Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program: Earning Your Partner Capability Scores
Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes
Intended Audience: Microsoft Partners
Revised August 2023
The Six Designations of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program
As we know, the silver and gold membership competencies have been combined into the new single-tier designation model. By becoming a Solutions Partner, you help customers identify you as a Partner who has delivered successful solutions with a commitment to training and accreditation. The six solution areas on the Microsoft Cloud include:
- Security: You help customers safeguard their entire organization by using integrated security, compliance, and identity solutions.
- Modern Work: You help customers boost their productivity and make the shift to hybrid work by using Microsoft 365.
- Business Applications: You deliver solutions with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Power Platform.
- Data and AI (Azure): You help customers manage their data across multiple systems to build analytics and AI solutions.
- Infrastructure (Azure): You help customers accelerate the migration of key infrastructure workloads to Microsoft Azure.
- Digital and App Innovation (Azure): You help customers build, run, and manage applications across multiple clouds, on-premises, and at the edge, with their preferred tools and frameworks.
What Does it Take to Attain a Solutions Partner Designation?
You can access your Partner Capability Score (PCS) within Partner Center and track your progress under the Membership Workspace. Under each Solutions Partner Designation, your PCS is generated by three categories: Performance, Skilling, and Customer Success. You will only attain a Solutions Partner Designation once you receive a minimum PCS of 70 points (out of a maximum of 100) across all three categories, with at least one point in each category. Each category has the following metrics with various weights and thresholds:
- Performance: This is determined based on net customer adds, taking customer churn into consideration, and based on a trailing 12-month period.
- Skilling: Your expertise is verified and demonstrated with intermediate and advanced certifications. While the same individual can contribute to intermediate and advanced certifications, only unique individuals will be recognized for achieving points.
- Customer Success: This is measured by the growth in usage of Microsoft’s products by your customers as well as your ability to expand the deployment of products within a specified solution area across your portfolio.
This extensive scoring framework ensures that Partners demonstrate their ability to provide high quality service and that customers searching for Partners can trust Solution Partner Designations. Keep in mind that for Microsoft to be knowledgeable about the work you do with your customers, you need to keep your customer associations and the certified professional associations updated in Partner Center.
Customer and Professional Associations in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program
Customer and professional associations are key players in calculating your PCS. It is by tracking these metrics and achievements that you can boost your points to achieve solution designations in Partner Center.
Customer associations contribute to the performance and customer success aspect of the score by keeping track of your deployments and services that have helped your clients succeed with the Microsoft suite of solutions. These associations create an alignment between partners like you and your end customers, allowing you to earn incentives. There are 4 customer association types that are eligible for your PCS:
Claiming Partner of Record (CPOR)
Digital Partner of Record (DPOR)
Partner Admin Link (PAL)
PAL is a tool for Azure Partners to track their influence on Azure services utilized by customers. An Azure customer can grant administrative access to the partner who can then link their credentials to the Azure Management Portal. PAL is applicable to Business Applications, Security, Data & AI, Infrastructure, and Digital & App Innovation.
Cloud Service Provider (CSP)
Next Steps for Microsoft Partners
As Microsoft Partners you should dedicate time to updating your information in Partner Center and encouraging your staff to upskill themselves. Ensure your internal and external stakeholders are familiar with the shift.
As your trusted Microsoft Partner Marketing agency, we are collating the pulse of the industry in our blogs. Among other credible resources, is the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners, who are conducting invaluable sessions to help you navigate these waves of change.
You can also check out our blog on Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program pricing and benefits. Feel free to reach out to us with your questions about the Partner Network changes.
