Buying Microsoft 365: eight things to know
Short answers for Swiss companies, checked against Microsoft’s own documentation on 3 October 2026.
You can change partner during the contract
In shortYes, during the term. Price, seats and end date stay the same; your current partner has to approve the move.
Read the details
- Annual and three-year subscriptions can move to a new CSP partner at any time, not only when the term ends.
- You keep your price, your seats and your end date. Users and data stay where they are; only the billing moves.
- Your current partner has to approve the move. Microsoft does not force it, so agree on it in your contract.
- The commitment stays: a move does not open a new cancellation window.
Paying in euros: can be cheaper, but you carry the currency risk
In shortSometimes cheaper, but the exchange rate becomes your risk. Compare offers as the total in CHF for the whole term.
Read the details
- Microsoft’s Swiss prices are in CHF, and its European price lists also carry euro prices. Some partners bill you in euros; others convert the euro price to CHF at their own rate.
- Microsoft adjusts CHF and euro prices separately (1 February 2026: CHF −9.5%, EUR −7.4%), so either can be cheaper. From 2027 this happens once a year, on 1 January.
- Your price is fixed for the term, but a euro invoice moves with the exchange rate. Pay the term upfront, or fix the rate with your bank (a forward contract).
US-dollar prices: rarely worth it
In shortOnly for a US tenant, which means moving everything out of Switzerland. Since the 2026 CHF price cut, rarely worth it.
Read the details
- Dollar prices are only for a US tenant. A Swiss tenant cannot be billed in dollars, and a tenant’s country can never be changed.
- Switching means a new tenant: every mailbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft SharePoint site and Microsoft Teams team moves, every user signs in and sets up MFA again, and the move needs a paid migration licence.
- Your data would leave Swiss data centres for the US: check data protection, your industry’s rules and what you promised your customers.
- Since Microsoft cut CHF prices by 9.5% in February 2026, the gap is small or gone. It can make sense only for a group with a real US company and US staff.
CSP or Enterprise Agreement?
In shortFor most Swiss companies, CSP. An Enterprise Agreement needs 500 users and no longer gets a cloud volume discount.
Read the details
- CSP (Cloud Solution Provider): through an IT partner, no minimum size, monthly, one-year or three-year terms. The partner bills you and usually gives the first support.
- Enterprise Agreement (EA): a three-year contract from 500 users, sold by Licensing Solution Partners (LSP).
- Since 1 November 2025, an EA gets no volume discount on cloud services: everyone pays the same list price. Microsoft is moving many EA customers to CSP or to a direct Microsoft Customer Agreement.
- For most Swiss companies, CSP is the right way to buy.
The directory shows which contracts each partner offers: filter by CSP or Enterprise Agreement. Find an IT partner →
Partner, Enterprise Agreement or Microsoft direct?
Three ways to buy, side by side. Most Swiss companies buy through an IT partner; the other two depend on your size and on Microsoft.
In shortAn IT partner (CSP) suits almost every company. An EA starts at 500 users; buying direct is for large customers Microsoft chooses.
| IT partner (CSP)Through an IT partner | Enterprise AgreementThrough a Licensing Solution Partner | Microsoft directMicrosoft Customer Agreement (MCA-E) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can buy | IT partner (CSP)Any size, no minimum. | Enterprise AgreementFrom 500 users. Microsoft no longer renews some smaller EAs. | Microsoft directMicrosoft decides. It publishes no threshold. |
| Contract | IT partner (CSP)Monthly, one year or three years. | Enterprise AgreementThree years. | Microsoft directOpen-ended contract, subscriptions with negotiated terms. |
| Fewer users later | IT partner (CSP)Only at renewal, or in the first 7 days. A three-year term locks the number for 36 months. | Enterprise AgreementOnce a year at the anniversary, within the agreed minimums. | Microsoft directAs negotiated. |
| Price | IT partner (CSP)Your partner sets the price. E3 promotions run to 31 December 2026; those for E5 and Copilot ended on 30 September 2026. | Enterprise AgreementList price since November 2025, fixed for three years. | Microsoft directStarts at list price; large commitments get negotiated discounts. |
| Support | IT partner (CSP)Your partner first, Microsoft behind it. Quality depends on the partner. | Enterprise AgreementThrough the LSP or Microsoft. Premium support costs extra. | Microsoft directMicrosoft Unified, at extra cost: a share of your Microsoft spend. |
| Microsoft account team | IT partner (CSP)Usually none; your partner is your contact. | Enterprise AgreementDepends on your size. | Microsoft directYes, with usage insights. Assigned by size, not by channel. |
| Microsoft funding | IT partner (CSP)Your partner earns 2.5–7% of your licence spend a year, plus funded engagements from 50 users. | Enterprise AgreementAn Enterprise incentive with no published rate, engagements, and account-team funds. | Microsoft directNo partner share of licences; account-team funds (ECIF, Copilot vouchers) case by case. |
Common beliefs, checked
- Mostly true
An EA is more flexible than a three-year CSP term.
