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EA to CSP Migration: Microsoft’s New Reality, CSP Partners’ Big Opportunity

Amar Paatil
Amar Paatil |
EA to CSP Migration: Microsoft’s New Reality, CSP Partners’ Big Opportunity
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Executive Summary

  • Nov 1, 2025: Microsoft will align EA, MPSA, and OSPA Online Services pricing with Microsoft list prices. EA customers lose many volume discounts at renewal.

  • EA isn’t going away entirely, but Microsoft is pushing some accounts, especially smaller renewals, toward CSP or MCA-E.

  • CSP is now enterprise-ready: 3-year terms, flexible billing, Azure and seat-based migration tooling.

  • The catch: Licensing transfers are simple; billing is complex. Data gaps, reservations, and catalog changes can cause 2–3% margin leakage if unmanaged.

  • Opportunity: CSP partners who automate billing and renewal processes can win EA customers and protect margins.

Why Now: Microsoft’s Commercial Reset

EA was traditionally restricted to large LSPs and LARs, legacy partners with scale and special status. CSP partners on large couldn’t compete in this motion.

But times have changed. Microsoft is reshaping its commercial model around Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program: a flexible, partner-driven way to buy cloud services. Starting November 1, 2025, Microsoft will standardize Online Services pricing under EA, MPSA, and OSPA to align with Microsoft’s list prices. Translation? Many EA customers will lose traditional volume discounts at renewal.

At the same time, CSP has grown up. With 3-year CSP terms (available since June 2025 for M365 E3/E5 and Teams Enterprise), monthly/annual billing options, and migration tooling for Azure and seat-based workloads, CSP now matches EA’s stability while adding flexibility.

What EA → CSP Migration Really Means

EA → CSP migration isn’t just about switching contracts. It’s a structural shift in how Microsoft expects customers to consume cloud services and how partners must operate.

  • For customers: No more one-size-fits-all. CSP gives them flexible terms, local partner support, and scalability.

  • For CSP partners: Every EA renewal opens up competition. Winning depends on more than reselling SKUs: it requires operational excellence in billing, catalog management, and compliance. This is a golden opportunity for CSP partners to grab and:

    • Win customers EA incumbents once locked down.

    • Deliver flexible billing and contracts EA could never offer.

    • Turn migration complexity into lasting CSP relationships.

The Catch: Migration Risks

Microsoft makes license transfers relatively straightforward. But billing is where partners stumble.

  • Billing and utilization data doesn’t transfer.

  • Azure Reservations/Savings Plans often don’t migrate.

  • Billing and contract gaps can appear if invoicing isn’t aligned to cutover. Left unmanaged, these can cascade into revenue leakage and even cash flow strain.

At enterprise scale, even 2–3% revenue leakage = $200K lost per $10M CSP business.

How Work 365 Helps You Win EA → CSP Migrations

Work 365 was built for exactly this moment. As Microsoft pushes more customers to CSP, partners need automation to scale.

Here’s how Work 365 makes EA-to-CSP migration profitable:

  • Cutover without chaos: Automates invoice alignment at EA expiry and CSP contract start; no double billing, no missed revenue.

  • Revenue event capture: Every license change, usage adjustment, or cancellation is tracked automatically.

  • Flexi Billing Contract: Mirrors Microsoft’s billing cadence (monthly, annual, triennial) while enabling custom partner terms (quarterly, biweekly, hybrid).

  • Integrated compliance: Syncs with Partner Center, CRM, ERP, and PSA systems for audit-ready billing accuracy and margin visibility.

  • Future-proof scalability: Multi-currency, renewal management, price and catalog management, and self-service portals to handle enterprise customers.

What to Do Now

If your customers have EA renewals coming up after November 1, 2025, you have a choice:

  • Let them renew EA at higher list-aligned prices with less flexibility.

  • Or help them migrate to CSP, where you can deliver flexibility, value, and partner-led support: powered by Work 365 automation.

Don’t wait until renewals hit. Book a CSP Migration Strategy Session with Work 365 today. We’ll help you align contracts, automate billing cutover, and turn Microsoft’s commercial shift into your growth advantage.

1. What is EA → CSP migration?

EA → CSP migration is the process of moving a customer’s Microsoft services from the Enterprise Agreement (EA) licensing model to the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) model. It usually happens at EA renewal and involves shifting licenses (M365, Dynamics, etc.) or Azure subscriptions into CSP, where a partner manages billing, provisioning, and support.

2. Why is Microsoft pushing EA customers to CSP now?

As of November 1, 2025, Microsoft will align EA, MPSA, and OSPA Online Services pricing to the Microsoft.com list price, removing many EA volume discounts. At the same time, CSP now offers enterprise-grade features like 3-year terms, monthly/annual billing, and migration tooling. Microsoft wants more commerce to flow through CSP and MCA-E, not legacy EA models.

3. Who will be most affected by EA changes in 2025?

  • Customers with fewer than ~2,500 seats, who see little value in renewing EA at list-aligned prices.

  • Mid-market and enterprise organizations with renewals after Nov 1, 2025, facing higher costs.

  • LSPs/LARs, who lose exclusivity as CSP partners can now compete for EA renewals.

4. Can Azure subscriptions be migrated from EA to CSP?

Yes, but with conditions. The CSP partner must be a Direct-bill partner and Azure Expert MSP, the customer must have an Azure plan and accept the Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA). Billing/utilization data does not transfer, and Azure Reservations/Savings Plans generally don’t move, they must be re-purchased.

5. Why is EA → CSP migration an opportunity for partners?

Every EA renewal post-November 2025 is a competitive moment. CSP partners can win customers away from LSP incumbents by offering:

  • Flexible billing aligned to customer needs.

  • Localized support and services.

  • Automation that ensures zero billing errors and fast cutovers.

6. How does Work 365 support EA → CSP migration?

Work 365 automates EA-to-CSP cutovers by aligning invoices, capturing all revenue events, and managing catalogs, pricing, and multi-currency billing. With Flexi Billing Contracts and Partner Center integration, partners eliminate leakage and stay compliant.

Book a CSP Migration Strategy Session
to see how Work 365 makes migration profitable.

 

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