Microsoft Dynamics CSA Program Guide

for On Premise Solutions

Effective July 1, 2013
Introduction
The Microsoft Dynamics Certified Software Advisor Program (Program) is a benefit for members of the
Microsoft Partner Network. The Program provides Microsoft partners a revenue opportunity, in addition to what
they can earn through Volume Licensing transactions and services engagements with customers.
This guide relates to:
1. Certified Software Advisor Fees for Microsoft Dynamics CRM On Premise
2. Certified Software Advisor Fees for Microsoft Dynamics AX on Enterprise Agreements

Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................................... 1
Overview....................................................................................................................................................... 2
Registration Information............................................................................................................................... 2
Program Requirements................................................................................................................................2
Certification Requirements........................................................................................................................... 3
Accreditations............................................................................................................................................... 4
Minimum revenue threshold requirement (MRT)..........................................................................................5
Reporting Requirement................................................................................................................................6
Certified Software Advisor Fee Rates...........................................................................................................6
Partner Led Sales Motion.............................................................................................................................6
Microsoft-Led Sales Motion.......................................................................................................................... 6
Eligible License Programs............................................................................................................................ 8
Claiming Fees and Fee Payment...............................................................................................................10

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Overview
The Program provides fees to members of the Microsoft Partner Network, for providing (1) Volume Licensing
customers (and potential customers) assistance with pre-sales marketing and other pre-sales support
services and (2) retention by the customer as the primary post-sales implementation partner for the
deployment of the following Microsoft Dynamics solutions:
1. Microsoft Dynamics CRM On Premise (In this document, unless otherwise stated, all references to
Microsoft Dynamics CRM refer to On Premise licenses)
2. Microsoft Dynamics AX on Enterprise Agreements (In this document, unless otherwise stated, all
references to Microsoft Dynamics AX refer to licensing on Enterprise Agreements)
These fees are called Certified Software Advisor Fees (CSA Fees). CSA Fees are available for both the
sale of Microsoft software licenses (either perpetual or subscription) and associated Software Assurance.
Registration Information
To register for the Program, you need to complete the following steps.
1. Read and understand this guide
2.

Read and sign the Microsoft Certified Software Advisor Agreement (in this document, the CSA
Agreement): https://mbs.microsoft.com/public/crmsignup/relationshiptype.aspx

Please review the CSA Agreement carefully. You will be requested to acknowledge your understanding and
agreement to its terms. Once you have accepted, we will confirm our acceptance of your agreement by
sending an electronic mail message welcoming you to the Program. We recommend that you print a copy of
the CSA Agreement for your own records.
Program Requirements
To participate in the Program, you must meet the requirements listed below each time you submit a claim for
CSA Fees. These requirements must be met at the time you claim the CSA Fee. There is no grace period to
comply with these requirements.
1. Software advisors are required to join the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) at any level. For more
details about MPN, please visit https://mspartner.microsoft.com/en/us/Pages/Membership/enroll.aspx
2. You must have a valid CSA Agreement.
3. Confirm you assisted with pre-sales marketing and pre-sales support services for the applicable
Volume Licensing customer transaction. You do not need to be the ordering partner to be eligible for
these CSA Fees.
4. Confirm you have been retained as the primary post-sales implementation partner for the customers
software licenses on which you are claiming a CSA Fee.
5. Confirm that you (a) are not receiving compensation (monetary or otherwise) from the customer to
provide objective advice related to the Microsoft software or services for which you are claiming a
CSA Fee or more generally to the acquisition of IT technologies, products, or services (e.g.,
contractual, agency or fiduciary duty to customer); and (b) that you specifically disclosed to the
customer that you may be receiving a fee from Microsoft related to its purchase of Microsoft software
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or services.

