Monthly Microsoft License Update July 2022
Welcome to the July 2022 instalment of the monthly Microsoft license update from the Version 1 Microsoft License Consulting Team. Each month Microsoft release license changes on their product terms — some of these changes will have a material effect with others having no impact whatsoever.
For your convenience, we have uploaded a recording that discusses these changes in more detail.
As Microsoft license experts, my colleagues Niamh NI Shuilleabhain, Richard Ojo, William Nelson and myself will take time to consider and examine these changes, highlighting any Microsoft licensing trends or issues that are around the corner. In this session, we discuss the main changes from the July product terms update, which include the following:
Program Agreement Supplemental terms for Microsoft Customer Agreements:
The practicalities of the updated terms will need defining and clarifying by Microsoft as the latest update to the terms is slightly confusing.
Online Services with auto-renewal will automatically renew the day after their subscription term expires — this is already known and makes sense — unless the Customer chooses not to renew by opting out of auto-renewal — which again is known and understood.
However, the term changes now include the statement: ‘at least 30 days before the subscription expires by updating the auto-renewal setting in Microsoft Admin Centre or by contacting their reseller.’
This essentially brings in an automatic renewal lock 30 days prior to the subscription’s contract renewal date.
So, if a customer does not de-select the ‘do not auto renew’ at least 30 days before the renewal date — which could be a monthly-committed or annual-committed term — the customer is automatically committing to the renewal of the subscription for the same term.
The Agreement terms have also been updated to include a ‘cooling-off’ period to cancel new subscriptions within 168 hours from the time of order.
Defender for Business:
Microsoft added Defender for Business to the offers table for Microsoft 365. This is Microsoft’s Defender for Endpoint which includes Threat Intelligence capability for organisations with less than 300 employees. If you see Business in the name, it signifies that it is for smaller organisations with less than 300 employees. The cost per user according to their website is €2.50 and is only available through the Microsoft Customer Agreement (or CSP via Partner where the cost will depend on the partner).
Audio Services:
Business Voice is gone; no more. It has been retired and similarly above, with Business in the title, it was aimed at organisations with less than 300 employees. The service has been replaced by the available to all organisations (EA/MCA etc) ‘Teams Phone Standard’ and ‘Teams Phone Standard with Calling Plan’
Windows Update:
Windows Autopatch automates updating of Windows 10/11, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft 365 software. This service only went into general availability on the 11th of July and as you would expect the product terms now include guidance on data handling and professional services definition.
Microsoft 365 SharePoint Syntex:
SharePoint Syntex is a per User license that integrates with AI Builder & Power Automate which allows you to create and use AI Builder document processing models direct from your SharePoint document libraries.
The change in the Product Terms is the number of credits you get with each SharePoint Syntex license; it has gone from 1m AI Builder Credits for a minimum of 300 SharePoint Syntex licenses (if you only had 300 licenses you got 10k worth of AI Builder credits) to a flat 3.5k for every SharePoint Syntex license. Makes the playing field more level for any number of licensees.
Dynamics 365:
Two updates this month. First was the addition of purchasing minimums for Academic licensing, similar to commercial customers, it is 20 licenses for any of the base licenses you would expect i.e. Customer Service, Sales & Field Service.
Second, was the addition of Dynamics 365 Business Central (there is that term ‘Business’ again) to the Dual Rights table, i.e. if you have licenses for Dynamics 365 Business Central Essentials, Premium, Team Members & Device; you have the right to use them on-premises as well as in the cloud.
GitHub Learning Lab:
Microsoft has removed and will no longer offer GitHub Learning Lab for organisations from the 1st of September 2022. As an alternative Individuals should examine GitHub Skills where a wide variety of GitHub learning resources can be found. Also worth noting is the inclusion of a link to GitHub docs that outline how Github Enterprise Software and online service can be used for preview, demonstration, pre-release versions, training or evaluation purposes.
Microsoft Azure:
Added service-specific terms for Azure Orbital. Updated Cognitive Services and Applied AI Services service-specific terms, specifically ‘Limited Access Services’ terms to accommodate a transition to a new process for managing access to and use of specific ‘Limited Access’ AI Services.
- Customers may not use the Azure Orbital service to receive signals from or transmit signals to a satellite space station without the authorisation of its operator. By subscribing to the Azure Orbital service, you represent to Microsoft that your intended operations will occur only with the satellite space-station operator’s consent.
- For the Updated Cognitive Services and Applied AI Services service-specific terms, there are added terms regarding the verification of compliance, re-verification, and Microsoft’s ability to determine eligibility. (Microsoft will provide 12 months’ notice before discontinuing the customer’s access.)
Microsoft Cloud for Non-profit Add-On:
Updated Qualifying Licenses to include academic plans. i.e. Office 365 A5/E5 and Office 365 A3/E3 as well as the Microsoft 365 A3/E3 and Microsoft 365 A5/E5.
SharePoint Server:
Updated SharePoint Server use rights to include subscription licenses as a prerequisite for running/accessing SharePoint Server Subscription Edition Software.
- As we are aware from previous updates (November 2021) SharePoint Server Subscription Edition licenses include a perpetual entitlement to run SharePoint Server 2019 software only.
- Essentially, Microsoft has included SharePoint Server Subscription Edition Standard CALs as part of the base access licenses before customers can either access or run the SharePoint server subscription edition.
Summary
As Microsoft license experts, we can help you demystify these and any other product changes and clarify what this could mean for your license position. If you have any questions relating to this or any other Microsoft licensing matter, please go to our website or contact us.
About the Author:
Karl is a Principal Licensing Consultant at Version 1, providing Microsoft license expertise to organisations globally and ensuring customers get the best value from their Microsoft assets.
