Microsoft FAQ for Licensing
Welcome to the Microsoft FAQ Page for licensing, where your questions are answered by the 365 Cloud Store team of licensing experts! Navigating the world of Microsoft licensing can be complex, and we understand the importance of clarity and transparency. This Microsoft FAQ page has been designed to address the most common questions and concerns surrounding Microsoft licensing, helping you gain a deeper understanding of the licensing options available, their benefits, and how they can best serve your organization.
The Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program delivers a consistent, simplified, and flexible purchase experience for customers when licensing Microsoft software and Cloud services. The CSP program offers a higher level of post-sale technical support and allows customers to choose between monthly billing for flexibility or annual billing with a 20% discount (paying upfront).
- You will pay only for what you need, on demand
- Free admin technical support
- It allows you to choose monthly or annual payments
- Consolidated billing is available for promotions and volume discounts
- You will be able to manage your licenses and make changes any time you need, through our advanced Client Licensing Portal
- Expert advice from our specialists is available whenever you need it
- 24/7 critical admin Cloud support with SLAs based on the severity of your ticket
Yes, it requires Microsoft validation of such entities. For more details about these licenses, please contact us
CSP pricing offers a competitive advantage over standard Microsoft pricing, often featuring cost savings and additional benefits like flexible billing options. By choosing 365 Cloud Store as your CSP, you can save at least 3% compared to Microsoft’s published pricing while also receiving access to expert support and a license management portal.
As a CSP customer with 365 Cloud Store, you gain access to 24/7 critical admin support, including a 30-minute response SLA for high-priority issues. Our team of Microsoft licensing specialists is here to help you manage and optimize your cloud services to meet your specific needs.
Switching to CSP from direct Microsoft licensing is a straightforward process. Our experts will work with you to transfer your existing licenses to the CSP platform, ensuring a seamless transition. You’ll maintain continuity with your services while benefiting from our added support and savings.
Yes, CSP subscriptions can be customized to include additional Microsoft services such as Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and other productivity tools. Our specialists can help tailor a plan that aligns with your business’s specific goals and requirements.
Starting January 2024, all Microsoft CSP Legacy subscriptions will automatically transition to NCE with monthly commitment terms, keeping the same billing cycle and seat counts. For Public Sector clients (Academic, Non-Profit, Government), this transition will start on September 1, 2024. After transitioning, you’ll have a 7-day period to make any changes to your subscription terms, seat counts, or cancel if needed.
If you prefer an annual commitment for fixed pricing and long-term alignment, our Microsoft Licensing experts can help you transition before your 2024 renewal date to meet your organization’s specific needs as Microsoft phases out the CSP Legacy platform.
By choosing 365 Cloud Store, you’re partnering with a trusted Microsoft CSP provider supported by Team Venti, a Microsoft CSP Partner of the Year. This means you gain access to exclusive expertise, personalized guidance, and service that meets Microsoft’s highest standards. Contact us to help your organization save time, reduce costs, and maximize the value of your licensing investments.
365 Cloud Store operates under the umbrella of Team Venti, our parent company, which has been recognized as a Microsoft Partner of the Year. This distinction highlights the team’s proven track record in delivering innovative solutions, exceptional customer support, and deep licensing expertise. As a result, 365 Cloud Store customers benefit from the same award-winning knowledge and trusted service that earned Team Venti this recognition. Book a meeting to leverage our expertise for your Microsoft licenses.
Partnering with a CSP like 365 Cloud Store means real savings, faster support with a 30-minute SLA, and flexibility you won’t get from buying direct from Microsoft. As part of Team Venti, 5-time Microsoft Cloud Partner of the Year, we offer trusted guidance, flexible billing, and expert support for a smarter, more cost-effective licensing experience.
Microsoft 365 is a rebranding of Office 365 which combines cloud-based versions of Microsoft’s next-generation communications and collaboration services like Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Teams with the familiar Microsoft Office desktop suite (requires specific subscription). There are different Microsoft 365 plans available to choose from, to help you meet your business needs.
To determine the best Microsoft 365 license, start by assessing your team’s specific needs, such as security requirements, collaboration tools, and device compatibility. If you need tailored guidance, our experts can help evaluate your usage patterns and recommend the right licenses, ensuring you only pay for what your business truly needs.
Microsoft 365 Business plans are generally suited for small to medium-sized businesses with fewer than 300 users, offering essential productivity, security, and collaboration tools. Enterprise plans, on the other hand, are designed for larger organizations, providing advanced security, compliance, and analytics tools, and supporting unlimited users. Our team can help clarify which plan aligns best with your organization’s requirements.