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6. You must meet Microsoft exam requirements for the eligible On Premise solutions in order to claim
CSA Fees. These requirements exist to ensure that participating companies demonstrate a defined
level of expertise with Microsoft solutions, and are thus better able to assist customers in achieving a
successful Microsoft implementation. At present, Microsoft certification requirements consist of
passing a specified set of Microsoft exams, or otherwise demonstrate their expertise as may be
required by their particular Microsoft office until such exams are available in your geography.
Microsoft reserves the right to change these Program certification requirements after providing
reasonable notice.
If you have not already done so, make arrangements to receive appropriate Microsoft training and
complete the Microsoft certification exam requirements. Training classes are available at
https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/communities/training/
Certification Requirements
For Microsoft Dynamics CRM On-Premise, 2 or more employees or contractors from the partner organization
are required to collectively pass the following exams to earn the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Certification for
the Program.
Exam requirements:
Premise

Microsoft

Dynamics

CRM

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Customization and

Configuration
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Installation and
Deployment
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Applications
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Standard Sales Assessment OR
Sales Specialist Assessment
Managing Microsoft Dynamics Implementations

On

Exam ID
MB2-866
MB2-867
MB2-868
PLC 733030 or PLC 733034
MB5-858

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For Microsoft Dynamics AX:

The partner must have the ERP Gold Competency in MPN

Beginning January 1, 2013, partners are required to have 15 or more employees from the partner
organization collectively pass the following exams (see table below) to earn the Microsoft Dynamics
AX Certification for the Program.
Exam requirements Microsoft Dynamics AX:

Exam ID

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Development Introduction

MB6-869

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Trade and Logistics

MB6-870

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Financials

MB6-871

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Installation and Configuration

MB6-872

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Implementation and Maintenance

or
Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases

70-432
or
70-462

Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Application Development

70-573

Accreditations
Beginning on October 1, 2014, partners will also need to meet the following accreditation requirements to be
eligible to receive CSA Fees for Microsoft Dynamics AX:

1 Accredited Technical Solution Architect and

1 Accredited Developer

Please refer to the web for the latest exam requirements and your specific geography exams on
PartnerSource
(https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/partneressentials/partnerreadiness/partneracademy/MSD_ERPTec
hnicalExams) or the MPN Partner Portal https://mspartner.microsoft.com/en/us/pages/solutions/microsoftdynamics-crm-software-advisor-fees.aspx
Certified Individuals Required at All Times
If an individual employee leaves the partner company, and, as a result, the partner no longer meets the
minimum exam and assessment requirements, another individual within the partner company (or a Recorded
Affiliate company) must pass the missing required examinations and assessments within 90 days to maintain
authorization. It is the partners responsibility to notify Microsoft when an individual who has passed a productspecific exam and assessment requirement leaves its organization. Partners can inform Microsoft of these
events by sending an email to mcphelp@microsoft.com with the name of the professional that has left the
organization.

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Minimum revenue threshold requirement (MRT)

In order for a partner to maintain active status in the Program, the partner must contribute towards a minimum
amount of revenue (the Threshold) of the eligible products for each 12 month period from the Effective Date
of their Microsoft CSA Agreement.
For Microsoft Dynamics AX: To reach the Threshold amount for Microsoft Dynamics AX, partners must
maintain a minimum of $500,000 USD (or equivalent in local currency) in a rolling twelve month average of
Total ERP License Revenue. The measure for Total ERP License Revenue is made up of two components:
1. Estimated Retail Price of Microsoft Dynamics AX License and Software Assurance (L&SA) SKUs
claimed through the Program,
PLUS
2. SPA Gross License Revenue (as defined in the Solution Provider Agreement)

For Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online and On-Premise: The Threshold amount for the Program is $10,000
USD (or equivalent in local currency) and includes the total for both Dynamics CRM Online and On Premise.
Revenue will be measured as the total of the following categories of eligible transactions:
1. Estimated Retail Price revenue for license and Software Assurance (L&SA) SKUs claimed through
the Program
2. Subscriptions and renewals of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online claimed through the Certified
Software Advisor Program for Online Solutions.
3. Sale of licenses for Licensed Software solutions, sold through these Microsoft-authorized channel
programs:
-

the Solution Provider Agreement (SPA)

the Service Provider License Agreement (SPLA)

the Independent Software Vendor Royalty License and Distribution Agreement (ISVR).

