[windows software] Changing Microsoft License Reseller...?

[Koldov]

Hi,

 

Just wondering (if it's even possible), how easy is it to change reseller midway through a licensing period?

[localzuk]

It is possible, yes. There's a form you need to fill in - your new reseller should be able to give you the form.

[synaesthesia]

Very, have a chat with any reseller and they'll do it all for you; generally it's something you'd do at renewal (so at year end rather than end of the 3 year period)

[atcoates]

Is the current agreement due to finish? The agreement is really with Microsoft not the re seller. If you're half way through a three year agreement I don't think you could change it as you would signed at the start with MS for the length of the agreement. May be wrong.

[localzuk]

Is the current agreement due to finish? The agreement is really with Microsoft not the re seller. If you're half way through a three year agreement I don't think you could change it as you would signed at the start with MS for the length of the agreement. May be wrong.

Yes, you're wrong. Your agreement is with MS, but you are linked to a specific reseller. You can fill in a form and change reseller though - we've done it more than once.

[Boredguy]

Yep a simple form to complete with your new reseller. Did it in our 2nd year.

[atcoates]

Yes, you're wrong. Your agreement is with MS, but you are linked to a specific reseller. You can fill in a form and change reseller though - we've done it more than once.

Ok that's interesting. So if I was in a three year agreement with re seller A for three years and then re seller B got better pricing we could switch across and save some money?

[Andycat]

Ok that's interesting. So if I was in a three year agreement with re seller A for three years and then re seller B got better pricing we could switch across and save some money?

 

Yes, we have

[localzuk]

Ok that's interesting. So if I was in a three year agreement with re seller A for three years and then re seller B got better pricing we could switch across and save some money?

Yup. We've done that a couple of times.

[atcoates]

Thanks for that @localzuk @Andycat much appreciated.

[DJ-1701]

Just had to renew ours at the Primary, went with XMA and there is a section on the form that states 'If renewal from another reseller, provide previous enrolment number', so should be able to. When we purchased via Stone they used to change the company they ordered the licenses from as well.

[Koldov]

Thanks all,

 

Still a bit confused how you save money in the middle of a licensing period?

 

Do you get the remaining years refunded and then re-purchase?

 

How long does it take?

 

I presume this also means I would have to go through a new Purchase Order route at the school to get things going with the new reseller?

 

Any issues with the new reseller accessing VLSC and changing something in there for us immediately?

 

Anyway, if it is possible, then I guess I am looking for recommendations...

 

I'd rather not be bombarded with calls and emails of the 'do you know we also sell this...' type of thing, no salespeople, no upselling and hopefully would have our best interest at heart as far as value for money (is a 3 year deal worth it with MS changing licensing costs and such).

 

Also, looking for a reseller that actually understands MS licensing (if anybody really does) and one that can actually get back to you and deal with an issue quickly.

[Andycat]

Thanks all,

 

Still a bit confused how you save money in the middle of a licensing period?

 

Do you get the remaining years refunded and then re-purchase?

 

How long does it take?

 

I presume this also means I would have to go through a new Purchase Order route at the school to get things going with the new reseller?

 

Any issues with the new reseller accessing VLSC and changing something in there for us immediately?

 

Anyway, if it is possible, then I guess I am looking for recommendations...

 

I'd rather not be bombarded with calls and emails of the 'do you know we also sell this...' type of thing, no salespeople, no upselling and hopefully would have our best interest at heart as far as value for money (is a 3 year deal worth it with MS changing licensing costs and such).

 

Also, looking for a reseller that actually understands MS licensing (if anybody really does) and one that can actually get back to you and deal with an issue quickly.

 

You may be in a 3 yr agreement, but you're invoiced annually. We get quotes every year (because I'm made to as it's over £1000) so have to go out to resellers anyway.

 

You then just raise a PO to your new reseller.

 

Historically, in no order of preference, we've used RM, Softcat, Concorde and Millgate for Microsoft licensing quotes and services, and all have "experts", that sometimes differ in opinion so therefore price! I'm not expert enough to say who's right or wrong, so keep a record of all correspondence.

