What is PIE?
The Partner Investment Engine (PIE) is an online tool that allows Microsoft partners to request funds to support the execution of key pre-sales and marketing activities with their customers. Microsoft’s US partner investments team handles partner investments, including both PIE offers and transaction and utilization incentives. Check out the image below to see how partner offers and incentives apply across the entire customer journey.
What does PIE do?
PIE strives to accelerate digital transformation opportunities around Applications and Infrastructure, Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Modern Workplace, and Business Applications by providing funding for pre-sales and post-sales services engagements with customers.
Each PIE program focuses on a set of Microsoft products including Microsoft Azure, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Enterprise Mobility and Security (EM+S), Microsoft Dynamics 365, Microsoft Office 365, and Microsoft 365. Different programs target different types of activities. From marketing activities like executive roundtables, events in a box, hackfests, cloud workshops, solution roadshows to pilots, proofs of concept, Cloud Immersion Experiences (CIE), Architecture Design Sessions (ADS), and deployment and migration assistance, there’s a perfect option for whatever you may need.
Why should I use PIE? What value does it add?
For a partner like you, PIE programs make demonstrating the value of Microsoft products to potential customers a breeze. On top of this, PIE adds value to your customers by decreasing the cost of common pre-sales engagements used to evaluate IT solutions.
All managed and unmanaged partners in the US have access to the PIE portal, which allows for easy access to all US partner investment programs using a single platform. On top of this, you can apply for many investment programs using a consistent request process and see real-time status information on all pending requests.
Great! How do I get started with partner investments?
The easiest way to get started is to join our weekly office hour calls, where we review and answer questions about our pre-sales and post-sales investment offers. We’ll also discuss transactional and consumption incentive programs. Registration is simple. Sign up for an upcoming call here.
I’d like to learn more. Where do I go?
There’s plenty of ways to learn more. You can join our Partner Incentives & Investments Yammer group, which has information, updates, and announcements about partner investments. You’ll also find useful resources like our PIE how-to guide and materials from recent office hours. Yammer also has our FY19 investments overview, which details the partner competency requirements and other eligibility requirements for different offers.
If you have any questions about how to submit a claim, you can also contact our tier 1 support team at piesupp@microsoft.com
.