The Marketplace Platform allows you to explore a Microsoft product before committing to a paid version. This means you can order a free trial subscription and try it out for 30 days.

Trial subscription limitations

The following limitations apply to NCE trial subscriptions:

• Trial subscriptions don't automatically renew. When the trial ends, the subscription expires.

• Trial subscriptions can't be converted to a paid subscription at the end of the trial period. If you decide to order the paid version, you must place a new order for the corresponding paid product.

• Trial subscriptions usually come with 25 fixed licenses. This quantity cannot be increased or decreased.

• No modifications or terminations are allowed during the trial period.

Trial items contain the word trial in the item name. For example, Dynamics 365 Finance Premium - Trial.

You can locate trial-eligible items in the following ways:

• Use the Search bar in the top navigation area. Select Items and enter "trial" as your search keyword.

• In the main navigation menu, go to Catalog > Items. Then, apply a filter using either the Name or Vendor item ID that includes the keyword "trial".

• In the purchase wizard, go to the Items step, then use the Product Item Name filter to find the trial items you need.

To order a trial subscription for a new agreement:

1. Go to Catalog > Products.

2. Select the required Microsoft product.

3. On the product details page, select Buy now.

4. In the purchase wizard:

To order a trial subscription for an existing agreement:

1. Go to Marketplace > Agreements.

2. Select the required agreement.

3. On the agreement details page, select Buy now.

4. Under Select Items, use filters to find the required trial items, then add those items to your order.

The Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA) is Microsoft's contract for purchasing and using cloud services. It defines the terms and conditions that govern Microsoft cloud subscriptions and services.

MCA acceptance requirements

Customers purchasing Microsoft cloud services through the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program must accept the MCA before subscriptions or services can be provisioned.

This requirement applies to:

• Organizations purchasing Microsoft cloud services, such as Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and more, for the first time through a CSP partner must also accept the MCA.

• Existing CSP customers who haven't previously accepted the MCA must also accept it.

• Customers whose CSP partner accepted the MCA on their behalf before 1 April 2023 and who are required to reaccept the agreement under Microsoft's updated requirements.

Marketplace Platform automatically checks whether the MCA has been accepted when processing orders.

• If the MCA has been accepted, order processing continues.

• If acceptance is required, the order enters a Querying status, and processing is paused until the MCA is reviewed and accepted.

To review and accept the MCA:

1. Sign in to the using your Global Administrator credentials.

2. Navigate to Billing or Account.

3. Read the terms and conditions of the agreement.

4. Select the checkbox to confirm that you have read and accept the terms and conditions.

After you accept the MCA and Microsoft confirms your acceptance, your Marketplace order automatically changes from Querying to Processing.

If the order doesn't automatically change to Processing after accepting the MCA, select Process on the order details page to update the status manually. For details, see .

You can update the renewal policy for multiple subscriptions under the same agreement through a single order.

This allows you to apply the same renewal action to multiple active subscriptions at once. Available renewal actions include renewing subscriptions to a new term, extending the current service term, or canceling subscriptions at the end of their current term.

The selected changes are submitted as a single configuration order and applied to all eligible subscriptions included in the order.

Only subscriptions under an active agreement can be updated.

To change renewal policies:

1. Go to Marketplace > Agreements.

You can terminate multiple subscriptions under the same agreement through a single termination order. This simplifies subscription management by allowing you to submit one request instead of creating separate termination orders for each subscription.

Prerequisites

• The subscriptions must be eligible for cancellation.

• NCE subscriptions can be cancelled within 7 days of purchase or renewal.

Terminate multiple CSP subscriptions

To terminate multiple CSP subscriptions:

1. Go to Marketplace > Agreements.

2. Select the required agreement.

3. On the agreement details page, select the Subscriptions tab.

4. Select the dropdown and select Terminate.

1. In the guided Terminate subscription workflow, do the following:

   1. Select the subscriptions you want to terminate. Select Next.

   2. Review the item and refund details. Select Next.

   3. Enter a reference ID and order notes, then select

After placing the termination order, you can monitor its status on the Order details page.