To reduce licensing costs, consider a mix of plans based on each department’s needs rather than using the same plan across the board. Additionally, we offer savings of 3% or more compared to Microsoft’s published pricing, plus a 20% discount on annual licenses. Our experts can also optimize your licenses for your current needs, minimizing waste and maximizing value.
We guarantee 3% savings compared to Microsoft published pricing, with the following terms and conditions:
- Applicable solely to Microsoft US commercial license subscriptions and excludes Government, Academic, or Nonprofit subscriptions.
- A minimum purchase of 5 licenses is required.
- Payment via ACH or bank wire is required. We ensure a minimum of 3% savings compared to Microsoft’s published online list pricing upon meeting the criteria.
- Custom response SLAs are available.
Contact us for more information.
Venti Exchange allows customers to bring together their Microsoft 365 billing with other services, such as Azure consumption, Teams Voice/Call Center, Help Desk, among others.
Yes, there are month-to-month or annual commitments.
Annual commitment requires an upfront annual payment; however, you can choose a monthly commitment with monthly payments if your organization needs the flexibility. If you require other terms, feel free to contact us
Pricing for annual commitment includes a 20% discount compared to monthly commitment, which provides the flexibility to reduce or cancel licenses at the end of every monthly term.
As per Microsoft policy, you have seven calendar days to reduce or cancel licenses after purchasing or during your renewal period. During this window, you will receive a prorated refund, after this, you are committed until the end of the term (month-to-month or annual)
Yes. Microsoft offers 30-day trials for some Microsoft 365 services. Most trials are 25 seats and auto-renew into a paid subscription. Contact us for more information.
Purchasing Microsoft Software through our store is a simple and efficient process, you will have access to pre-sale and post-sale assistance, as well as the possibility of volume and term pricing.
You can have access to our store through the Microsoft Software page, once in this page, it is as simple as buying from your favorite online store. All you will have to do is add the selected items to your cart and check out.
You will receive your Microsoft Product Key the same day of your purchase. After processing your payment in our License Portal, there is a 20 to 30 minute wait time for your product key to be generated.
This depends on the product or service being licensed as well as the terms selected.
Purchasing software licenses is easy! Simply browse our online store, add the desired licenses to your cart, and proceed through checkout. If you need assistance choosing the right product, our licensing experts are available to guide you.
365 Cloud Store accepts multiple payment methods, including major credit cards and bank transfers. We also offer flexible billing terms, including monthly and annual payment options, depending on the product.
Yes, bulk or volume purchases may qualify for additional discounts. Our team can help you find the best pricing for your needs and advise on any special offers available for large purchases.
Microsoft Azure is a cloud platform that is composed by more than 200 products and cloud services.
You can purchase Azure with Venti Exchange by submitting a contact form to arrange a discovery call with one of our experts. After this call takes place, our team will send you a custom quote and the details to make your payment to start using Microsoft Azure.
By purchasing Azure with us you will have access to enterprise-class technical support available 24/7, expert guidance from our team, consolidated billing, and volume & term discounts.
Contact us for a discovery call and our team of experts can help you find the best product or service based on your organization’s needs.
To purchase Azure, simply contact our team to discuss your cloud needs. We’ll help set up your Azure subscription and guide you on optimizing your resources. Our specialists can also provide ongoing support to ensure you’re using Azure effectively.
To purchase Azure, simply contact our team to discuss your cloud needs. We’ll help set up your Azure subscription and guide you on optimizing your resources. Our specialists can also provide ongoing support to ensure you’re using Azure effectively.
Azure provides tools for cost management, including budgeting, spending alerts, and resource optimization features that help reduce waste. Additionally, Microsoft offers commitments that can provide cost savings. Our team can assist with setting up these tools and monitoring your usage to keep your costs predictable and within budget.
Azure is designed with a security-first approach, including multi-layered protection, encryption, and compliance with global regulatory standards. Azure also provides built-in tools to help organizations manage security settings and meet compliance requirements, supported by our licensing specialists for optimal configurations.
Windows 365 is the world’s first cloud PC. It delivers a personalized Windows experience where each user can securely stream the desktop, apps, settings, and content from the Microsoft cloud to their devices.
Windows 365 is offered as a per user license. The compute/storage costs are included in the per-user license purchased. Note: Multiple users of a single cloud PC are not supported or permitted at this time.
Yes. Windows 365 is delivered via Microsoft’s CSP program, which means you can purchase licenses, just as you would any other Microsoft subscription-based service, like Microsoft 365. You can also count on our CSP support, read more here.
Windows 365 has two editions: Business, and Enterprise. Windows 365 Business does not have any underlying prerequisites.
Windows 365 Enterprise does have prerequisites; for more details, see Windows 365 requirements | Microsoft Docs.
- Windows 365 Business is a one-size fits all solution, for up-to 300 users.