[johnlevis]

Your agreement is with Microsoft who fix the per licence cost for year 2 and 3 renewals, whichever reseller you use. You pay annually for 3 years and can change reseller at each renewal.

 

There are no changes needed on the VLSC as this is your licence pool direct with Microsoft - Microsoft just need to see that the renewal has been paid.

 

Feel free to contact me if you need any more information

 

John Levis | Software and Solutions Specialist | VeryPC

Tel: 0114 321 8609

very-pc.co.uk

[email protected]

[Koldov]

'If renewal from another reseller, provide previous enrolment number'

 

We get quotes every year (because I'm made to as it's over £1000) so have to go out to resellers anyway.

 

change reseller at each renewal.

 

So, this is my problem.... we are halfway through the year (licensing wise) and therefore nowhere near a 'renewal' which is due in April, but there are things I believe only my reseller can do (add O365 licenses to my VLSC or link the two somehow). I have been told we are entitled to this anyway and it's 'free' as we have an OVS agreement for Office Pro Plus and also that it is fairly simple to do.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/netbooks-pda-phones/201922-word-ipad.html

 

However, for some reason it seems my reseller is incapable of doing it (or even getting back to me and discussing it)...

[sparkeh]

So, this is my problem.... we are halfway through the year (licensing wise) and therefore nowhere near a 'renewal' which is due in April, but there are things I believe only my reseller can do (add O365 licenses to my VLSC or link the two somehow). I have been told we are entitled to this anyway and it's 'free' as we have an OVS agreement for Office Pro Plus and also that it is fairly simple to do.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/netbooks-pda-phones/201922-word-ipad.html

 

However, for some reason it seems my reseller is incapable of doing it (or even getting back to me and discussing it)...

Ok some questions just to fully understand where you are at:

 

1) Do you have an OVS-ES for Office (so you can deploy the volume version of office via msi)?

2) Do you have a 365 tenent setup and have the Office 365 A1 licences?

[johnlevis]

It's correct that you get home use licences for staff and pupils free when you licence Office Pro Plus. I guess it depends what the reseller has sold you - this is usually something an end user would do on the VLSC unless they are charging you for support as well in which case they would need your VLSC login.

It's hard to explain on here but if you want to give me a call or let me have your details I might be able to talk you through it.

[Koldov]

Ok some questions just to fully understand where you are at:

 

1) Do you have an OVS-ES for Office (so you can deploy the volume version of office via msi)?

2) Do you have a 365 tenent setup and have the Office 365 A1 licences?

 

Ok, so...

 

1) I believe we have an OVS-ES agreement for Office Professional Plus (an MSI isn't going to help for putting an app on an iPad though?).

 

 

2) I do have an O365 tenant set up... May well have done a few bits wrong as it has not given us A1 licenses (and to be fair I don't want A1) it does however appear to have given us a trial of 30 A5 licenses! There are a few bits in the Tenant I cannot set-up as the Domain I used does not have a website associated with it and therefore I think I skipped the part about DNS and Exchange and all the extra bits (bearing in mind this is to get one app on one device for one user)... I also haven't added a credit card and the website crashes but first gives me a message that I don't have permission to add subscriptions when I try... contact your admin...

 

 

It's correct that you get home use licences for staff and pupils free when you licence Office Pro Plus. I guess it depends what the reseller has sold you - this is usually something an end user would do on the VLSC unless they are charging you for support as well in which case they would need your VLSC login.

It's hard to explain on here but if you want to give me a call or let me have your details I might be able to talk you through it.

 

Unfortunately, this isn't what I'm trying to get done (the detail is in the thread I linked). But basically it appears to be very complicated (to me at least) to get the Word app on a 2018 iPad Pro with a screen size bigger than 10.1" (not a 'web' version - an actual Word app that opens, edits, creates and saves locally - not to OneDrive). From what I have gathered, I need a qualifying plan like an O365 ProPlus licensing subscription - which I also believe I can have as I have an Office ProPlus OVS agreement. If I have the free(?) A1 plan there is a screen size limitation...

