The new Office launch update

I’m excited to tell you that our Microsoft Office Division engineering team has begun the release process for the new Office a couple of days ago. In a blog post, Kirk Koenigsbauer shared that the new Office for on-premises deployment will be available on the Volume Licensing (VL) price list starting December 1, 2012, as well as availability of the new Office on Windows RT devices.

In addition to this signaling that the code is now complete, it also signals that in the next 3-6 weeks, our MPN partners, MSDN and TechNet subscribers will have access to the release bits.  

You are a step closer to the game-changing, new Office:

• Click-to-run:  Office streamed, on-ramp to cloud, enterprise security
• Enhanced value in premium offers:  Compliance, security, BI, advanced voice and video
• Office on demand:  Office streamed, on-ramp to cloud, enterprise security
• And much more!

 There will be updated content on the MPN portal on November 1 and at that time, the global MPN home page will highlight the new Office.

Please use this as an opportunity to ensure that your company is ready to sell the new Office. Following you find the corresponding resources per partner type: 

For System Integrators:

1. Learn more about the new Office:  Visit the Microsoft Office Customer Preview portal and MPN Office Product Page to learn more about the new Office launch and become familiar with partner resources that will help you drive demand
2. Take courses: use the PLC Learning Paths to understand the product capabilities and how to sell the new Office
3. Discover partner resources: Visit the New Office page on MPN to become familiar with partner resources that will help you drive demand
4. Attend online training: Plan training for sales and licensing using the partner learning paths
5. Attain Competencies: Understand the Competency Changes and attain competencies
6. Use the Microsoft resources: Utilize Microsoft sales tools and resources, including SIP, PSP Activation Kit
7. Use Pinpoint and CIE - Customer Immersion Experience to create demand
8. Understand the pricing & licensing: Ensure you understand the  new Office pricing and licensing changes and are actively planning to help eligible customers deploy licensing grants or drive broader adoption.
9. Learn more about the EA Deployment Offer for Office 365

For Value Added Resellers:

1. Learn more about the new Office:  Visit the Microsoft Office Customer Preview portal and MPN Office Product Page to learn more about the new Office launch
2. Take courses: use the PLC Learning Paths to understand the product capabilities and how to sell the new Office
3. Discover partner resources: Visit the New Office page on MPN to become familiar with partner resources that will help you drive demand
4. Get ready for the New Office:  for information on the new Office refer to the learning paths
5. Attend Disti Bootcamps in your area
6. Understand pricing & licensing: Work with your PAMs or other Microsoft contacts for a high level overview of the licensing changes
7. Target appropriate customers for an early upgrade

For LARs

1. Learn more about the new Office:  Visit the Microsoft Office Customer Preview portal and MPN Office Product Page to learn more about the new Office launch and become familiar with partner resources that will help you drive demand
2. Get ready for the New Office:  for information on the new Office refer to the learning paths
3. Understand Competency changes:  Understand the impact of Competency Changes on your business
4. Attend in person training: Attend Partner Roadshows that are happening in your local geography
5. Understand pricing & licensing: Work with your PAMs for a high level overview of the licensing changes

Execute your sales strategy: Focus on renewing EA’s, and develop an upsell plan to drive Enterprise SKUs

For Distributors:

1. Learn more about the new Office:  Visit the Microsoft Office Customer Preview portal and MPN Office Product Page to learn more about the new Office launch
2. Take courses: use the PLC Learning Paths to understand the product capabilities and how to sell the new Office
3. Discover partner resources: Visit the New Office page on MPN to become familiar with partner resources that will help you drive demand
4. Get ready for the New Office:  Refer to learning paths for information on the new Office
5. Execute Disti Bootcamps
6. Understand licensing changes:  Understand the licensing and pricing announcements and plan to help eligible customers utilize their licensing grants
7. Identify opportunities:  Use MCOIT/SHOOT to identify opportunities
8. Drive utilization of marketing campaigns and promotions