While the order is being processed, the subscription is displayed as Terminating. Once processing is complete, the subscription status changes to Terminated.

New Commerce Experience (NCE) is Microsoft's licensing and purchasing model for cloud subscriptions sold through the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program.

NCE introduces standardized subscription terms, billing options, and lifecycle management capabilities for Microsoft cloud services. It's designed to provide greater flexibility, transparency, and predictability when purchasing and managing subscriptions.

With NCE, you can:

• Choose from different subscription terms and billing options.

• Manage subscription renewals through auto-renewal settings.

Perpetual software uses a one-time licensing model that allows you to use the purchased software indefinitely.

Unlike subscription-based software, perpetual licenses do not require recurring payments or renewals.

Organizations typically choose perpetual software when they:

• Require on-premises software deployments.

• Operate in environments with strict compliance or data sovereignty requirements.

• Prefer one-time purchases instead of recurring subscription costs.

• Need a specific software version for compatibility reasons.

• Want complete control over software updates and upgrade schedules.

You can order perpetual licenses for these products:

• Microsoft Perpetual Software – Commercial

• Microsoft Perpetual Software – Education

• Microsoft Perpetual Software – Charity

You can find these products on the Catalog > Products page.

Perpetual software orders are one-time purchases. After purchasing, you can use the licensed software indefinitely, subject to Microsoft's licensing terms.

Perpetual software orders:

• Require a one-time upfront payment.

• Do not renew automatically.

• Do not require recurring subscription payments.

• Appear as one-time purchases on the agreement details page.

The following rules apply to perpetual software orders:

• License quantities cannot be increased or decreased after purchase.

• To purchase additional licenses, submit a new order.

• After the order is completed and the license is provisioned, you can retrieve product keys from the . For details, see .

• Perpetual software purchases can be canceled within 30 days of the purchase date.

You order perpetual software by submitting a purchase order.

1. Go to Catalog > Products.

2. Select the required Microsoft Perpetual Software product.

3. Complete the purchase process and create an agreement when prompted.

For detailed instructions, see .

You can cancel a perpetual software purchase within 30 days of the purchase date without incurring a termination fee.

When a perpetual software purchase is canceled within the 30-day cancellation window:

• Associated software keys and download links are revoked.

• You are responsible for discontinuing use, uninstalling the software, and removing any downloads or links.

• The cancelled item remains visible on the software details page in the , but the activation key is disabled.

To cancel a perpetual software purchase, and provide the order ID. We recommend that the cancellation request be submitted by an authorized representative of your organization.

A software subscription is a licensing model that provides access to software for a recurring fee rather than requiring a one-time purchase. Customers can use the software during the subscription term and receive access to updates, new features, and security enhancements released during that period.

Through the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program, organizations can purchase software subscriptions with monthly or annual billing options. Software subscriptions can help organizations align software usage with changing business requirements while avoiding upfront licensing costs.

Benefits

Software subscriptions provide flexibility and predictable software management.

• Add or remove licenses as business needs change.

• Receive consolidated billing to manage budgets. Pay for what you use, on a schedule that suits your business needs.

• Receive the latest product features, updates, and security improvements released during the subscription term.

SoftwareOne supports customers throughout the software subscription lifecycle. This includes:

• Guidance on selecting appropriate Microsoft software subscriptions.

• Assistance with licensing and subscription management.

• Ongoing support and subscription optimization.

• Recommendations to help align licensing with business requirements.

Before purchasing software subscriptions, consider:

• Whether monthly or annual billing best meets your organization's needs.

• How license quantities may change over time.

• Product-specific requirements, terms, and eligibility criteria.

• Renewal and subscription management requirements.

After your order is complete and your license is successfully set up, you can download your license keys from the . You'll need these keys to activate the software.

For instructions, see in Microsoft documentation.

Software subscriptions can be cancelled within 7 days of order placement. Eligible cancellations receive a prorated refund. This cancellation period consists of 7×24 hours (7 days a week; 24 hours a day).

Cancellations aren't accepted after this period for either new purchases or renewal orders.

