From November 2, 2026, Microsoft is offering CSP partners a new, time-bound way to win Azure data and AI deals. Here is what’s on offer, who qualifies and how your MSP business can these opportunities to work with customers.
Azure CSP promotions overview
Microsoft is launching five Azure CSP promotions. Each promo gives an eligible customer a discount of 15% to 30% on pay-as-you-go usage of specific Azure services, for six months from the day the promotion is acquired. There’s no purchase minimum, no term commitment and no new subscription to buy.
| November 2, 2026 | 6 months | April 30, 2027 |
| Promotions open for acquisition | Discount duration, starting on the day it’s acquired | Last day to acquire
(11:59 PM UTC) |
These promotions focus on three customer conversations:
- Modernizing SQL Server;
- Starting with Microsoft Fabric analytics;
- Taking Microsoft Foundry AI apps into production.
5 Azure CSP promotions at a glance
A. Azure Database Modernization
Up to 30% off eligible Azure database pay-as-you-go (PAYG) usage.
- Who it’s for: Customers still running SQL Server on-premises with little or no Azure database spend today.
- Eligibility: Customers with SQL license revenue greater than $0 (for example, on-premises) in the past 24 months and less than $50/month in Azure Database ACR in the past 90 days. Positive net SQL Server revenue from September 14, 2024 to September 14, 2026, and Azure Database spend below 50 CD in each month of June–August 2026.
- Your angle: Lead SQL Server migrations and grow the Azure data estate.
- Covers: Azure SQL Database, SQL Managed Instance, SQL Hyperscale, PostgreSQL and MySQL Flexible Server, Cosmos DB, DocumentDB, Horizon DB.
B. Fabric for M365 Customers
Up to 20% off eligible Microsoft Fabric PAYG capacity.
- Who it’s for: Microsoft 365 tenants with 50+ paid seats across Business Premium, E3 and E5 and no Fabric spend to date.
- Eligibility: Customers with 50+ combined seats across Microsoft 365 Business Premium, ME3, M5 and $0 Fabric spend. Additionally, the tenant’s subscriptions must have more than 50 active, paid, non-trial seats across Microsoft 365 Business Premium, E3 and E5 product IDs as of August 2026, and no month with positive Microsoft Fabric spend in the last three years through September 14, 2026.
- Your angle: Open an analytics conversation inside accounts you already manage.
- Covers: Microsoft Fabric Capacity (PAYG).
C. Fabric for Azure Database Customers
Up to 20% off eligible Microsoft Fabric PAYG capacity.
- Who it’s for: Customers already spending on Azure databases who have never used Fabric.
- Eligibility: Azure database customers with no previous Microsoft Fabric spend, and no positive Azure Database spend in at least one month of June–August 2026, and no month with positive Microsoft Fabric spend in the available history through September 14, 2026.
- Your angle: Attach analytics to live database workloads.
- Covers: Microsoft Fabric Capacity (PAYG).
D. App PaaS for Foundry Customers
Up to 15% off eligible Azure App PaaS PAYG usage.
- Who it’s for: Microsoft Foundry customers with active AI spend but minimal App PaaS spend.
- Eligibility: Microsoft Foundry customers with more than $50 spend in the last month OR more than $300 in the last 6 months, AND less than $300 App PaaS spend in the last 6 months. In addition, combined Foundry Models and Tools spend of at least 50 CD in August 2026, OR more than 300 CD total in March–August 2026, and less than 300 ACR total on the approved App PaaS products in March–August 2026.
- Your angle: Move Foundry AI apps from prototype to production.
- Covers: App Service, Static Web Apps, AKS, Container Apps/Instances/Registry, Functions, Logic Apps, API Management and more.
E. Data Services for Foundry Customers
Up to 15% off eligible Azure data services PAYG usage.
- Who it’s for: Microsoft Foundry customers with active AI spend and no Azure data services spend in the last 6 months.