Threshold Checkpoints for both Microsoft Dynamics AX and Microsoft Dynamics CRM:
-

On the first anniversary of the CSA Agreement, partners who have not reached the Threshold will not
be able to receive CSA Fees for a period of 12 months. However, if a partner has a valid MPN
agreement and a valid CSA Agreement, that partner is encouraged to continue to complete CSA
claims for future revenue recognition and may also be eligible to receive CSA Fees for Software
Assurance renewals during those 12 months.

On the second anniversary of the CSA Agreement, those partners who have not reached the
Threshold will not be able to re-enroll in the Program for a period of 12 months.
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Reporting Requirement
All managed partners who wish to claim incentives on Microsoft Dynamics AX sales purchased through
Volume Licensing are required to adhere to the Partner Resource Management Program (details available on
PartnerSource HERE)
Certified Software Advisor Fee Rates
Summary
Software Advisors have an opportunity to earn and claim CSA Fees for their selling and implementation
efforts. To calculate the CSA Fee, multiply the Estimated Retail Price by the rate by found in the Microsoft
Dynamics Fee Schedule for On Premise Solutions. Partner CSA fee rates vary by product line, stock keeping
unit (SKU), the level of sales engagement, and each individual partners performance.

Partner Led Sales Motion

CSA Fees on partner orders are calculated based on the customers location, not the partners location. The
various fee regions and corresponding schedules are available in PartnerSource: Microsoft Dynamics Fee
Schedule for On Premise Solutions.

Microsoft-Led Sales Motion

While our partners will continue to be the engine that propels Microsoft Dynamics forward, there are certain
customers who require direct involvement from Microsoft during the sales process. Microsoft led sales will be
focused on a limited number of new accounts consisting of the worlds largest companies. These customers
will be on a named list that will be distributed via Partner Resource Management program. Opportunities will
be identified as Microsoft-Led early in the sales cycle, and partners will be notified via Partner Resource
Management tools that the opportunity is Microsoft-Led. Once identified as Microsoft-Led, Microsoft will be
responsible for the majority of the presales and sales efforts, while partners will assist in the selling process
with a significantly lower level of sales and presales resources and investment. Partners efforts will be
focused on selling the value of their implementation and consultative services. For their assistance in the sales
process, partners will earn CSA Fees equal to 10% of the license value of Microsoft-Led deals. For additional
details, please refer to the Sales Engagement Policy (link to policy).

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General Terms and Conditions for both Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics AX
-

Annuities Partners must meet program eligibility requirements to receive annuity payments
Cancelling Multi-year Agreements - If a customer does not fulfill their multi-year payment obligations, we
will cancel the customer license. If that happens, CSA Fees for the cancelled licenses will not be paid. If
we have already paid the CSA Fee for a cancelled license, the partners future CSA Fees will be reduced

by the same amount on a pro-rata basis.

Change of Partner If a customer with a multi-year agreement changes the Partner of Record (POR),
the original POR will receive the annuity CSA fees for the original transaction billed over the course of the

multi-year agreement. The new POR is eligible to claim CSA fees on any new purchases by the customer.
Changes in Licenses - End user customers can adjust their license counts in cases where they have an
Enterprise Agreement. Changes in licenses are reported at the time of the annual Enterprise Agreement

anniversary and will be reflected accordingly in the CSA Fee payment.

Claim Timing - The CSA Fee claim must be made within 60 days of the license transaction date.
Customer Rebills - Please note that at times (usually related to a Volume Licensing Enterprise
Agreement and updates to the related Channel Price Sheet) Microsoft may work with the end user to
perform a customer re-bill. In these cases the partner should go to the Self Service web site to register the

licenses to get any additional CSA Fees due.

Donations - Any Microsoft software donated by Microsoft are not eligible under this Program.
Dynamics CRM On Premise Migration If the Customer decides to migrate from Microsoft Dynamics
CRM On Premise to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online at the end of the Volume Licensing agreement term,
then the software advisor can make a new claim. Microsoft reserves the right to demand a refund of
advisor fee for a Dynamics CRM Online transaction if the service is discontinued prior to the expiration

term.
Dynamics CRM Online Migration If the Customer decides to migrate from Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Online to Microsoft Dynamics CRM On Premise at the end of the CRM Online subscription term, then the
software advisor can make a new claim. The advisor fee is calculated on the On Premise SKU and the On

Premise CSA Transaction bands will be applied.

