Find out what’s new for Microsoft partners this week. We’ll connect you to resources that help you become market-ready, connect with customers and prospects, and differentiate your business. You can read previous weeks’ issues at http://aka.ms/uspnewsletter.
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Build your partner business for the cloud-first, mobile-first era
Accelerate your business, profitably, with Microsoft cloud services: Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. Use our guide to find suggested resources that help each stage of your business. Read more.
We’re throwing a party at WPC 2015, and you’re invited
Each year, the US Partner Team hosts US WPC attendees at a party that celebrates our year of partnership, giving us an opportunity to get together in a relaxed atmosphere and have some fun. This year’s US Celebration is on Tuesday, July 14 at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort. Read more.
Sales and Licensing Excellence webcasts for Microsoft Dynamics partners
Register for these sales-oriented webcasts about Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM Online. You’ll get insights to new sales opportunities and how to have effective customer conversations. Webcast schedule.
- February 24: Dynamics ERP on Azure – how to get started
- February 26: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Government
- On demand: CRM Online and Open Volume Licensing
Get visibility to our plans for Office 365 and Microsoft Azure
Online roadmaps are available for Office 365 and the Cloud Platform that includes Azure, so you can easily view newly available products, features, and services.
Train your sales and technical teams without sacrificing productivity
Microsoft and its Learning Partners offer in-person, live virtual, and self-paced training that meets the needs of all roles at your company. Check out a new self-paced training option for IT pros and developers, and encourage your sales professionals to use on-demand webcasts and learning paths to build their knowledge. Download our comprehensive partner readiness guide for links to these options. Get the guide.
Partner of the Year Awards are open now through April 14
Our awards program is your opportunity to compete for awards that showcase the solutions you’ve built on Microsoft technologies that benefit our mutual customers. Receiving a Partner of the Year Award positions your company for new business opportunities, generates positive press coverage, and can lead to greater market recognition. Read more.
Microsoft Azure Sales Assessment coming soon—prepare with this learning path
This spring, you can earn Sales Specialist accreditation for Microsoft Azure by passing the Azure Partner Practice Enablement sales assessment. Take the modules in the Azure Start Sales Assessment learning path to prepare: learn how to identify new opportunities, how to handle objections, about pricing and licensing, and more. Follow the learning path.
Marketing SureStep – elevate your cloud business to success
Having a marketing strategy for your business is no longer optional. Marketing SureStep will help you create the right approach for your company, from connecting with customers to telling a compelling story to measuring your progress.
New Cloud Customer Relationship Management Competency Coming March 2
This Cloud Performance competency joins those for Office 365 and Azure, and comes with benefits for partners demonstrating success in the cloud, like Signature Cloud Support, priority placement in the Microsoft Pinpoint marketplace, and initial eligibility qualification for CRM incentives (Sales + Management). Earn the silver competency at no cost and gold level competency at a discounted rate.
- Register for the March 2 webcast about the new Cloud CRM competency
- Learn how to get started with the Office 365 and Azure competencies today
- CRM Online is now available through Open
- Over 30% off Dynamics CRM Online Professional effective now through June 30
Partner calendar through March 6
 | Refer to the March Hot Sheet for a comprehensive, frequently updated list covering the next several weeks. Featured training
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Week of February 23–27
Monday, February 23
Tuesday, February 24
- SMB Live Workshop: Attract Customers, Grow Sales (in Bellevue, WA)
- Microsoft Virtual Academy: Polyglot Persistence – Choosing the Right Storage
- Windows Apportal Office Hours
- Partner Technical Services: Office 365 Real World Scenarios – Inventory Management
- Partner Practice Enablement (Content Sneak Peek)
- Microsoft Azure Solution Scenarios – Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
- Sales and Licensing Excellence Webcast: Dynamics ERP on Azure and How to Get Started – Level 100
Wednesday, February 25
- Cloud Profitability Webcast: Driving Customer Results with Key Office 365 Usage Scenarios
- SMB Live Technical Training: Modernize with Hybrid Cloud (in Bellevue, WA)
- Partner Technical Services: Voice for Office 365
- Microsoft Virtual Academy: Practical Performance Tips to Make Your HTML/JavaScript Faster
- Microsoft Virtual Academy: Getting Started with PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC)
Thursday, February 26
- Sales and Licensing Excellence Webcast: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Government – Level 100
- Partner Technical Services: Power BI for Office 365 – Enhanced Reporting in Project Online
- Partner Technical Services: Migrate Your MBX to Office 365 – Exchange Hybrid Advanced Scenarios
- Partner Technical Services: Windows Server 2003 Modernization
- Microsoft Azure Solution Scenarios – Azure Mobile Services Deep Dive
- Enterprise Mobility Scenario – Microsoft Azure Rights Management Services
- Microsoft Virtual Academy: Developing Games with Marmalade and C++ for Windows and Windows Phone
- Microsoft Virtual Academy: Advanced PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) and Custom Resources
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 Virtual Foundations Course
- Dynamics Bite-Sized: Dynamics AX 2012 R3 Transportation Management
Friday, February 27
Week of March 2–6
Monday, March 2
- Microsoft Experience Center Facilitator Boot Camp in Boston, MA
- Microsoft Experience Center Facilitator Boot Camp in Charlotte, NC
- Microsoft Experience Center Facilitator Boot Camp in Houston, TX
- Partner Practice Enablement: Azure Technical Training
- Cloud Customer Relationship Management Competency Updates
- Ask the Experts Messaging: Hybrid Migration
Tuesday, March 3
- Windows Apportal Office Hours (last one!)
- Sales and Licensing Excellence Webcast: Part 1: Licensing Windows 8.1 – Level 100
- Microsoft Virtual Academy: Azure and Open Source – What You Need to Know
- Partner Technical Services: Office 365 Real World Scenarios – Knowledge Management
- Partner Technical Services: Office 365 Initial Journey – Drive Office 365 Adoption
- Success with Enterprise Mobility Suite: How do I protect my data wherever it goes?
Wednesday, March 4
- Microsoft Cloud Platform Road Show for Hosting Service Providers in Dallas, TX
- Cloud Profitability Webcast: Accelerate Sales Process
- Introduction to Dynamics CRM Online (Sales Productivity), Administration, Pricing & Licensing
- Microsoft Virtual Academy: SQL, Python, and Flask
- Partner Technical Services: Voice for Office 365
- Microsoft Azure Solution Scenarios – BigData on Azure
Thursday, March 5
- Partner Technical Services: Office 365 Practice Accelerator for SMB
- Microsoft Virtual Academy: Developer Productivity: What's New in C# 6
- Sales and Licensing Excellence Webcast: Trust and Transparency in a Cloud-First World – Level 100
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Spring Readiness Blitz – Sales Track
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Spring Readiness Blitz – Technical Track
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 Virtual Foundations Course
- US Office 365 Partner Community Call
- How to Sell Office 365 Through the Value Propositions of SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Yammer
- Microsoft Online Services Advisor Monthly Office Hours: Web-Direct and Deploy Incentives