The EA Transition Checklist

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The EA Transition Navigator – Your Strategic Response Guide!

This eBook provides a comprehensive guide to navigating Microsoft’s significant changes to its Enterprise Agreement (EA) pricing structure for Online Services, effective 1^st of November 2025.

Action Plan

This eBook includes a 90-day strategic response, and an action plan is outlined, including steps for assessment, partner evaluation, decision-making, and establishing a continuous optimization process. Optimization reviews should be conducted continuously to maximize savings and adapt to changing usage patterns. This eBook highlights the financial implications of reactive VS strategic approaches.

Key takeaways include

Organizations are advised to start planning early, establish ongoing optimization processes, and evaluate decisions from a business perspective involving IT decision makers, CFOs and other key stakeholders. ​

• Changes to EA pricing:

Microsoft has updated the tiered volume discount system (price levels A, B, C, D) for Online Services, replacing it with a single flat pricing structure. ​Volume discounts are no longer automatic and must be negotiated separately. ​The Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) model offers flexibility with monthly license adjustments.

• Current State Assessment:

Organizations are encouraged to evaluate their current licensing and usage, including active users, unused licenses, Azure spend trends, and EA contract details, to identify immediate cost-saving opportunities. ​

• Planning Timeline:

This document outlines three planning windows based on EA expiration dates.

Author

Carl Gate

Business Developer Public Cloud

Carl Gate helps companies get more value out of their IT platform. To become faster, better and more mobile. The Lego pieces are usually Microsoft-based cloud services.