Microsoft Solutions Partner Enablement · FY26
Earn every Solutions Partner designation. Faster, with fewer wasted attempts.
Redington AI Academy, powered by ImpactEra, helps Microsoft channel partners across the GCC close the gap to a 70-point Partner Capability Score — through curated certification paths, role-mapped cohorts, and hands-on AI labs aligned to Microsoft's FY26 program.
70/100
PCS qualifying threshold
6
Solutions Partner areas
32+
Advanced specializations
Live program tracker
From zero to designation in 90–180 days.
A partner-grade enablement track combining role-based certifications, applied skills assessments, and ImpactEra's AI sandbox for Copilot, Fabric, and Azure AI Foundry.
Partner Capability Score progress · sample track
0
70 · QUALIFIED
100
The six designations
Built around Microsoft's FY26 Partner Capability Score
Each Solutions Partner designation requires a minimum of 70 points across Performance, Skilling, and Customer Success — with at least one point in every individual metric. We map your gap, then build the shortest credible path to qualification.
Solutions Partner for Data & AI (Azure)
FY26 designation · 70-point PCS qualification
Performance · Skilling · Customer Success
Solutions Partner for Digital & App Innovation (Azure)
FY26 designation · 70-point PCS qualification
Performance · Skilling · Customer Success
Solutions Partner for Infrastructure (Azure)
FY26 designation · 70-point PCS qualification
Performance · Skilling · Customer Success
Solutions Partner for Modern Work
FY26 designation · 70-point PCS qualification
Performance · Skilling · Customer Success
Solutions Partner for Security
FY26 designation · 70-point PCS qualification
Performance · Skilling · Customer Success
Solutions Partner for Business Applications
FY26 designation · 70-point PCS qualification
Performance · Skilling · Customer Success
Solutions Partner for Data & AI (Azure)
Demonstrate capability to help customers unify data estates, build analytics on Microsoft Fabric, and operationalise AI on Azure — from Copilot grounding patterns to enterprise-grade model deployment.
Performance
up to 30 pts
Net customer adds (12-mo trailing)
Skilling
up to 40 pts
Certified individuals · max 10
Customer Success
up to 30 pts
Usage growth & deployments
Performance
- ThresholdNet new customers > $500 (SMB) or $1,000 (Enterprise) Azure Consumed Revenue (ACR) in the trailing window.
- Association typesCSP T1/T2, CPOR, DPOR, PAL
Customer Success
- MeasureACR usage growth and net-new advanced Azure service deployments across the eligible workload catalogue.
- Refresh cycle~20th of each month
Skilling — mandatory prerequisites
- AZ-104 — Azure Administrator Associate
- AZ-305 — Azure Solutions Architect Expert
Eligible certifications & applied skills
AI-102Azure AI Engineer Associate
DP-100Azure Data Scientist Associate
DP-300Azure Database Administrator Associate
DP-420Azure Cosmos DB Developer Specialty
DP-600Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate
DP-700Fabric Data Engineer Associate
PL-300Power BI Data Analyst Associate
AI-3001Designing & Implementing Generative AI on Azure
FY26 emphasis: AI workloads (Azure AI Foundry, Fabric, Cosmos DB vector search) now carry meaningful weight in Customer Success scoring. Pair AI-102 with applied skills work for the strongest signal.
Solutions Partner for Digital & App Innovation (Azure)
Prove your team can build, ship, and operate cloud-native applications — across containers, DevOps, Power Platform pro-code extensions, and GitHub-anchored delivery.
Performance
up to 30 pts
Net customer adds (12-mo trailing)
Skilling
up to 40 pts
Certified individuals · max 10
Customer Success
up to 30 pts
Usage growth & deployments
Performance
- ThresholdNet customer adds with eligible ACR; Performance threshold splits by Enterprise vs SMB enrollment track.
- Association typesCSP T1/T2, CPOR, DPOR, PAL
Customer Success
- MeasureUsage growth on App Service, AKS, Container Apps and Functions, plus new advanced-service deployments.
- Refresh cycle~20th of each month
Skilling — mandatory prerequisites
- AZ-104 — Azure Administrator Associate (intermediate prereq)
- AZ-305 — Azure Solutions Architect Expert (advanced prereq)
Eligible certifications & applied skills
AZ-204Azure Developer Associate
AZ-400Azure DevOps Engineer Expert
PL-400Power Platform Developer Associate
PL-600Power Platform Solution Architect Expert
GH-100GitHub Administration
GH-300GitHub Copilot
FY26 emphasis: GitHub Copilot and AI-augmented developer workflows are increasingly recognised. Partners that pair AZ-400 with GH-300 build a stronger story for the AI-modernisation specialization.
