Check out the latest updates on what managed service providers (MSPs) and managed intelligence providers (MIPs) need to know about Microsoft in April 2026.
Program Updates
Multifactor Authentication Enforcement
As of this month, Microsoft will enforce multifactor authentication (MFA) across all Partner Center APIs to strengthen security across the Partner Center ecosystem. After this date, any API calls made without MFA will be blocked.
All APIs are already MFA‑enabled and ready for testing. Partners should update their systems ahead of the enforcement date to prevent service disruptions.
Microsoft Extended Service Terms
Starting May 4, Microsoft will remove the free grace period for non‑renewed subscriptions (this date was pushed back). Through this change, Microsoft will launch the extended service term and supporting features, which will apply to license‑based services across all channels and markets.
Pax8 is not offering extended service terms at this time. As a reminder, by default, Pax8 has auto renew set to “on” for every purchase. If you don’t want to renew, you need to schedule a cancellation for time of renewal or cancel within the seven‑day window post renewal.
SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business: Retirement of Standalone Plans
Microsoft is evolving its cloud storage and collaboration portfolio and has announced the retirement of standalone SharePoint Online (SPO) Plan 1 and Plan 2 and OneDrive for Business (ODB) Plan 1 and Plan 2 offerings.
Partners should begin identifying impacted customers and preparing transition plans early. Microsoft is expanding storage options and providing an extended runway to support smooth customer migrations.
Key dates to know are:
- End of sale: June 2026 (no new tenants after May 31; renewals only)
- End of life: January 2027 (no renewals)
- End of service: December 2029 (all standalone plans fully retired)
Promotions and Offers
Partners can take advantage of multiple active promotions happening now. Please take note that offers will expire later this year, depending on the date. Current promotions include:
- Microsoft 365 E3 and E5: 10% off three-year terms, first-time purchases only (expires June 30, 2026)
- Microsoft 365 E5: 15% off one-year term, first-time purchases only (expires June 30, 2026)
- Microsoft 365 Copilot: 15% off one-year term, new Microsoft 365 Copilot customers with qualified pre-req SKUs (minimum 10 seats, maximum 300 seats) only (expires June 30, 2026)
- Purview and Defender Suite: 10% off net price for three-year contracts, first-time purchases only (expires July 1, 2026)
See FAQs for each linked above for more information.
AI and Business Solutions Updates
New SKU Announcements
Agent 365
Announced at Ignite and available May 1, Agent 365 is the central control plane for enterprise AI agents. Capabilities include:
- Observing and monitoring agent activity
- Governing agents through their full lifecycle
- Securing agent access and behavior across the organization
This platform lets partners help customers manage AI agents safely and at scale. It’ll be available for $15 user/month, with a 20% CSP margin.
Microsoft 365 E7 – The Frontier Worker Suite
Also coming May 1, this new integrated suite combines:
- Microsoft 365 E5
- Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Entra Suite
- Agent 365
The suite is priced at $99/user/month, offering savings of about $18/user/month (15%).
CSP Introductory Offers
To lower the barrier for entry to Microsoft 365 E7, we’re offering one-year introductory offers starting May 1 for CSPs. They are:
- 10% off for 10+ seats
- 15% off for 100+ seats
CSP Promotional Offers
Available through June 30, these promotions are available to boost Copilot business growth.
- Copilot Business: $18/user/month (~15% off), no seat minimum.
- Business Standard + Copilot: $22/user/month (~35% off), 10-seat minimum.
- Business Premium + Copilot: $32/user/month (~25% off), 10-seat minimum.
Pax8 + Zensai Customer Enablement Promo
To help you unlock your clients’ potential, Zensai offers an AI-powered Human Success Platform that combines learning, engagement and performance management. It can integrate directly into Microsoft 365, including Teams, SharePoint, Outlook and Copilot. Pax8 partners who sell a net-new subscription of more than 10 licenses of Copilot Business, Copilot for Nonprofit or Copilot Business Premium Bundle licenses are eligible to get the same amount of licenses of Zensai free for a year for their clients.
Enroll here — the promotional period has been extended through June 30, but it will end once funding runs out, so act now.
SMB AI Success Stack
Microsoft’s SMB AI Success Stack bundles Copilot for Business, Business Premium and the Purview Suite at discounted rates through June 30. The bundle is available for $32, with Copilot dropping from $21 to $18 and Purview from $10 to $5. Take advantage of this pricing before Microsoft’s broader Modern Work price increases in July.
Enablement Updates
Professional Services Purview Deployment Offer
Pax8 Professional Services can deploy and manage data governance services for you. This offer is available to partners purchasing 15-plus seats of:
- Microsoft Purview for Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Microsoft Defender and Purview Suites for Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Microsoft Purview Suite add-on (formerly E5 Compliance)
Pax8 also offers Purview data governance funded implementation (a $3k value), including:
- Review of data lifecycle management
- Creating a publishing policy for all sensitive labels
- Creating a baseline data labeling scheme (five labels)
- Creating advanced data loss prevention policies from Microsoft (three policies)
- Creating baseline data loss prevention policies from Microsoft (three policies)
This promotion is available through June 30 but will end once funding runs out, so move quickly if you’d like to take advantage of this offer.
Partner Enablement
- April 8-9: AI Bootcamp (Chicago)
- April 15-16: Copilot Bootcamp (Virtual)
Pax8 Events
- June 7–9: Beyond 2026 (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Follow all of our events here.
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