For details on how to cancel a subscription, see .

By default, auto-renewal is enabled for all SoftwareOne Marketplace subscriptions.

If a subscription is configured to renew automatically, it's processed the day after the subscription's term ends.

For example, if the term end date is 2023-03-01T00:00:00Z UTC, it includes the whole day. The renewal will start after the term ends (2023-03-02T00:00:00Z UTC) and can take up to 24 hours.

After renewal is completed, partners have a 7-day window (except where otherwise required by law) to cancel or reduce seats. The 7-day window starts at the date and time of renewal completion.

You can add more software items to your existing agreement by submitting a change order. For details, see .

When ordering new items, the quantity of existing software licenses in the agreement can't be increased. If additional licenses are required for an existing product, a new subscription must be created under the same agreement.

SoftwareOne helps partners of all types and geographies grow their business by reaching new markets around the world.

Our partner programs help software vendors, resellers, system integrators, and other businesses grow revenue and scale market presence. See Marketplace for Partners to learn about partner management in the Marketplace Platform.

For a list of Frequently Asked Questions, see Partner FAQs.

Cloud Solution Provider Partner Program

The Cloud Solution Provider Partner Program allows you to partner with SoftwareOne as your indirect CSP provider. It means you'll purchase Microsoft products and services through SoftwareOne, but continue to maintain your relationship with Microsoft.

Partnering with SoftwareOne gives you access to valuable tools, resources, and support to manage your customer relationships efficiently. We also assist with customer support, billing, and help you scale your business.

For details on how to enroll in the Cloud Solution Provider Partner Program, see How to enroll in the CSP partner program.

SoftwareOne CSP Partner Program

The SWO CSP Partner Program is a program designed for SoftwareOne partners to ensure compliance with our established terms and conditions.

All SoftwareOne partners must enroll in this program to obtain a compliance certificate, which is linked to all CSP products in the Marketplace. This enrollment is required before any purchases can be made.

Once you have completed your enrollment in the program, a compliance certificate will be automatically generated for you. You'll need to select this certificate when ordering CSP products and services.

For details on how to enroll in the SWO CSP Partner Program, see .

Error – "The agreement includes an option to align all subscription end dates. However, the date currently stored in the 'End Date Alignment' parameter is invalid. To provide a valid date, you need to contact support."

Cause – This error appears when your order is querying for a valid subscription alignment date or when you are creating a new change order. It's related to the date specified in the End date alignment parameter of the agreement and could mean any of the following:

• The end date is invalid.

• The parameter information doesn't match an active subscription in that tenant.

• The date either refers to a terminated subscription or was entered incorrectly.

Resolution – To resolve this issue, and provide a valid end date.

To find the cotermination date, in the , go to Billing > Your products. Check the renewal or expiration date of an active, license-based subscription to determine the end date and provide it to the Support team.

Error – "The agreement includes an option to align all subscription end dates. However, the date currently stored in the 'End date alignment' parameter is invalid, as yearly subscriptions cannot be aligned with monthly subscriptions. You can either provide a valid date or proceed with the order, in which case the subscription end dates will not be aligned. If you wish to modify the End Date Alignment, please contact our support team."

Cause –This error appears when the coterminosity feature is enabled with a monthly term subscription, but a new annual subscription is being ordered as part of a change order.

Resolution – To resolve this issue, and provide a valid end date so that the cotermination dates can be aligned. If you choose not to align the end dates, you can proceed with the order; however, the subscription will be created without any coterm.

Error – "Required action: Subscriptions end date alignment is not valid."

Cause – This error occurs for orders that are querying when the date provided for cotermination is invalid.

Resolution - To resolve this issue, and provide a valid end date. See the first error message on this page for details on how to determine a valid cotermination date.

Microsoft Government Community Cloud (GCC) is a Microsoft cloud environment designed for US federal, state, local, and tribal government organizations, as well as contractors that manage government data.

GCC provides services such as Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 in an environment that supports government-specific security, compliance, and data residency requirements.

