Microsoft has announced several changes to the licensing of its flagship software offering, Microsoft 365. The suite of products, which includes Office 365, Enterprise Mobility + Security and Windows, has proven one of Microsoft’s most popular products and has both E3 and E5 licensing options.

The following changes to Microsoft 365 licensing policies effect:

  • Dual Use Rights update
  • Single SKU launch
  • Microsoft Home Use Program update

Dual Use Rights

The planned retirement of the “dual use” policy has been moved to 1st August 2019. The “dual use” policy provides M365 customers with the ability to use a perpetual installation of Office in lieu of Office 365 if they qualify for the “From SA” SKU.

Beginning 1st August 2019, this benefit will be removed for both new and renewing agreements which include the “From SA” version of Microsoft 365 E3 or E5. This will not affect customers with active agreements until those agreements expire.

This benefit is to aid a customers’ deployment of Office 365 Pro Plus where they are not yet ready for the transition from perpetual versions of the Office apps. Assistance is available from Trustmarque’s funded FastTrack team in deploying Office 365 Pro Plus and helping to uncover any technical obstacles.

Single SKU launch

Previously each individual M365 component (Office, EM+S and Windows) would be listed, assigned and managed separately via the Admin Center. From 1st August 2019,  Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 will have a corresponding Single SKU in both the Admin Center and License Summary.

The new Single SKU will be available to customers who have purchased via EA, EAS, and MPSA. The original component SKU will be retained as “Original Microsoft” SKUs.

Microsoft Home Use Programme update

Office 365 Subscriptions will now be available to purchase for employees of eligible organisations at a discounted rate. The Home Use Programme (HUP), is being expanded to include the following:

  • Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal annual subscriptions will be available for purchase at a 30% discount through HUP for employees of eligible organizations.
  • In addition to current customers with Software Assurance (SA) for Office, discounted Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal annual subscriptions will also be available to cloud customers with at least 2,000 licenses of Office 365 E3/E5 or Microsoft 365 E3/E5 (or at least 13,000 licenses of the corresponding Education and Non-profit SKUs).

These changes went live on 30th October 2018. For eligible Software Assurance customers, discounts will be continued to be offered on Office Profession Plus and Home & Business through to 30th June 2019.

Let Trustmarque help you to move to Microsoft 365?

Trustmarque provides a number of cloud and professional services to guide and support customers in their move to Microsoft 365, including the assistance of our funded FastTrack team. For more information please contact your Trustmarque Account Manager or email [email protected]

By Tom McEwing.

Tom is one of our Microsoft Licensing Specialists who advises our customers on how to get the most from their Microsoft volume licensing and contracts.