- Eligibility: Microsoft Foundry customers with $50 spend in the last month OR more than $300 in the last six months, AND $0 Azure Data Services spend in the last six months. Combined Foundry Models and Tools spend of at least 50 CD in August 2026, OR more than 300 CD total in March–August 2026, and no month with positive spend on the approved Data Services products in March–August 2026.
- Your angle: Build the data foundation beneath the customer’s AI.
- Covers: Azure SQL family, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Cosmos DB, DocumentDB, Horizon DB, Fabric Capacity.
Note: Microsoft revalidates eligibility when the promotion is acquired.
How Azure CSP promotions work
| Not automatic | Your margin is protected |
| A promotion must be acquired for each customer in Partner Center. Once acquired, the discount applies automatically to the customer’s eligible usage, wherever it runs. | Partner Earned Credit (PEC) is applied first, and the promotional discount then comes off the PEC-adjusted price. CSP incentives still apply. |
| No stacking | PAYG only |
| Each promotion can be acquired once per customer. If more than one applies to the same usage, the highest discount wins. | Discounts don’t apply to Reserved Instances or Azure Savings Plan purchases, usage already covered by them, or Spot instances. Usage above that coverage is discounted. |
| Time it right | You set the price |
| The 6-month clock starts on the day of acquisition. A promotion can’t be cancelled, refunded or renewed, so acquire it when the customer is ready to consume. | You decide how much of the discount to pass through to your customer. The exception is qualifying public sector orders, where it must be passed through in full. |
How to check if your customer is eligible?
Partners can use Microsoft Partner Center or Eligibility API to determine whether a customer is eligible at the time of the check. Eligibility is automatically revalidated during the promotion acquisition process, and that acquisition-time check is the final determination of eligibility. Please note, customer eligibility can change over time as their consumption and other qualifying characteristics change.
Azure CSP promotion savings: An illustrative example
Microsoft’s example is a 250-employee manufacturer moving from on-premises SQL Server to Azure SQL Managed Instance, at $750 per month of net-new consumption at list price.
| Over six months | Amount |
| Net-new consumption (list price) | $4,500 |
| Less Partner Earned Credit (15%) | −$675 |
| Less promotional discount (30%) | −$1,148 |
| Amount Microsoft invoices | $2,678 |
Microsoft estimates total CSP earnings (PEC plus CSP incentives) of about $1,077 for this deal, before any services revenue.
Other examples show about $983 for a Fabric deal with an Azure database customer and about $393 for a 75-seat Microsoft 365 customer adopting Fabric.
Note: Microsoft’s figures are illustrative, in $ USD, and assume the customer’s existing Azure consumption doesn’t decline. They’re not a guarantee of earnings, and incentive eligibility (for example, CSP Growth Accelerator) is subject to its own qualification rules.
How CSP partners can use these Azure promotions
- Find your eligible customers
Start with SQL Server customers, Microsoft 365 customers with 50+ premium seats, Azure database customers and anyone already using Microsoft Foundry.
- Confirm eligibility
Check named customers in Partner Center or through the Eligibility API (Indirect CSP Resellers can ask their Distributor). Customers can newly qualify over time, so check again later.
- Prioritize your top 10 opportunities
Prioritize your immediate opportunities and size the services you can attach, such as migration, deployment, analytics and managed services.
- Open the conversation
Use the customer-ready one-pagers, email templates and pitch deck for each promotion.
- Acquire when the customer is ready to consume,
No later than 30 April 2027.
- Get billing ready
Promotion discounts show in a new aggregated reconciliation file, available 24-48 hours after the standard file. Note: Customers see retail PAYG rates in Cost Management, which don’t include the promotion.
Azure CSP promotion resources
Resources for CSP partners
Azure promotion resources for customers
Whatever the challenge, Sherweb has your back
With deep knowledge of the Microsoft ecosystem and a commitment to MSP success, Sherweb is dedicated to helping partners make the most of their Microsoft relationship. Questions about these promotions? Reach out to us! Not a Sherweb partner? Learn more about the benefits of our program and sign up to get started.