Unlike standard commercial offerings, GCC environments are physically isolated from commercial cloud infrastructure, providing enhanced security measures, specialized compliance certifications, and robust controls tailored to government requirements.

Key features

GCC is designed to help organizations meet government requirements through:

• Support for FedRAMP Moderate compliance requirements.

• Support for Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) policies.

• Support for International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) requirements.

• Support for IRS 1075 requirements.

• Data residency within the United States.

• Separation from commercial cloud environments.

• Operational controls designed for government workloads.

Before purchasing GCC subscriptions, ensure that your organization is eligible for GCC services and meets Microsoft's requirements for government cloud offerings.

GCC services are intended for:

• US federal government agencies.

• State, local, and tribal government organizations.

• Approved government contractors that process or store government data.

To access GCC products, Microsoft must verify your organization's eligibility.

1. Complete the .

2. Provide SoftwareOne's Partner Tenant GUID: 141e07d1-6f28-4169-b951-316d5a941d88.

3. Send your validation ID to Marketplace Platform Support at marketplace-support@softwareone.com.

4. Wait for the verification to complete. Microsoft typically completes validation within 5-7 business days.

For questions about the Microsoft validation process, contact the US Government Cloud Eligibility Team at .

If your organization already uses GCC and is moving to SoftwareOne:

1. Go to Catalog > Products.

2. Select Microsoft 365 Business, Enterprise & Apps - Government.

3. On the product details page, select Buy now.

4. Follow the guided steps in the purchase wizard to submit your order.

Subscription coterminosity (renewal alignment) allows multiple Microsoft subscriptions within an agreement to share the same renewal date.

When coterminosity is enabled, new eligible subscriptions are aligned to an existing subscription end date instead of receiving their own independent renewal date. This helps simplify subscription management, billing, and renewals.

The following limitations apply:

• Only license-based Microsoft NCE subscriptions support cotermination.

• Azure, Perpetual Software, and Software subscriptions don't support cotermination.

Microsoft for Education provides access to education-specific Microsoft products, services, and pricing for eligible educational institutions.

Benefits include:

• Education pricing for eligible Microsoft licenses.

• Access to education-specific Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Intune offerings.

• Security and compliance features designed for educational institutions.

• Student and educator collaboration tools.

To learn more about the benefits, features, and value that Microsoft offers to educational institutions, see .

To purchase Microsoft Education subscriptions at academic pricing, your organization must be approved by Microsoft.

Without verification, you cannot purchase Microsoft Education subscriptions through the Marketplace Platform at education pricing.

Microsoft may require documentation such as:

• Accreditation certificate – Official documentation from your regional or national accrediting body.

• Institutional authority letter – An official letter from your educational governing body confirming your institution's academic status.

• Domain ownership verification – Documentation proving control of your institution's official website domain.

• Organizational profile

Document requirements may vary depending on your institution and Microsoft's verification requirements.

• Ensure documents are current and valid.

• Use official institutional letterhead for any custom documentation.

• Use the institution's legal name consistently across all documents.

• Submit documents in standard formats, such as PDF.

The qualification process depends on whether your institution already has a Microsoft tenant.

You can either enroll directly with Microsoft or choose the SoftwareOne-assisted qualification process.

• Complete enrollment directly with Microsoft (recommended) by setting up a new tenant and managing the eligibility process directly with Microsoft. For details, or contact for business tenants.

• Use SoftwareOne-assisted qualification

If you already have a Microsoft tenant, the qualification process involves upgrading your existing environment to education status rather than creating a new one.

You can:

• Submit a support request directly with Microsoft via Microsoft 365 Admin Center. To do this:

  1. Sign in to your Microsoft 365 Admin Center with Global Administrator credentials.

  2. Select Support > New service request.

  3. Select Billing and subscriptions

Microsoft typically processes existing tenant qualification requests within 10 business days, similar to new tenant timelines.

For SoftwareOne-assisted qualifications, gather your documents and share them with Marketplace Platform Support. For contact options, see .

Microsoft typically processes qualification requests within approximately 10 business days.

You can track the status in the Microsoft 365 admin center. For details, see the .

Your request may have one of the following statuses: