so that your technical teams can prepare.

DATE CHANGE: Dynamics 365 Business Central pricing update

On Tuesday, May 6, we announced an update to our commercial pricing for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, the first update in more than five years.

• Date: September 8, 2025
• Workspace: General
• Impacted audience: CSP partners

To allow partners more time to communicate prices to customers in local currencies, we're pushing back the price adjustment to Dynamics 365 Business Central from October 1, 2025 to November 1, 2025.

Below you'll find the list of online products for which prices are being updated, and the increased storage allocation, with effect from November 1, 2025:

The updated prices apply to new cloud subscriptions and to existing cloud subscriptions upon their first renewal on or after November 1, 2025. Dynamics 365 Business Central remains available for purchase at its current price until November 1, 2025. As previously communicated to Dynamics resellers, related pricing changes to Business Central on-premises (via DPL/SPA program) will still be effective October 1, 2025.

Microsoft remains deeply committed to our customers. We’re confident that our updated pricing will offer more resources to build on these capabilities and allow us to maintain our position as a leader in delivering an end-to-end business management solution to small and medium businesses.

Next steps

• Read the announcement on the Dynamics 365 blog.
• Familiarize yourself with the FAQ and use the FAQ to answer customer questions.
• Use the customer-facing slides to emphasize the value added over the last five years, the period of notification, and pricing details.

September monthly Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program update

What’s new for Solutions Partner designations, specializations, and other Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program offerings and benefits.

• Date: September 5, 2025
• Workspace: Membership
• Impacted audience: Partners enrolled in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program

This month’s updates continue to enhance partner differentiation and readiness across high-demand solution areas. Key changes include specialization updates that integrate AI capabilities, revised skilling and performance requirements, and streamlined qualification frameworks to support partner growth and agility.

Available now

The Information Protection and Governance Specialization is renamed to the Data Security Specialization. This change better represents the expanded focus on data security, the integration of AI, and the comprehensive evaluation of partners' capabilities.

Key Changes

• Performance: MAU Growth requirement increased from 1,000 to 2,500.
• Skilling: Announced in May, we're replacing Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate, which expired, with the recently launched SC-401: Information Security Administrator Associate.
• Applied Skills (APLs): Added requirement of four new APLs, focused on data security in Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Purview scenarios.

Partners should visit Partner Center to review their current qualification status and prepare for the updated requirements.

Custom Solutions for Microsoft Teams Specialization – skilling update

Effective July 31, 2025, the Teams Administrator Associate certification replaces the expired Teams Application Developer Associate certification.

• Requirement of four certified individuals remains unchanged.
• To learn more, see Program Updates.

Introducing Partner Center AI assistant (preview) Anywhere in the Billing workspace

Partner Center AI assistant (preview) Anywhere scenarios are now enabled in the Partner Center Billing workspace. The AI assistant scenarios enhance user productivity and make reconciliation easier.

• Date: September 4, 2025
• Workspace: Billing
• Impacted audience: Admin and Billing users

Billing Overview (NCE) page

We’re excited to share that AI assistant Anywhere is now integrated into the Billing Overview (NCE) page to enhance partner support directly within the workspace experience.

This feature is designed to simplify and accelerate responses to the most common partner questions across three key categories: Payment, Reconciliation, and Refund & Cancellation. Each category is presented in a clean, slide-based format featuring two frequently asked questions. Partners can simply click on a question to receive an instant, AI-generated response—eliminating the need to search through Learn content, switch between documents, or contact support.

The assistant provides concise, summarized answers along with direct links to relevant resources. For example, partners can:

• Clarify payment-related inquiries
• Understand refund eligibility
• Learn how to reconcile invoice and usage data

This streamlined experience ensures faster resolution and better self-service for partners.

Payments slide

Partners can now easily clarify general payment inquiries—and go a step further by instantly retrieving payment history for a specific invoice.

• Simply click the prompt: Provide payment history for invoice.
• Enter the relevant Invoice ID.

If payments have been made, the AI assistant will return all associated details, including payment date, amount, status, and reference ID—all in one place for quick review.

Next steps

• New to AI assistant? Get up to date on what AI assistant can do in the Billing workspace.
• Use the prompt guide when in the Billing workspace to explore the wide variety of helpful prompts.

September license-based price lists republished to correct discrepancies

We republished the September license-based price lists to correct discrepancies.

• Date: September 3, 2025
• Workspace: Pricing
• Impacted audience: Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners, direct-bill partners, and indirect providers who use NCE license-based price lists

We’ve identified discrepancies in the September license-based price lists released on September 1, 2025. These discrepancies are resolved and the corrected version has now been republished in Partner Center.

What’s updated

• Corrections applied to license-based services pricing metadata.
• Updated pricing now available via Partner Center download and API access.

Action required

• Partners should re-download the updated price list to ensure accurate billing and offer setup.
• If you use APIs to access pricing data, ensure your systems are updated to reflect the corrected values.

If you have questions or require assistance, please contact Partner Center support.

New SMB-security SKUs deliver XDR and data protection for Business Premium

Three new SMB-security SKUs now offer extended detection and response (XDR) and simplified solutions for data security, compliance, and governance.

• Date: September 3, 2025
• Workspace: General
• Impacted audience: All partners – focus for Security solution providers, SI, SDC, MSSP, CSP, Distribution, and indirect resellers.

Today’s small and medium-sized business (SMB) leaders are facing mounting pressure to protect sensitive data, maintain compliance requirements, and address oversharing risks compounded by the advancement of AI.

To address these challenges, Microsoft is launching three new SMB-security suite SKUs that are purpose-built for the mid-market:

• Microsoft Defender Suite for Business Premium
• Purview Suite for Business Premium
• Defender and Purview Suite for Business Premium

These suites are designed to be comprehensive across both security and data compliance, priced for extreme value, and aligned to the unique needs of SMB customers.

Next steps

Learn more about these three new SMB-security SKUs.

September Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) monthly updates and community reminder

Monthly views are now published.

• Date: September 2, 2025
• Workspace: General
• Impacted audience: CSP direct bill partners and indirect providers

Monthly views are now published including the updated partner launch calendars, the CSP Bimonthly Update newsletter, along with additional CSP community resources that provide you with essential program updates.

Always available—Launch content on demand

For a consolidated view of all recent and active launches in a single place, see partner launch calendars collection. You'll find a timeline for each launch and links to published materials to help you learn more about that launch.

The downloadable CSP Bimonthly Update newsletter which aggregates recent CSP announcements, updates, events, and reminders in an easy-to-read document.

Partner Journey Maps provide detailed navigation along the journey of Microsoft’s highest priority transformations.

Need licensing readiness? The monthly CSP spotlight webinars cover the latest CSP licensing information available for all partners.

CSP Community Q&A reminder

The monthly CSP community Q&A session provides you with an opportunity to learn more and ask questions about changes affecting the program. Register here to join upcoming calls.

Next steps

Review the Partner Launch Calendar, monthly newsletter, and register for upcoming Community Q&A calls.

Questions?

The monthly CSP community Q&A call is the best place to bring questions about operational change in the CSP program. You may submit a question up to 48 hours before the call.

Questions on any other CSP topic? Visit the Partner Center support page.