Solutions Partner for Infrastructure (Azure)
Show capability to migrate, modernise, and operate mission-critical infrastructure on Azure — including hybrid scenarios, Windows Server, networking, and SAP / AVD workloads.
Performance
up to 30 pts
Net customer adds (12-mo trailing)
Skilling
up to 40 pts
Certified individuals · max 10
Customer Success
up to 30 pts
Usage growth & deployments
Performance
- ThresholdNet new customer tenants contributing eligible ACR across Azure Service Level 2 workloads.
- Association typesCSP T1/T2, CPOR, DPOR, PAL
Customer Success
- MeasureUsage growth in ACR, plus deployments across eligible advanced infrastructure services (excludes plain VMs).
- Refresh cycle~20th of each month
Skilling — mandatory prerequisites
- AZ-104 — Azure Administrator Associate (intermediate prereq)
- AZ-305 — Azure Solutions Architect Expert (advanced prereq)
Eligible certifications & applied skills
AZ-700Azure Network Engineer Associate
AZ-800Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure
AZ-801Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services
AZ-140Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty
AZ-120Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty
AZ-2010Migrate to Azure Virtual Desktop (Applied Skills)
Note: Virtual Machines and VM Licenses are explicitly excluded from the eligible-deployments metric — build the path around AVD, ARC, Azure Stack, and Network workloads.
Solutions Partner for Modern Work
Demonstrate capability to deploy and grow Microsoft 365, Teams, Intune, and the Copilot stack — with proven adoption and active-usage outcomes.
Performance
up to 30 pts
Net customer adds (12-mo trailing)
Skilling
up to 40 pts
Certified individuals · max 10
Customer Success
up to 30 pts
Usage growth & deployments
Performance
- ThresholdNet customer adds with paid M365 seats above the qualifying threshold (Enterprise >300 seats; SMB 11–300).
- Association typesCSP T1/T2, CPOR, DPOR, PAL
Customer Success
- MeasureMonthly Active Usage (MAU) growth and net-new deployments across Teams, Exchange, Intune, SharePoint, Copilot.
- Refresh cycle~20th of each month
Skilling — mandatory prerequisites
- Intermediate — e.g. MS-102 Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert
- Advanced — e.g. MS-721 Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer or Endpoint Administrator Associate
Eligible certifications & applied skills
MS-102Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert
MS-700Teams Administrator Associate
MS-721Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer
MD-102Microsoft 365 Endpoint Administrator Associate
SC-300Identity & Access Administrator Associate
MS-900Microsoft 365 Fundamentals (intro)
MS-4004Copilot & Agent Administrator (Applied Skills)
FY26 transitions: Partner University assessments retire on 15 June 2026 (existing user linkings credited until June 2027). The Teamwork Deployment specialization has been replaced by Secure AI Productivity as of April 2026.
Solutions Partner for Security
Validate capability across identity, threat protection, information protection, and the new cloud-and-AI security model — spanning Defender, Sentinel, Purview, and Entra.
Performance
up to 30 pts
Net customer adds (12-mo trailing)
Skilling
up to 40 pts
Certified individuals · max 10
Customer Success
up to 30 pts
Usage growth & deployments
Performance
- ThresholdNet new customers across two streams — Azure security workloads (PAL) and Microsoft 365 security workloads (CPOR).
- Association typesCSP T1/T2, CPOR, DPOR, PAL
Customer Success
- MeasureEligible Security ACR growth (Azure stream) and protected-user growth (M365 stream); combined deployment count.
- Refresh cycle~20th of each month
Skilling — mandatory prerequisites
- SC-900 Security, Compliance & Identity Fundamentals (recommended starting point)
- Both: MS-500 (or successor) and AZ-500 / SC-500 prerequisites
Eligible certifications & applied skills
SC-200Microsoft Security Operations Analyst
SC-300Identity & Access Administrator
SC-400Information Protection & Compliance Administrator
SC-100Cybersecurity Architect Expert
AZ-500Azure Security Engineer Associate (retiring Aug 2026)
SC-500Cloud & AI Security Engineer Associate (replaces AZ-500)
SC-500 transition: The new Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate (SC-500) is in beta from May 2026, with full availability expected July 2026. AZ-500 remains valid for Security skilling until its August 2026 retirement — partners can transition gradually.