True for reductions: an EA can go down once a year within its minimums; a three-year CSP term cannot go down for 36 months. A one-year CSP term can be reduced at every renewal, though.
- Partly true
Buying direct gets you better Microsoft support.
Only if you pay for it: Microsoft Unified is a separate contract priced as a share of your spend. In CSP your partner answers first.
- Partly true
Direct customers get key account managers and insights.
Microsoft assigns account teams by customer size and segment, not by how you buy.
- Partly true
Microsoft direct is expensive, but makes good deals on large packages.
It starts at the public list price since November 2025. Negotiated discounts exist for large commitments, but Microsoft does not publish them.
- Partly true
CSP is cheaper when promotions run.
Sometimes: E3 promotions run to 31 December 2026; those for E5, E7 and Copilot ended on 30 September 2026. Promotions lower the partner’s price, so check they reach your quote.
- Not supported
Microsoft takes you on directly from about 1,000 users.
Microsoft publishes no threshold, and ClearSource found no source for 1,000 users.
- Microsoft Learn: reducing licences in CSP
- Microsoft Learn: CSP terms and prices
- Microsoft Learn: CSP promotions
- Partner Center announcements, August 2026
- Partner Center announcements, September 2026
- Microsoft Learn: CSP support
- Microsoft: Enterprise Agreement
- Microsoft: EA cloud prices from 1 November 2025
- Microsoft Q&A: EA renewals ending
- Microsoft: Microsoft Customer Agreement
- Microsoft Unified support FAQ
- Microsoft: Microsoft 365 Copilot voucher programme
Microsoft funding: what you can get
Microsoft pays for workshops, deployment help and trials, and offers price promotions. Your IT partner applies for most of it, so it depends on your partner. Ask for it and negotiate before you sign.
In shortMicrosoft pays for workshops, deployment and trials if your partner qualifies. Ask which ones you get, and negotiate.
MicrosoftYour partner applies
Workshops, deployment and security work, paid by Microsoft. Your partner needs the matching Microsoft status.
Microsoft’s account team decides
ECIF funds and Microsoft 365 Copilot vouchers, case by case. Only for customers Microsoft manages directly; not for CSP.
What you can get
Work worth at least USD 2'000 that Microsoft pays your partner for, at 0.82289 CHF per USD (ECB, 23 September 2026). You get the work, not the money.
- FastTrackFree help from MicrosoftMicrosoft’s own remote help to deploy and adopt, at no extra cost, from 150 licences per tenant, whichever way you buy.No partner neededMicrosoft’s page, 18 August 2026
- Security workshopfrom ≈ CHF 1'645.78 (USD 2'000)A security envisioning workshop or proof of concept before you buy, for 300 or more E3 or E5 users.A partner with a Microsoft specializationDistributor briefing, 16 July 2026
- Deployment of Microsoft 365up to USD 40'000Your partner deploys Business Premium or Microsoft 365 E3 bought through CSP, paid by Microsoft. Amounts by size are not published.A partner in Microsoft’s funded programmesDistributor briefing, 16 July 2026
- Microsoft 365 E3 promotionPrice promotion10% off three-year terms if you are new to the offer, 20% off one-year terms as a targeted offer.Any CSP partneruntil 31 December 2026Microsoft’s page, August 2026
- ECIFNot in this channel
Your partner also earns up to 2.5 % of your licence spend each year from Microsoft: about CHF 3'178.80 at 300 users. Ask what of it, and of the promotions, reaches you.