Expiration or Termination of LAR Agreements - If you are a Microsoft Large Account Reseller (LAR) in
default of your LAR agreement, you are ineligible to receive CSA Fees. If you subsequently become a
LAR in good standing within a year from the denied CSA Fee claim, Microsoft will pay your outstanding

CSA Fees.
Fee Payment Currency CSA Fees will be paid in a partner country currency (assuming the currency is

supported by Microsoft; USD is the default currency)

Fiduciary Responsibility - If you have a fiduciary relationship with a customer, you are not entitled to
CSA Fees under this Program for that customer. You may only receive CSA Fees for advising third party
customers.

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Multi-Year Agreements - CSA Fee payments to the partner for Enterprise Agreement transactions paid
by the customer over multiple years will be prorated by the customers payments using the original CSA
Fee Rate.
Revocation of CSA Fees - Customers may be authorized to return software under the software license

terms accompanying the software and the applicable Microsoft Volume Licensing program. If you had
previously received a CSA Fee on returned software, you are responsible for prompt return of those CSA
Fee amounts to Microsoft. In addition, Microsoft may take additional steps to collect reimbursement from
you for such CSA Fees. For example, your future CSA Fees may be reduced to repay amounts due.
U.S. Federal Government Sales Transactions where the sale is to a US government federal sector

customer are ineligible for any type of CSA Fee. However, you may file a claim for these transactions if
you wish to count the associated revenue towards your 12 month rolling revenue requirements and
minimum revenue requirements under the Solution Provider Agreement and CSA Agreement. Revenue
from these transactions is NOT eligible towards partner recognition programs such as Presidents Club or
Inner Circle.
Unique Situations - Microsoft reserves the right to change partner compensation in unique situations.

Eligible License Programs

For Microsoft Dynamics CRM, only the specifically included Volume Licensing programs listed below are
eligible for the CSA Fee payment under this Program:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Enterprise Agreement (excluding UAF accounts)

Select
Select Plus
Open License
Open Value
Academic programs
a. Campus Agreement
b. Academic Open
c. Academic Select
d. School Agreement

Additional licensing programs may be available or become available that qualify for CSA Fees. The list of
applicable programs will be kept current in this guide, a current version of which is available at
https://partner.microsoft.com/global/productssolutions/dynamics/microsoftdynamicscrm/40012663.
For Microsoft Dynamics CRM, licensing programs that are ineligible for CSA Fees include:
1. UAF accounts
2. FPP
3. Microsoft Dynamics Price Lists, such as:
a. Business Ready Licensing
b. Modular Based Licensing
c. Academic Alliance
4. Service Provider Licensing Agreement (i.e. SPLA or hosting)
5. Trial licensing
6. System Builder
7. ISV Royalty
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8. MSDN
9. Microsoft Action Pack or licenses acquired through Microsoft Partner Program
10. Any non-revenue licensing
For Microsoft Dynamics AX, only the specifically included Volume Licensing programs listed below qualify
for the payment of CSA Fees under this Program:
1. Enterprise Agreement (excluding UAF accounts)
2. Academic programs
a. Campus Agreement
b. School Agreement
Additional licensing programs may be available or become available that qualify for CSA Fees. The list of
applicable programs will be kept current in this guide, a current version of which is available at
https://partner.microsoft.com/global/productssolutions/dynamics/microsoftdynamicscrm/40012663.
For Microsoft Dynamics AX, licensing programs that are ineligible for CSA Fees include:
1. UAF accounts
2. FPP
3. Select
4. Select Plus
5. Open License
6. Open Value
7. Microsoft Dynamics Price Lists, such as:
a. Business Value Licensing
b. Business Ready Licensing
c. Modular Based Licensing
d. Academic Alliance
8. Service Provider Licensing Agreement (i.e. SPLA or hosting)
9. Trial licensing
10. System Builder
11. ISV Royalty
12. MSDN
13. Microsoft Action Pack or licenses acquired through Microsoft Partner Program
14. Any non-revenue licensing
Microsoft may update the exclusion list from time to time and provide notice to partners.

