Microsoft Ignite

This November 19th-22nd is Microsoft’s annual event for tech pros, partners, and customers to experience the latest innovation for AI transformation.  

Your home for Microsoft Ignite

Microsoft Places will be generally available by the end of 2024

Microsoft Places, an AI-powered workplace app for flexible work, will be generally available by the end of 2024. Places reimagines flexible work with AI by intelligently coordinating with coworkers to make the most of in-office days, modernising how employees connect, and optimising space management.

To help customers prepare for general availability, Microsoft have shared an overview of licensing options.

Customers with a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription will have access to core Places features, which include setting up and updating their work plan, viewing collaborators’ work plans, accessing peek card experiences in the new calendar, scheduling in-person meetings, managing hybrid RSVPs, and workplace presence-related capabilities.

Customers with a Teams Premium license will have access to more features, such as Places finder, intelligent suggestions, Places explorer, team guidance, space analytics, and autorelease policies.
 

SKUs for Places core features:

  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard
  • Microsoft 365 Business Premium
  • Microsoft 365 or Office 365 E1, E3, E5
  • Microsoft 365 or Office 365 F1, F3

SKUs for other Teams-specific features in Places core*:

  • Microsoft Teams Essentials
  • Microsoft Teams Enterprise
  • Microsoft Teams EEA

SKUs for Places enhanced:

  • Microsoft Teams Premium Introductory Pricing
     

* One of these Teams SKUs is required to access the Teams-specific features in Places core for customers who purchase Teams separately from a Microsoft 365 subscription.

PROMO: A 15% discount for eligible nonprofit customers on Microsoft 365 Copilot takes effect 1st November 2024

Microsoft 365 Copilot is now available to eligible nonprofits for $25.50 (USD RRP) per user per month when purchased as an annual subscription and billing cycle.

To purchase Microsoft 365 Copilot, customers must have or purchase a separate license for a qualifying Microsoft 365 plan.

Existing Microsoft 365 Copilot customers aren't eligible for the new pricing until their renewal after 1st November 2024.

Discount details
Geography: The discount is available in all markets where Microsoft 365 Copilot is sold in CSP (Worldwide).

Customer eligibility: The discount applies to all eligible nonprofit customers (new and existing Microsoft 365 Copilot customers). Customers must purchase a new subscription; licenses added to preexisting subscriptions won't receive the nonprofit discount.
The discount is available on New Commerce Experience (NCE) only.

PROMO: 15% OFF MICROSOFT 365 E3 PROMO

New customers to M365 E3 can benefit from 15% off when purchasing up to 2,400 seats via CSP on an annual NCE term. This offers is valid until 30th June 2025. 

PROMO: 10% OFF DYNAMICS 365 BUSINESS CENTRAL

New Business Central customers who already have M365 Business Standard or M365 Business Premium customers can benefit from 15% off Dynamics for Business Central on an annual NCE term (300 seat max). Offer valid until 30th June 2025. 

PROMO: 15% OFF Microsoft 365 Copilot 

On 1st September, Microsoft announced 15% off Microsoft 365 Copilot for commercial customers on CSP. This provides customers with 15% off new subscriptions on an annual term between 10-300 Copilot licenses. This promotion is running until 31st December 2024.

Monthly Billing for Microsoft 365 Copilot Annual Subscriptions

  • Starting 1st December 2024, customers can opt for monthly billing for annual term subscriptions of Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot for Sales, and Copilot for Service.
  • This option will be priced 5% higher than the annual billing option.

Standardising Monthly Billing Prices

  • From 1st April 2025, the monthly billing price for annual term subscriptions will be standardised with a 5% price update.
  • Products in scope include all annual subscriptions with monthly billing plans. Examples of product categories within the scope include:
    • Microsoft 365
    • Office 365
    • Enterprise Mobility + Security
    • Windows 365
    • Microsoft Dynamics 365 Services
    • Microsoft Power Platform
    • Other Online Services

Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and not all annual term subscriptions in these categories offer a monthly billing option.

Teams Phone Pricing Update

  • Effective 1st April 2025, the annual billing price for Teams Phone will be updated.
  • New pricing details include:
    • Teams Phone Standard: $10 per user/month
    • Teams Phone Standard for Frontline Workers: $5 per user/month
    • Teams Phone with Calling Plan (US/UK/CAN): $17 per user/month

Windows Server 2025

Microsoft announce that Windows Server 2025 is generally available from 1st November 2024. From a what's-the-same perspective, there are still Standard and Datacenter editions which differ by a couple of technical features but mainly by their virtualisation licensing rights, and CALs are still needed for users or devices. From a what's-new perspective, there's now a PAYG licensing option through Azure Arc, and prices are increased by 10%.