 

 

I have looked for a way in VLSC to add any kind of O365 licensing but from a Google search, I don't have what I need to activate it. In the other thread I was told my reseller would be able to do it for me...

 

[sparkeh]

Ok, so...

 

1) I believe we have an OVS-ES agreement for Office Professional Plus (an MSI isn't going to help for putting an app on an iPad though?).

No, an msi won't help with an iPad but it does help me understand what licencing you can have.

 

So, my understanding of you position is that if you have the OVS-ES for Office then you can also add on the 365 ProPlus licences for free This appears on our invoice as O365ProPlusOpenFclty ShrdSvr ALNG SubsVL OLV F 1Mth Acdmc AP AddOn toOPP (these are for faculty). Once this order goes through you get an email with instructions on how to activate the licences via the MSVLC.

 

However... if you have an OVS-ES for Office, you are also entitled to have the Office 365 A1 Plus licences (a combination of the A1 and the ProPlus licence) but getting that to appear is another matter entirely.

[Koldov]

No, an msi won't help with an iPad but it does help me understand what licencing you can have.

 

So, my understanding of you position is that if you have the OVS-ES for Office then you can also add on the 365 ProPlus licences for free This appears on our invoice as O365ProPlusOpenFclty ShrdSvr ALNG SubsVL OLV F 1Mth Acdmc AP AddOn toOPP (these are for faculty). Once this order goes through you get an email with instructions on how to activate the licences via the MSVLC.

 

Ok, so if I understand you correctly, as I have an OVS-ES agreement for Office ProPlus I can have O365 Pro Plus put on to my agreement on MVLSC for 'free'.

 

I presume this is something my reseller does as that is basically what I was told in the other thread.

 

I need this done (I needed it done 10 days ago when I figured out this was the only way to get Word on an iPad for my Headteacher), however I am not getting any response from my reseller (we are halfway through a licensing period and not due for renewal until March/April) - hence this thread.

 

Edit: @sparkeh - Sorry, I didn't understand the relevance of the MSI question... We have a very small estate and everything is installed manually by me going round using a full iso of Office on a disk or USB stick!

Edited December 13, 2018 by Koldov

[Koldov]

this is usually something an end user would do on the VLSC unless they are charging you for support as well in which case they would need your VLSC login.

 

Edit: My bold.

 

Quite interested in that statement...

 

It appears there are a other things that only a reseller can do on VLSC.

 

Take for example this lovely message I received whilst trying to delete the old administrator...

 

 

Not entirely sure why this is this the case - if anyone can enlighten me?

 

I take it there is no 'support' charge for doing this kind of thing? Anyway, I would hope in the interest of customer care and business retention, a good reseller would be more than willing to help with whatever they could, even (as you have so kindly offered) something as simple as advice (if it's something the 'end user' should be doing)...

 

Unfortunately, mine is not doing anything - so I still need answers lovely EDUGEEK people!

 

Can I change reseller right now (in the middle of a year) NOT at renewal?

Edited December 13, 2018 by Koldov

[sparkeh]

Ok, so if I understand you correctly, as I have an OVS-ES agreement for Office ProPlus I can have O365 Pro Plus put on to my agreement on MVLSC for 'free'.

Yes.

I presume this is something my reseller does as that is basically what I was told in the other thread.

Yes

I need this done (I needed it done 10 days ago when I figured out this was the only way to get Word on an iPad for my Headteacher), however I am not getting any response from my reseller (we are halfway through a licensing period and not due for renewal until March/April) - hence this thread.

Unfortunately only the reseller can do it and I'm not sure if you can change reseller mid-year (also they won't make any money from it).

[kingoranks]

Hi, Very educative thread. I have a problem. our proplus licence(both student and faculty) was processed in feb by a reseller and it has now expired. I have raised a case with MS and was told it hasnt been processed. Was informed to get in touch with the reseller. Time for a change?