- Windows 365 Enterprise provides more manageability by allowing Microsoft Endpoint Manager-based provisioning, for unlimited users.
Windows 365 was designed for simplicity, allowing customers to get the benefits of personalized Cloud PCs without requiring VDI or Azure Expertise.
Azure Virtual Desktop, on the other hand, is highly customizable to allow for maximum flexibility. It is consumption-based rather than subscription-based and provides additional functionality that is not yet available in Windows 365.
Windows 365 offers Business and Enterprise plans. Business plans are suited for small teams with little to no configuration required, while Enterprise plans include advanced features like integration with Microsoft Endpoint Manager for larger organizations with technical resources needed. We can assist in choosing the right plan based on your team’s size, usage, and security needs.
Choosing the right Windows 365 edition depends on your team’s work style, technical requirements, and budget. Our specialists can help assess these factors and recommend the ideal solution, ensuring you get the most from your Windows 365 investment.
It is a set of intelligent business applications by Microsoft, that unify CRM and ERP capabilities to enable organizations from different industries to grow, evolve, and transform.
Yes, we do. You can book a meeting with one of our licensing experts for information on licensing programs, channels, and segment availability.
Dynamics 365 applications are licensed by users or devices, and unassigned licenses provide access to a feature or service at the tenant level.
Some Dynamics 365 subscriptions do carry minimum purchasing requirements or prerequisites. See the latest Dynamics 365 Licensing Guide for full details or reach out to one of our licensing specialists for assistance.
We sell licenses for Dynamics 365. While we do not offer Dynamics 365 consulting/services we can sometimes connect you with peer companies that specialize in Dynamics 365 services.
All our subscriptions include break-fix admin technical support.
Dynamics 365 pricing varies based on the apps and modules selected, such as Sales, Customer Service, or Finance. Our team can help you find a pricing structure that fits your needs, with flexible options to suit businesses of all sizes.
Yes, Dynamics 365 integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 and other third-party tools, allowing data sharing and collaboration across platforms. This integration enables a unified workflow, enhancing productivity and collaboration within your team.
Yes, we do. You can contact one of our licensing experts for more details on the options you have and what could work best for your organization’s needs.
You can book a personalized, no-cost consultation with one of our licensing specialists or fill out this form to know if your organization is eligible for volume discounts.
Yes, some options do have a minimum number of licenses that must be purchased. See the question below.
We offer different options to best fit your organization’s needs:
- Cloud Solution Provider: No minimum requirement. Upfront payment.
- Open Business Agreement: Requires a minimum of 5 licenses. A single 2-year term agreement with upfront payments.
- Open Value Agreement: Requires minimum 5 licenses. A single 3-year term agreement that allows you to spread your payments throughout the term.
Purchasing licenses in volume can help reduce costs and provide a more customized licensing option and IT management.
It depends on the channel you select.
- Cloud Solution Provider: 5 to 10 minutes after your order is processed.
- Microsoft Volume Licensing Agreement: from 48 to 72 hours after your order is processed.
Volume licensing offers significant savings for businesses requiring multiple licenses, with discounts applied based on the number of licenses purchased. Volume licensing also provides added flexibility and simplified management through a single agreement.
Discount tiers vary by product and quantity. Our licensing experts can work with you to identify potential savings and discuss the available discount tiers based on your volume needs.
Certain features are only available through a Volume License Agreement, such as Software Assurance. There may be licenses that are only available in CSP.
You have access to your account any time you need it, through our advanced Client Portal
Cloud subscriptions procured via Microsoft’s CSP program include break-fix, admin support. End-user support plans are available upon request. Perpetual licenses do not include support.
Our SLA response time varies according to the severity of the support ticket.
- Severity A (Critical): 30 minutes
- Severity B (High): 2 hours
- Severity C (Medium): 4 hours
- Severity D (Low): 24 hours
You can manage the severity of your support ticket on our Client Portal
Yes, we do offer Managed Services. Please visit our Managed Services web page for more details.
Yes, as part of the CSP program, we offer basic service provisioning, service issues, and service configuration changes. You can also request professional services (quoted separately) for any needs beyond basic service support.
Yes, we have many different options available. Everything from live to webinar to prerecorded training via a premium end-user training portal, it all comes down to what your requirements are.
With Microsoft 365 and Azure from 365 Cloud Store, you receive 24/7 critical admin support, a 30-minute SLA for urgent issues, and access to our licensing specialists. We can also offer guidance on setup, optimization, and troubleshooting to ensure your services run smoothly.
Managed services provide continuous monitoring, support, and optimization of your Microsoft 365 and Azure environments, ensuring peak performance, security, and compliance. This proactive management allows you to focus on core business activities while we handle your cloud infrastructure needs.