Solutions Partner for Business Applications
Show capability to deliver Dynamics 365 and Power Platform solutions — across Finance, Customer Service, Sales, Field Service, Supply Chain, and Customer Insights.
Performance
up to 30 pts
Net customer adds (12-mo trailing)
Skilling
up to 40 pts
Certified individuals · max 10
Customer Success
up to 30 pts
Usage growth & deployments
Performance
- ThresholdTrack classification (Enterprise / SMB) determined by unique workloads contributing eligible monthly revenue per tenant.
- Association typesCSP T1/T2, CPOR, DPOR, PAL
Customer Success
- MeasureMonthly Consumption Value (MCV) growth across eligible workloads; unique-workload deployments above MCV threshold.
- Refresh cycle~20th of each month
Skilling — mandatory prerequisites
- Intermediate certifications across Dynamics 365 and Power Platform
- Advanced — PL-600 Power Platform Solution Architect or Dynamics F&O Solution Architect
Eligible certifications & applied skills
MB-210Dynamics 365 Sales Functional Consultant
MB-220Dynamics 365 Customer Insights (Journeys)
MB-230Dynamics 365 Customer Service Functional Consultant
MB-300/310D365 Finance Functional Consultant
MB-800D365 Business Central Functional Consultant
PL-100Power Platform App Maker
PL-200Power Platform Functional Consultant
PL-500Power Automate RPA Developer
PL-600Power Platform Solution Architect
PL-7001Develop Solutions with Microsoft Copilot Studio (Applied Skills)
FY26 emphasis: Copilot Studio and AI Builder workloads have been added to the eligible Power Platform footprint — expect partners with Copilot Studio applied-skills credentials to score better on Customer Success.
The Redington x ImpactEra difference
Distribution-scale reach. Boutique-grade enablement.
Most training providers stop at certification. We sit at the intersection of distribution, AI advisory, and post-certification deployment — the same place your customers actually convert capability into revenue.
01
FY26-aligned curriculum
Continuously refreshed against Partner Center announcements — SC-500, Secure AI Productivity, Fabric tracks, Copilot Administrator, and the AI Cloud Partner Program updates.
02
AI labs, not slideware
ImpactEra-built sandboxes for Copilot Studio, Fabric, Azure AI Foundry, and Sentinel let your team practice the workloads that actually move ACR and MAU metrics.
03
Capability score modelling
We benchmark your current PCS, simulate the impact of each skilling investment, and prioritise the certifications that produce the most points per training hour.
04
Attribution & deployment support
Beyond exam vouchers — we help align CPOR, DPOR, and PAL associations correctly, so Skilling work isn't wasted by missed Performance and Customer Success points.
Highlights & campaigns
Current cohorts, workshops, and partner programs
Featured launch
Sean M Landing — Partner Program Briefing
An in-depth ImpactEra briefing on the FY26 Microsoft channel motion, partner economics, and the ACR/MAU thresholds that gate every designation. Open the local briefing deck.
Open briefing Cohort · QuarterlySolutions Partner Sprint — Azure Tracks
Twelve-week mixed cohort covering AZ-104, AZ-305, and one specialty exam (AI-102, DP-700, AZ-700). Includes mock PCS modelling and certification voucher bundle.
Reserve a seat Workshop · 2 daysModern Work & Secure AI Productivity
Hands-on enablement covering the new Secure AI Productivity specialization (replacing Teamwork Deployment), Copilot rollout, and the Collaboration Communications path.
View workshop Bootcamp · 5 daysSecurity — SC-500 Early Track
Bridging cohort for partners transitioning from AZ-500 to the new Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate (SC-500) ahead of the August 2026 retirement.
Join the waitlist Advisory · By engagementBusiness Applications Accelerator
Dynamics 365 and Power Platform skilling, paired with CPOR claim hygiene and customer reference preparation for Advanced Specialization audits.
Talk to advisory Free clinic · MonthlyPartner Capability Score clinic
Bring your Partner Center insights. A Redington architect and an ImpactEra strategist walk you through your gaps and the shortest credible path to 70 points.
Book a slot
Capability review
Tell us where you are. We'll show you where you can be in two quarters.
Share a few details — we'll run a no-obligation PCS read-through for your organisation and suggest the most efficient designation path given your current customers, attributions, and certified headcount.