The Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program is how Microsoft partners sell and manage Microsoft cloud services for their customers. In CSP, the partner owns the customer relationship end to end: selling licenses, provisioning subscriptions, billing, and providing support and account management.

Key Takeaways

The Microsoft program for reselling and managing cloud services.
The partner owns the customer relationship end to end.
Two models exist: direct-bill and indirect reseller.
Owning the customer means owning billing, renewals, and support.

Direct and indirect CSP

Direct-bill partners work with Microsoft directly and handle billing, support, and provisioning themselves. Indirect resellers work through an indirect provider (a distributor such as Pax8, Ingram Micro, or TD SYNNEX) that supplies the Microsoft relationship, while the reseller owns the customer.

Why CSP operations get complex

Owning the customer means owning the billing, renewals, provisioning, and compliance that come with it. As the subscription base grows, that operational load is what most partners look to automate.

How Work 365 supports this

Work 365 is the revenue and operations platform for Microsoft CSP partners, built on Microsoft Power Platform. See the CSP Billing Platform.

Related terms: Direct CSP, Indirect CSP, NCE, Microsoft Partner Center.

FAQ

What is the difference between direct and indirect CSP?
Direct-bill partners transact with Microsoft directly. Indirect resellers transact through an indirect provider that supplies the Microsoft relationship.

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