FAQs

MCA Partner Attestation FAQs

• What is changing with MCA Partner Attestation?

• Do partners need to integrate with the new API?

• What changes in the CloudBlue purchase flow?

• What happens if a customer has already accepted the MCA?

• Why is this change happening?

What is changing with MCA Partner Attestation?

Microsoft will retire the legacy Partner Attestation methods (Partner Center UI and old API) on January 5, 2026. After this date, only the Enhanced MCA Partner Attestation API and direct customer acceptance will be supported.

Do partners need to integrate with the new API?

No. CloudBlue will manage the integration through its Microsoft connectors. Partners will automatically see the updated purchase flows without needing to take action.

What changes in the CloudBlue purchase flow?

If a customer has not accepted the MCA, the purchase flow will display an attestation link. The customer must review and accept Microsoft's terms before the order can proceed.

Alternatively, existing Microsoft customers may provide direct acceptance through the Microsoft Admin Portal.

What happens if a customer has already accepted the MCA?

If the MCA was accepted after April 1, 2023, no further action is needed. However, if the MCA was accepted before that date, the customer will need to accept MCA again.

Why is this change happening?

Microsoft audits revealed compliance gaps where partners could not prove true customer acceptance. The new API ensures stronger compliance and traceability.

Extended Service Terms (EST) FAQs

• What is the Extended Service Terms and when will it be enforced?

• What are the conditions that a subscription must meet to automatically transition to EST at expiration?

• What is the cost uplift for a subscription in EST?

• After a subscription is canceled, for how long will the associated data be retained before being deleted?

• What subscription types are not supported by the new EST policy?

• What is the recommended option for partners to take before April 1, 2026 to prepare for EST enforcement?

• Is it possible to manually move a subscription to EST via the Microsoft Partner Center?

• Does the "immediate cancellation" mean that the customer loses access at 12:00 am on the expiration date?

• How can I exit an NCE EST M365 Offer?

What is the Extended Service Terms policy and when will it be enforced?

Starting May 4, 2026, Microsoft will replace the current free grace period for expired subscriptions with a paid Extended Service Term (EST). This new policy applies to license-based services purchased after April 1, 2025 with an expiration date on or after May 4, 2026 that are not set to auto-renew.

CloudBlue posture: CloudBlue will not support EST in the initial release, so starting January 19, 2026, when auto-renewal is turned off, the connector will ensure that eligible subscriptions are canceled when they expire. Additionally, to maintain your expected workflows, CloudBlue will attempt to reverse the transition to Extended Service Terms with a separate backfill script that resets the default preference back to cancel.

We will provide further announcements when this backfill script is deployed into production. These updates will help you determine the cutoff date for subscriptions following either the Microsoft or CloudBlue behavior.

What are the conditions that a subscription must meet to be eligible for EST?

The subscription must have been configured to not auto-renew, without a scheduled cancellation. Additionally, it must have been purchased on or after April 1, 2006 and the expiration date must be on or after May 4, 2026. However, as CloudBlue will not support EST in an initial release, starting January 19, the connector will ensure that all the eligible subscriptions that have been set to not auto-renew are canceled when they reach the subscription term end.

What is the cost uplift for a subscription in EST?

There is a 3% uplift on the monthly current term rate for subscriptions in EST. However, if a subscription has no corresponding monthly plan, there is a 23% pricing uplift. However, as stated in previous FAQs, CloudBlue will not support EST in an initial release, starting January 19, the connector will ensure that all the eligible subscriptions that have been set to not auto-renew are canceled when they reach the subscription term end.

After a subscription is canceled, for how long will the associated data be retained before being deleted?

Microsoft's standard policy for data retention applies, and that is not being modified by Extended Service Terms. Microsoft provides a 90-day data retention window after cancellation where data is stored but inaccessible.

What subscription types are not in scope of the new EST policy?

Software subscriptions, perpetual software, Azure reservations, third-party offers and Azure Savings Plans.

What is the recommended option for partners to take before April 1, 2026 to prepare for changes in CloudBlue due to EST enforcement?

Partners should discuss the available end-of-term options (renew, cancel) with customers in advance of their subscription ending. Previously, if a partner turned "auto-renew" off, the subscription would expire into a free grace period. Now, eligible CloudBlue subscriptions with auto-renew off will automatically be canceled at the subscription term end.

Is it possible to manually move a subscription to EST via the Microsoft Partner Center?

While moving a subscription to Extended Service Term (EST) is becoming possible via the Microsoft Partner Center, we strongly caution Partners against doing so manually. Performing this action outside of the CloudBlue platform creates a critical lack of parity; because EST does not yet exist in our system, this change is not recoverable and will cause your subscriptions to fall out of sync with our platform.

Until CloudBlue deploys a future release that supports voluntary, subscription-by-subscription opt-in for EST, Partners should refrain from using this function in the Microsoft Partner Center.

Does the "immediate cancellation" mean that the customer loses access at 12:00 am on the expiration date?

Immediate Cancellation allows the service to remain active until 23:59:59 UTC on the current calendar day (the same day the cancellation request is placed). Access is terminated at the start of the following day.

Cancellation Rules by Offer Type

Offer Type	Immediate Cancellation Support	Conditions / Notes
NCE Base M365	Limited	Only available within 168 hours (7 days) of a Sales or Renewal Order. Otherwise, a Scheduled Cancellation for the next Term End Date is required.
NCE EST M365	Full Support	Can be canceled immediately at any time.

How can I exit an NCE EST M365 Offer?

There are four primary ways to exit an EST offer:

• Immediate Cancellation: Ends service today and generates an in-arrears pro-rated credit for the unused portion of the billing period.

• Scheduled Cancellation: Ends service at the natural end of the current term.

• Immediate Switch: Move from EST back to a regular Base Offer immediately (includes in-arrears credit).

• Scheduled Switch: Move from EST back to a regular Base Offer at the Term End Date.