Thursday 15 March 2007

Office 2007 Open Business Licensing, Open Business + Software Assurance, and Open Value Licensing SKUs

Okay, my head hurts! Trying to clear out the muddle when it comes to getting SKUs for Microsoft Licensing is getting to be quite painful.

Microsoft used to provide Partners with an online tool called the License Configurator that we could use to provide us with the correct SKUs once we answered some key questions.

Now, we must call into licensing, or muddle through some spreadsheets to get the appropriate SKUs. I am sorry, but the poor people who work at answering the phones sometimes are not sure how to answer our questions too! It just isn't their fault that licensing is this way.

Microsoft, please bring back the License Configurator for us! At least we had a fairly solid foundation from which to work on licensing quotes!

Anyway, to help all y'all get through the muddle, here are some key Microsoft Office 2007 licensing MS part numbers for new licensing clients - Add-Ons to existing Open Value License Agreements are another muddle to work through yet as there is a different SKU list for them: ;)
  • Microsoft Office 2007 Editions Open License
    • Standard: 021-07856
    • Small Business Edition: W87-01806
    • Professional Plus: 79P-00123
    • Enterprise: 76J-00323

  • Microsoft Office 2007 Editions Open License + 2 Years Software Assurance
    • Standard: 021-05429
    • Small Business Edition: 588-02697
    • Professional Plus: 269-05577
    • Enterprise: 76J-00619
For Open Value Licensing, one must be clear on how the purchase of Open Value licenses works. If one purchases a bunch of Open Value licenses at the beginning of their agreement, the First Year SKU will be used for the Second and Third year payments for the contract duration.

Once into the Second Year of the Open Value agreement, one must use a SKU that contains both the first and second year payments for NEW licenses added on to the existing agreement.

So for example, let's say the price of Office Standard is $300.00 for a license purchased at the beginning of the agreement or anytime in the First Year (1). So, if adding a new license in Year Two (2) of the agreement, the client would pay $600 for that license. Purchase a new license in Year Three (3) of the agreement, and the client will pay $900.00 for that license.

Therein lies one of the caveats of Open Value Licensing: Microsoft will receive full payment on the license whether purchased in year one, two or three!


  • Microsoft Office 2007 Editions Open Value including Software Assurance for 3 Years (First Year & Subsequent Years for Licenses Purchased Year 1,2)
    • Standard: 021-07257
    • Small Business Edition: W87-00356
    • Professional Plus: 269-09046
    • Enterprise: 76J-00206
  • Microsoft Office 2007 Editions Open Value including Software Assurance for 3 Years (License Purchased in Year 2)
    • Standard: 021-07260
    • Small Business Edition: W87-00359
    • Professional Plus: 269-09049
    • Enterprise: 76J-00209
  • Microsoft Office 2007 Editions Open Value including Software Assurance for 3 Years (Purchased in Year 3)
    • Standard: 021-07261
    • Small Business Edition: W87-00360
    • Professional Plus: 269-09050
    • Enterprise: 76J-00210
Again, my mind is still hurting after this licensing call. So, please make sure to verify with your supplier that you have the correct licensing numbers before making an order!

If your supplier has a bulk SKU search or bulk add to favourite, here are the above Open Business Licensing numbers so you can copy and paste directly into the search/add:

021-07856
W87-01806
79P-00123
76J-00323

021-05429
588-02697
269-05577
76J-00619

Here are the above Open Value licensing SKUs for each year for you to copy and paste:

021-07257
W87-00356
269-09046
76J-00206

021-07260
W87-00359
269-09049
76J-00209

021-07261
W87-00360
269-09050
76J-00210

Once you copy and paste the above SKUs for Open Value and see the pricing scheme, things will also become a lot clearer!

Microsoft Public Canadian Price Lists with SKUs is an Excel spreadsheet with all of the relevant SKUs. Keep in mind that the Open License Value sheet is the OLD SKU list for existing Open Value clients. Canadian partners are pointed to this link for some strange reason as well.

Microsoft Partner U.S. Price Lists with SKUs on the Microsoft Partner for U.S. partners site. Above applies for this one too as far as the different SKUs for Open Value, and Open License Value SKUs.

As suggested to me by Eric at the Microsoft Licensing contact number that I spoke to this afternoon, it is a good idea to link to the download location as the spreadsheets are changing all the time! BTW, Eric was extremely helpful in clarifying all of the muddle. Good job man!

Happy licensing headaches! ;)

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists.

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