Microsoft Action Pack frequently asked questions

How do I subscribe to the new Action Pack program?

You can enroll by using the Subscribe tool or through the Action Pack home page:

• If your company is not a current member of the Microsoft Partner Network, you will be prompted to register. After registration, you will be directed back to the Action Pack page to start the purchasing process.

Can I be both an Action Pack partner and a Competency partner at the same time?

Yes, but only until your MAPS subscription expires. Once your MAPS subscription expires, you will not be able to renew it. You will keep going as a competency partner. From the time you become a competency partner until the time your MAPS expires, you will be able to use both MAPS and competency’s benefits. Once the MAPS subscription ends, you will retain only your competency’s benefits.

I am currently a subscriber to Microsoft BizSpark or Microsoft DreamSpark. If I decide to make the transition to the new Action Pack, do I need to meet the program requirements and pay a fee?

Yes. You will need to meet the Action Pack eligibility requirements and pay the subscription fee. Your access to BizSpark or DreamSpark benefits will remain through the duration of your paid subscription.

If I am already an Action Pack partner, how will my company be migrated to the new program?

Current Action Pack partners will receive email and phone notifications. Partners can proactively go the Action Pack portal to make the transition at any time.

I am currently an Action Pack subscriber, but my organization is outside its renewal period. When it comes time to renew my subscription, can I enroll into the same subscription?

When you renew on the Subscribe page, you will be presented the appropriate controls to enroll in the new Action Pack program.

Will Microsoft Online Services Partner Agreement (MOSPA) be available for partners that are not Action Pack subscribers?

Yes. MOSPA applies to all online services licensed to Microsoft partners.

If you have questions that have not been addressed here, refer to the Partner Support Community page, or contact your local Regional Service Center.

How can I activate my Microsoft Cloud benefits through Action Pack Program?

You can activate those benefits by going to the partner digital download center and accessing your product keys using the instructions provided on the site. You may also read following articles to learn more.

What happens after I have activated the product key?

The on-premises product keys provided with the Action Pack subscriptions allow a limited number of activations. Licenses are considered used when a product key is activated in one of the following ways:

• If the software is installed on a different machine, one product activation is considered used against the product key.
• If the software is installed on the same machine, with no changes made to the hardware, product activation is not considered used against the product key.
• If the software is installed on the same machine, with changes made to the hardware, product activation is considered used against the product key.

Once activation of the product key has been fully accounted for, partners are not be able to use it again and won’t be able to request additional keys.

What are the benefits of the new Action Pack subscription?

Action Pack provides you:

• Internal Use Rights cloud services and on-premises software benefits, including both on-premises and cloud products and services.
• Technical support, with access to telephone support for presales, technical, and deployment issues related to Microsoft cloud services.
• Training guidance, such as learning paths with a curriculum of more than 2,000 training courses about selling, configuring, and implementing Microsoft products and services.
• Three Visual Studio Professional subscriptions
• Campaigns, through access to Partner Marketing Center materials for Microsoft products and services.

Specifically, what Internal Use Rights cloud services and on-premises software seats am I entitled to for Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online?

As an Action Pack subscriber, you are entitled to the following:

• Microsoft Cloud Partner Program MAPS Software IUR License Table 

With the first cloud sale (Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, Microsoft Office 365, or Microsoft Azure) Action Pack partners earn five advisory hours. Are the five advisory hours earned once or incrementally per sale? Can the five advisory hours be earned at the second year of renewal as well?

Action Pack partners will earn the five advisory hours once during the subscription enrollment year, not for each deal. Unused advisory hours cannot be transferred to a new subscription year. In the consecutive subscription year, you can earn new advisory hours by closing a new cloud deal during that year.

How do the Action pack program benefits support application development?

The new Action Pack program provides three Visual Studio Professional subscriptions for your software developers. These subscriptions also include the latest version of Windows Pro, Windows Server Standard, and SQL Server Enterprise for your developers who have activated a Visual Studio Professional subscription. Other Action Pack internal-use rights software may also be used for development and testing.