This page will help you understand:
- What it means to be a Solutions Partner.
- The difference between SMB and Enterprise paths.
- How to qualify and what you’ll gain.
- How specialisations and partner packs enhance your journey.
Understanding the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program (MAICPP)
The Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program is more than just a rebrand - it’s a strategic evolution.
Designed to recognise and reward partners who drive customer success through Microsoft Cloud and AI technologies, MAICPP focuses on capability, performance and specialisation.
Whether your business serves small and medium-sized customers or large enterprises, the programme offers clear pathways to growth, exclusive benefits and recognition that matters.
With tailored tracks for different customer segments and solution areas, MAICPP empowers you to:
Demonstrate your expertise through Solutions Partner designations
Accelerate your growth with partner benefits and incentives
Stand out in the market with advanced specialisations
What Are Solutions Partner Designations?
Solutions Partner designations are Microsoft’s evolved recognition model, replacing the legacy Silver/Gold competencies. They validate a partner’s ability to deliver customer success across six solution areas:
- Data & AI (Azure)
- Infrastructure (Azure)
- Digital & App Innovation (Azure)
- Business Applications
- Modern Work
- Security
SMB vs. Enterprise Paths: What’s the Difference?
Microsoft has introduced SMB-specific qualification paths for several solution areas within the Solutions Partner designations.
These paths are designed to make it easier for partners focused on small and medium-sized customers to qualify, while still offering the same designation and benefits as the Enterprise path. This applies to all 6 of the Solution Designations.
Your assigned path is automatically determined in Partner Center based on your customer mix and revenue profile.
How to attain designations:
To attain a Solutions Partner Designation, you need to earn at least 70 points within a subcategory – performance, skilling, customer success – out of the available 100 points. You must have more than 0 points in the other subcategories within that Designation. Each of the three categories has metrics with various weights and thresholds. When you reach a metric’s threshold, you receive the maximum weighted points for that metric. You get partial points for any progress on that metric.
Should there be intermediate and advanced skilling you do need to look to achieve both and have points in both. You will see more information on these within the battlecards we have created.
Performance
The performance category measures the ability of partners to expand both your and Microsoft’s customer base. Its primary metric is Net customer adds:
Points are awarded for the number of eligible customers added in the trailing 12 months. (Lost
customers are subtracted from new customers.) Each of the six solution areas has:
- A customer growth threshold for partners to reach.
- Its own eligibility criteria for new customers.
The eligible customers are those new to the partner. This can be a customer new to using Microsoft
products or a customer using Microsoft products that moves to a new partner. The customer must be associated with the partner to be included in the metric.
Skilling
The skilling category measures capabilities and skills acquired as the number of people in a partner organisation who are certified. Specific certifications and courses are required in each of the six solution areas. Credits in the skilling category are based on the certifications earned by learners linked to your organisation.
There are two metrics in the skilling category:
- Intermediate certifications measure your organisation’s progress towards having an adequate number of people with intermediate certifications in specified solution areas. (In some of the six solution areas, only intermediate certifications are available).
- Advanced certifications measure your organisation’s progress towards having an adequate number of people with advanced certifications in specified solution areas.
Customer Success
The customer success category measures your organisation’s ability to enable growth in the use of Microsoft products, or in the expansion of Microsoft’s services and workloads used by customers.
There are two metrics in the customer success category:
- Usage growth measures the growth in usage of Microsoft’s products by your customers in the past year. Each solution area has its own thresholds, weight and qualifying criteria for which customers earn points in this metric.
- Deployments measures your ability to expand the deployment of Microsoft workloads within a specified solution area across your customer portfolio. To learn more about the criteria for this metric, see the battles for detailed requirements for each solution area
Expanded Recognition of CSP Sales and Service Delivery
Another key update to the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Programme is how customer engagement is recognised across all six solution areas. Previously, the Security designation did not account for CSP sales—but that has now changed.
Today, CSP sales are fully recognised across all designations, alongside Claiming Partner of Record (CPOR) and Partner Admin Link (PAL) associations. This means that whether you’re selling licences directly or delivering services for customers through other channels, your contributions are now fully counted towards your designation progress.
