Answers to many common Microsoft Partner membership and level questions

There have been a variety of different questions I have seen from Partners looking to understand what is required and how they can achieve the various levels in the Microsoft Partner Network as well as how to better understand how several of these items work. For instance, what is required to achieve the Registered Member level as a Microsoft Partner? What do I need to do to reach the Certified Partner level or the Gold Certified Partner level? What are points and how do I earn them?

To help answer these questions, I want to point you to a few resources on the Microsoft Partner Network site that can help you with answering these and many other questions as well as point you to resources surrounding many of these items.

1. How can our company register to become a Registered Member of the Microsoft Partner Network?
   • View the steps HERE.
2. How many points do I need to achieve either the Microsoft Certified Partner level or the Microsoft Gold Certified level in the Microsoft Partner Network?
   • This includes:
     • How do Partner Point work?
     • How do I earn Partner Points?
       • View the answers HERE
   • We also have Partner Point Scenarios located HERE for you to view
3. What are the requirements to become a Microsoft Certified Partner?
   • View the requirements HERE
4. What are the requirements for becoming a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner?
   • View the requirements HERE
5. How to manage customer references?
   • View the Guide To Managing Customer References
6. How to view, add, reassign, and manage associated Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs) within your organization
   • View the Guide to Managing Microsoft Certified Professionals
7. How can you view your company’s Microsoft Partner Dashboard as a Microsoft Certified or Gold Certified Partner. (The Partner Dashboard allows Microsoft Certified or Gold Certified Partners to keep track of employees’ training activities, monitor customer satisfaction through surveys, and stay on top of Microsoft Competency requirements)
   • View the Microsoft Partner Dashboard HERE
   • View the Microsoft Partner Dashboard FAQs HERE
8. What benefits does a Registered Member level Partner receive?
   • View the Registered Member level benefits HERE
9. What benefits does a Microsoft Certified Partners receive?
   • View the Microsoft Certified Partner level benefits HERE
10. What benefits does a Microsoft Gold Certified Partners receive?
    • View the Microsoft Gold Certified Partner level benefits HERE
11. What are the various Microsoft competencies and what is required to achieve them?
    • View the list of competencies overviews and requirements HERE
12. What are the benefits and requirements of becoming a Microsoft Small Business Specialist?
    • View overview, benefits, requirements, FAQ, and more about the Microsoft Small Business Specialist designation HERE

I hope this helps answer many of the questions you may have about the Microsoft Partner Network. Please feel free to share this post with any others in your local Partner groups, your online resources, etc. to help your peers find answers to their questions regarding these topics as well.

Thank you and have a wonderful day,

Eric Ligman – Follow me on TWITTER and RSS
Global Partner Experience Lead
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Group
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

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