Embracing Change with Noteworthy: Transitioning from Legacy Benefits 

As you will know, the Microsoft partner community is ever changing, and recently, so is the way that a partner will be able to claim rebates, incentives and funding from Microsoft.

At the end of January, Microsoft announced the retirement of its Legacy Gold and Silver partner memberships in favour of the newer Solution Partner Designations launched in 2022. This a move that has left many partners wondering what steps to take next.  

For years, Microsoft’s silver and gold competencies have been a benchmark for partners to demonstrate their expertise and capabilities in various Microsoft technologies. These competencies signified a partner's ability to deliver high-quality solutions and services to customers. However, as of 21st January 2025, you are unable to renew these competencies, and they will be phased out as part of Microsoft's broader strategy to align its partner program with the changing needs of the market. 

In addition to the legacy competencies being phased out, included in legacy benefits are Action Pack and Learning Action Packs.  These are replaced with Partner Launch, Partner Success Core, and Partner Success Expanded Benefit packs.  

The criteria to be eligible for a Solutions Partner Designation are different from the silver and gold competencies and work on a 12-month rolling qualification period. The emphasis is placed on net new customer adds to your tenant, skilling through certifications, and customer success, which will assess how well you are supporting customers to make the most of their Microsoft products by driving usage and adoption of Microsoft technology. 

Why has this changed? 

The retirement of the silver and gold competencies is driven by several factors: 

• Market Evolution: Silver and gold competencies were launched in 2007. Since then, the technology market has drastically changed, with new cloud-based solutions and services taking center stage. Microsoft's partner program is evolving to reflect these changes. 

• Innovation: Microsoft is focusing on driving innovation and ensuring that its partners have the latest skills and knowledge to deliver cutting-edge solutions. 

• Customer Demand: Customers now expect greater expertise and specialisation from their service providers. The new designations aim to meet these expectations by emphasising specialised skills and advanced certifications. 

How will this affect my business? 

If you are asking yourself what the impact on your business would be should you not reach the criteria for a Solution Partner Designation before your renewal date, you are not alone. Noteworthy is actively supporting our partners, as well as several distributors, in understand a clear set of expectations for the year ahead. Your distributor of choice should be providing guidelines and timelines to their partner ecosystem to ensure the continuity of profit for your business and help to ensure that you are not financially impacted by the path to Designation.  

Though the specific details of this will vary between partners and depend heavily on how much your business relies on MCI funding, the short answer is that from the end of the FY25 CSP incentive term, all benefits associated with a silver or gold competency will cease. You will no longer be able to access MCI rebates, access pre-sales funding, and will no longer be able to use your silver or gold partner badge to showcase your credibility.  

Adapting to this change may seem daunting, but with the right approach and support from Noteworthy, partners can successfully transition to the new designations.  

Radhika Dattani, Cloud Commercial Director at Exertis says: “In today’s market where a lack of skills has been the challenge for many partners, we help them to upskill their team and make the most of the Microsoft benefits program.

We know that working with Microsoft can be complicated and time-consuming due to its various programs and processes. That's why we’ve built our Stratos partner program. Our specialist Cloud team enable partners to build profitable Microsoft businesses, alongside Noteworthy, focusing on the importance of expertise and specialisation.”

If you are asking yourself how you can ensure you don’t miss out on funding, how to build new customer pipeline, or how to ensure your team are certified, book a call with us using the link below and we can support you in making a transition plan.