Benefits of becoming a Solutions Partner:
Product Benefits
Encouraging business development Product benefits (formerly IUR) have been designed to align the Solutions Partner Designations, including:
- Azure bulk credits
- Development environments
- New cloud product subscriptions
Increasing Customer Reach
- Co-selling with Microsoft
- Go-To-Market services and tools, assets and personalised consultation
- Microsoft solutions provider placement
Expanding Technical Skilling, Enablement and Support
- Personalised assistance, comprehensive courses, and world-class Microsoft experts
- Technical presales and deployments services
- Product (on-prem and cloud), platform, and technical support
Microsoft’s Partner Benefits
In addition to the benefits earned through Solutions Partner designations, Microsoft offers three purchasable Partner Benefits Packs designed to support your business—whether you’re just starting out, haven’t yet achieved a designation, or simply need additional internal use rights.
These packs are independent of the Solutions Partner designations, but they stack alongside them. You can purchase one of each pack per Microsoft Partner ID, giving you the flexibility to tailor your benefits to your business needs.
Partner Launch Pack
Ideal for new or growing partners, this pack provides essential internal use rights, cloud credits, and foundational support to help you get started and build momentum.
Partner Success - Core Pack
Designed for partners who need additional capacity, this pack includes more licences, technical enablement resources, and support to help you scale your operations.
Partner Success - Expanded Pack
Best suited for mature partners looking to maximise their internal use rights and access advanced support. This pack offers the most comprehensive set of benefits.
These packs are particularly useful if you haven’t yet achieved a Solutions Partner designation or if you require additional product benefits beyond what your designation provides.
Below is a guide that shows exactly what internal use rights you receive in each of these three packs, as well as the benefits associated with all six Solutions Partner designations and specialisations.
Specialisations – Elevate Your Expertise
Once you’ve achieved a Solutions Partner designation, the next step in your Microsoft partnership journey is to pursue a specialisation. These are advanced credentials that validate your organisation’s deep technical expertise, proven customer success, and ability to deliver complex solutions in high-demand areas.
What Are Specialisations?
Specialisations are solution-area-specific recognitions that sit above the Solutions Partner designations. They demonstrate that your organisation has gone beyond the baseline requirements and is capable of delivering high-impact, technically advanced solutions.
Each specialisation aligns with one of the six solution areas:
- Azure (e.g. AI Platform, Kubernetes, SAP on Azure)
- Modern Work (e.g. Calling for Teams, Endpoint Management)
- Security (e.g. Threat Protection, Identity & Access Management)
- Business Applications (e.g. Low Code, Finance, Sales)
Why Pursue a Specialisation?
Specialisations offer significant advantages:
- Access to exclusive funding programmes and Microsoft-led workshops
- Priority referrals and co-sell opportunities with Microsoft
- Enhanced visibility in Microsoft’s partner directories
- Advanced tools and resources to support delivery and growth
- Stronger customer trust through third-party validation
What’s Required?
These requirements ensure that specialisations are a mark of true excellence, not just participation.
To earn a specialisation, you must:
- Hold an active Solutions Partner designation in the relevant solution area
- Meet performance and skilling requirements
- Provide customer references (for some specialisations)
- For Azure specialisations, pass a third-party audit to validate your delivery capabilities
We're Here to Support You
As you plan which Solutions Partner designation to pursue, consider the criteria required, the benefits you’ll receive, and what might come next—such as earning a specialisation. Remember, your TD SYNNEX SureStep team is here to support you every step of the way.
Whether it’s:
Reviewing your Partner Centre data and building a roadmap together
Identifying the technical certifications you need—and helping you access Microsoft-funded training
Maximising the benefits that come with your designation, such as internal use rights, incentives, and co-op marketing funds
We’re here to help you make the most of your Microsoft partnership.
Here are a couple of helpful links to deepen your understanding of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Programme (MAICPP):
Differentiate with Solutions Partner designations | Microsoft
Solutions Partner designations overview | Microsoft Partner
Apply for specializations – Partner Center | Microsoft Learn