Your organization needs reliable cloud services. What you don't need are complicated licensing agreements that make purchasing cloud services more difficult than it needs to be. Fortunately, Microsoft simplifies things with their model known as the Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA).

As a Microsoft license advisor, we help you understand and optimize the MCA for your organization. Whether you are new to cloud services or simply looking for another vendor to replace your current service provider, our priority is to help you make the most of Microsoft solutions. Here, we’ll go over the basics of the MCA.

A Simplified Cloud Contract

The MCA is often described as a 'simplified digital contract' for purchasing Microsoft cloud services. It replaces older, more complex agreements that used to cause fits for all sorts of organizations. The MCA replaces the Microsoft Online Subscription Agreement (MOSA) and the Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA), among others.

Microsoft also designed the MCA to be an evergreen solution. That means it doesn't expire. Purchasing cloud services through this new contract means avoiding unexpected changes in the future. What you see is what you get for the life of the contract.

The MCA's Key Features

So what makes the MCA so simple and straightforward? It offers several features that have removed much of the ambiguity associated with the older contracts it has replaced. Here are three of those features:

• Digital Format – The MCA is a digital contract in every respect. It is offered by Microsoft and accepted by the customer digitally. It is also stored and executed digitally.

• Auto Updating – The MCA automatically updates as an organization's needs change. For example, adding new products triggers automatic updates without the need for new contracts.

• Modular Design – The agreement is built around a modular design so that customers have access only to those terms that apply to them. They don't have to wade through verbose language pertaining to products and services they don't use.

The entire MCA experience is designed to be streamlined. One could argue it is the simplest Microsoft license to date. It is certainly simpler than the previous licenses Microsoft relied on for licensing cloud solutions.

Other Things to Consider

The MCA is now available in 20 countries around the world. New customers sign their contracts digitally before proceeding with product acquisition. As previously mentioned, the contract updates automatically with each product a customer purchases.

Both new and existing customers benefit from a range of helpful improvements including streamlined billing. With the MCA, invoices are more intuitive with a better layout and expenditures that are easier to understand. Organizations can better track their costs via multiple invoices and new tools for organizing by team, project, department, etc.

Customers also benefit from:

• Centralized management tools through Azure

• Integrated cost management capabilities

• A pay-as-you-go model for keeping costs in check

The MCA applies to cloud services covering a wide variety of Microsoft products. Among the most common are Azure, Microsoft 365, Windows 365, and Dynamics 365.

Let Us Give You a Hand

Are you considering purchasing cloud services from Microsoft? If so, the new MCA is going to make life a lot easier for your IT team. For an even better experience, let Opkalla IT specialists give you a hand. Microsoft licensing is one of our specialties.

We offer license management services, technology management solutions, and a range of IT solutions designed to assist customers with their Microsoft products. Contact us to start making the most of the MCA for cloud solutions.

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