What you get depends on your partner: most funded work needs a partner with the matching Microsoft designation or specialization. A simple reseller can still pass on trials and price promotions.
Show the lines
- “Up to”: ClearSource uses Microsoft’s list price; Microsoft uses what it bills the partner.
- Only for partners with a Solutions Partner designation for Modern Work or Security (or 25+ capability points) and USD 25'000 revenue over the past 12 months.
- A partner taking over an existing customer gets no tier incentive for the first 12 months, only the growth incentive.
Amounts are distributors’ July 2026 briefings of Microsoft’s partner-only guide; Microsoft adjusted the incentives on 1 October 2026. Rates and rules checked 11 October 2026.
“Which Microsoft-funded work, trials and promotions do we qualify for? Do you hold the status it needs, and how does it show on your quote?”
Amounts change every Microsoft fiscal year (from 1 July). Figures marked “Distributor briefing” come from distributors’ summaries of Microsoft’s partner-only guide.
- Microsoft Partner News: FY27 incentives, 1 October 2026 update
- Microsoft Learn: Business plans, at most 300 users
- Microsoft Learn: Claiming Partner of Record
- Microsoft Learn: FastTrack eligibility
- Microsoft: Microsoft 365 Copilot voucher (FY27)
- Microsoft Tech Community: ECIF
- Partner Center announcements, August 2026
- Partner Center announcements, September 2026
- Partner Center announcements, October 2026
- Microsoft: Frontier Accelerate for Copilot engagements
- Crayon: FY27 partner briefing
- Bytes: FY27 incentive changes
Who supports you
What happens when something breaks or you have a question, by how you buy.
In shortThrough an IT partner, the partner is your support. Get response times and costs in writing. Microsoft fixes outages either way.
| When you need | Through an IT partner (CSP) | Direct from Microsoft | Enterprise Agreement or paid Microsoft support |
|---|---|---|---|
| First contact | Your IT partner. You can’t open requests with Microsoft yourself. | Microsoft, in the admin center under Help & support. | Microsoft: your administrators open requests directly. |
| Outages | Microsoft fixes the service. You and your partner see the status in Service health. | Microsoft fixes the service. You see the status in Service health. | Microsoft fixes the service. You see the status in Service health. |
| Invoice and licences | Your partner sends the invoice and answers billing questions. | Microsoft invoices you. Billing support in English, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. | Azure billing questions: free support from Microsoft. Who invoices: not stated. |
| Technical problems | Your partner solves them and passes faults on Microsoft’s side to Microsoft. | Microsoft, in English around the clock, some local languages. | Azure needs a paid support plan. Microsoft Unified covers the whole organisation. |
| Escalation to Microsoft | Your partner opens a request with Microsoft. Partners must support their customers. | Not needed: you deal with Microsoft directly. | Your administrators deal with Microsoft directly. |
| Response times | Set in your partner’s contract. Ask for them in writing. | Not stated. The admin center shows the expected wait. | Azure Standard: 1 hour for critical issues. Unified: from 15 minutes for Azure. |
| Cost | Your partner may charge for support. Check the contract. | Not stated for Microsoft 365. Azure basic support is included. | Azure plans USD 29, 100 or 1,000 a month. Unified: a share of spend, from USD 50,000. |
| Language and hours | Set by your partner: often in your language and region. | Technical support in English, 24/7. Billing in English, weekdays 9 to 5. | Azure business hours: 9 to 5 local time. Unified: urgent cases around the clock. |
- First contact
- Through an IT partner (CSP)Your IT partner. You can’t open requests with Microsoft yourself.
- Direct from MicrosoftMicrosoft, in the admin center under Help & support.
- Enterprise Agreement or paid Microsoft supportMicrosoft: your administrators open requests directly.
- Outages
- Through an IT partner (CSP)Microsoft fixes the service. You and your partner see the status in Service health.
- Direct from MicrosoftMicrosoft fixes the service. You see the status in Service health.
- Enterprise Agreement or paid Microsoft supportMicrosoft fixes the service. You see the status in Service health.
- Invoice and licences
- Through an IT partner (CSP)Your partner sends the invoice and answers billing questions.
