The Microsoft Volume Licensing team recently completed its annual agreement refresh with the goal of improving overall partner and customer satisfaction. These changes help support business and product evolution, help clarify language, and align and simplify agreements. Outlined below are the key refresh highlights in 2012, which include Enterprise Programs, Open License and Open Value, Academic Open, Open Value Subscription Education Solution Agreement (OVS-ES) and Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES).

 Enterprise Programs

• The Enterprise Agreement (EA) Qualified Device Definition was re-written to simplify licensing and increase flexibility for embedded devices in light of the consumerization of IT phenomenon, including the “Bring You Own Device” trend.  The EA also includes a more simplified definition of “managed and/or controlled” devices.
• To increased transparency and to provide additional flexibility, we added License Transfer Language back to the EA for transfers of headcount.
• Enabling customers to transition to Office 365 in the EA without incurring additional fees during the first year was the key customer benefit of last year’s updated EA.  This year’s terms and conditions changes clarify the mechanics of the transition and when first payments are due.
• We also simplified EA Government by aligning government terms and conditions with current EA, Enrollment for Application Platform (EAP), and Enrollment for Core Infrastructure (ECI).

 Open License and Open Value

• All versions of Open Programs Agreements now incorporate online services (OLS) terms.
• The integration of Open Charity into Open has helped simplify the respective contracts. 

Academic Open, Open Value Subscription Education Solution Agreement (OVS-ES) and Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES)

• The team incorporated Program rules for Office 365 in the EES.
• We updated the “How to Order” section to remove confusion around additional products that could be ordered organization-wide versus a la-carte.
• Additionally, the team updated the Qualified Device Definition in OVS-ES and EES to align with the EA.

Have a question about the 2012 Agreement Refresh? Want to share your opinion on what should be included in the next refresh? Drop us a line in the comments below.