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Claiming Fees and Fee Payment

Conditions for CSA Fee Payments
Partners must meet certain pre-conditions in order to receive CSA Fees on any particular order of
Microsoft licenses or Software Assurance.
-

The CSA Fee claim must be made within 60 days of the license transaction date.

If you have a negative CSA Fee balance (e.g. due to cancellation of a license), then you will not
receive payment on future CSA Fees until the negative balance is paid in full. The negative
balance will be paid by crediting all appropriate future CSA Fees to the negative balance.

The steps to claim a CSA Fee on a particular order are the following:
1. Claim your CSA Fee on a transaction at:

https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/communities/CSA/. Confirm on that web site

that your company has provided pre-sales marketing and other pre-sales support services to
the customer and has been retained by the customer as the primary post-sales implementation
services partner for the licenses on which CSA Fees are being claimed.
2. Confirm that you have not received compensation (monetary or otherwise) from the customer
for the same pre-sales services and have obtained the customers consent if required.
3. Agree that Microsoft is authorized to confirm the items above with the customer.
Additional step for software advisors in India only:
4. Send an email to mbslques@microsoft.com referencing the transaction you claimed in step #1
above, and attach proof of execution of your efforts in the form of a partner invoice to Microsoft
for the amount of the expected CSA fee. India tax regulations require a partner invoice before
disbursement can be made. There is no designated form for this. A simple invoice on partner
company letterhead with the fee amount stated correctly is sufficient.

CSA Fee Payment Process

Microsoft processes claims on the 10th and the 24th of the month. Your CSA Fee claim must be made one
day before the processing date in order to be eligible for the next payment date. Payments will typically
occur within 4 weeks of processing.
CSA Fees may be paid to your company via check, ACH or wire transfer (at your option). Fee payments will be
reported via Microsoft Business Solutions PartnerSource Web site or a successor website. If your payment is
being sent to any country in Europe, Middle East, or Africa, you may need to submit an invoice to Microsoft in
order to receive your CSA Fee. Please go to: https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/communities/csa/ for
additional details and requirements. Receipt of the CSA Fee may be taxable. Please consult your tax advisor.
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Software Advisors located outside the U.S. are classified as foreign persons from a U.S. Internal Revenue
Service (I.R.S.) tax perspective. As such, Microsoft requires those software advisors (with the exception of
software advisors in India) to submit W8/W9 forms in order to be able to pay CSA Fees. You can find further
instructions and the appropriate forms via the IRS. Please send your completed forms to:
Microsoft Licensing, GP
Attn: Finance Department
29011 Commerce Center Drive
Valencia, CA, 91355 USA
No payments will be made until you claim the CSA Fee at the following site https://mbs.microsoft.com/MBSRegistration/ChooseRelationship.aspx. You must follow the process under the
heading The Steps to obtain CSA Fee Payments, in order to claim your CSA Fee. Claims that do not result
in payment of a CSA Fee will be voided after 120 days.
If more than one software advisor claims the CSA Fee for the same transaction, we may confirm the details
provided by the software advisors with the customer. Only one software advisor can be the advisor on any
particular order of Microsoft licenses or Software Assurance. Microsoft reserves the right to remove a
software advisors eligibility to claim future CSA Fees in the event of a false claim of eligibility for such CSA
Fees. If you have questions in relation to CSA Fee payments, please consult the software advisor support
matrix on PartnerSource.

Operational Inquiries
For operational support regarding CSA processes and CSA Fee payments, please, contact your CSA
Support Team or by navigating to PartnerSource >> Communities >> Software Advisor Community
>> Operations Toolbox >> How to Contact CSA Fee Team within Operations.
For operational inquiries in India only, please contact mbslques@microsoft.com
Microsoft Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd.
India Operations Center
Ground Floor, Signature Building, Block E,
Embassy Golf Links Business Park,
Off Intermediate Ring Road,
Bangalore - 560 071
Thank you for becoming part of the Microsoft Dynamics Certified Software Advisor Program.

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