- Direct from MicrosoftMicrosoft invoices you. Billing support in English, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.
- Enterprise Agreement or paid Microsoft supportAzure billing questions: free support from Microsoft. Who invoices: not stated.
- Technical problems
- Through an IT partner (CSP)Your partner solves them and passes faults on Microsoft’s side to Microsoft.
- Direct from MicrosoftMicrosoft, in English around the clock, some local languages.
- Enterprise Agreement or paid Microsoft supportAzure needs a paid support plan. Microsoft Unified covers the whole organisation.
- Escalation to Microsoft
- Through an IT partner (CSP)Your partner opens a request with Microsoft. Partners must support their customers.
- Direct from MicrosoftNot needed: you deal with Microsoft directly.
- Enterprise Agreement or paid Microsoft supportYour administrators deal with Microsoft directly.
- Response times
- Through an IT partner (CSP)Set in your partner’s contract. Ask for them in writing.
- Direct from MicrosoftNot stated. The admin center shows the expected wait.
- Enterprise Agreement or paid Microsoft supportAzure Standard: 1 hour for critical issues. Unified: from 15 minutes for Azure.
- Cost
- Through an IT partner (CSP)Your partner may charge for support. Check the contract.
- Direct from MicrosoftNot stated for Microsoft 365. Azure basic support is included.
- Enterprise Agreement or paid Microsoft supportAzure plans USD 29, 100 or 1,000 a month. Unified: a share of spend, from USD 50,000.
- Language and hours
- Through an IT partner (CSP)Set by your partner: often in your language and region.
- Direct from MicrosoftTechnical support in English, 24/7. Billing in English, weekdays 9 to 5.
- Enterprise Agreement or paid Microsoft supportAzure business hours: 9 to 5 local time. Unified: urgent cases around the clock.
- Microsoft may contact you directly about a service incident, whichever way you buy.
- If you also have a paid subscription bought directly from Microsoft, you can open requests with Microsoft too.
“What are your support hours and response times, what does support cost, and how fast do you escalate to Microsoft?”
- Microsoft Learn: support partners give their customers
- Microsoft Learn: partners report problems for customers
- Microsoft Learn: partners give billing support
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft’s technical support for partners
- Microsoft Learn: requirements for direct-bill partners
- Microsoft Learn: get support for Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft 365 service health
- Microsoft Learn: support requests under an Enterprise Agreement
- Microsoft Azure: support plans compared
- Microsoft Unified: plan details
Cancelling and changing
Microsoft’s rules for licence subscriptions bought through an IT partner. They apply to monthly, one-year and three-year terms.
In shortYou have 7 days (168 hours) after buying or renewing to cancel or remove seats, with a refund for the unused days. After that you pay to the end of the term.
- Day 0You buy. The price is fixed for the whole term.
- Within 7 daysCancel or remove seats, with a refund for the unused days. Your partner does it; you can’t cancel yourself.
- Rest of the termNo cancelling, no fewer seats: you pay to the end. You can add seats and upgrade at any time.
- Before the endChoose: renew, renew with fewer seats or another term, cancel at the end, or switch to extended service terms (monthly, cancel any time: 3% above the monthly-term price, which is 23% above the annual price).
- RenewalA new term at the current price, and a new 7-day window.
| Can you … | First 7 days | Rest of the term | At renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancel | YesRefund for the unused days | NoPay to the end of the term | YesCancel at the end, or switch to extended service terms |
| Remove seats | YesWithin 7 days of adding them | NoNot possible | YesSchedule fewer seats |
| Add seats | YesAny time | YesSame price and end date | YesAny time |
| Upgrade the plan | YesAny time | YesTo a higher plan only; no new 7-day window | YesSchedule it |
| Shorter term or lower plan | NoNot possible | NoOnly a longer term | PartlyShorter term or other billing: yes. A lower plan: not stated |
- Trials: 25 licences for one month. They turn into a paid subscription unless changed.
- After the 7 days, your partner is billed to the end of the term even if you stop using it.
“Will you cancel or reduce within the 7 days if we ask, and remind us before renewal so we can change seats or the term?”
Checked 3 October 2026. Microsoft’s rules change, and your partner’s contract decides the details.
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