Microsoft is updating Software Assurance benefits beginning in February 2020 to ensure Software Assurance stays relevant and useful to customers. With this change in direction, some Software Assurance benefits will be retired or changed to eliminate redundancies and better align Software Assurance benefits across Microsoft’s products and services portfolio. The changes made also simplify benefit redemptions and replace outdated implementation mechanisms. While each customer experience is unique, all customers can benefit from the ability to optimize their business performance through Software Assurance.
Microsoft is investing in new ways to help organizations deploy, train, and get support for the products and services they buy. Because those new ways overlap with some dated and underused Software Assurance benefits, and the redemption process for some benefits are cumbersome and outdated, Microsoft is retiring those overlapping and outdated benefits.
Why are the SATV training vouchers being retired?
Customer and market feedback indicated a need for a streamlined learning experience. Microsoft is making significant investments to increase the alignment and quality of training offerings and certifications outside of Software Assurance over time.
When do the SATV program changes begin?
Over the next three years, Microsoft will be retiring the Software Assurance Training Voucher program and it will be migrated to new training and certification programs designed to better support learners. Important dates to be aware of:
How can Babbage Simmel help?
HOW LONG ARE MY TRAINING VOUCHERS VALID?
The ability to access your training vouchers expires with your Software Assurance coverage. If you create a training voucher before your Software Assurance coverage expires, the voucher remains valid for 180 days after the date it was created.
While Software Assurance Training Vouchers are being retired, you can still create and use training vouchers until January 01, 2022, with the exception of Azure training, which will be removed from the course catalog in February 01, 2020.
DOES MY ORGANIZATION HAVE SOFTWARE ASSURANCE?
If your organization purchased volume licensing of Microsoft software, you most likely participate in Software Assurance. Software Assurance offers a broad range of benefits in one program which helps you deploy, manage, and migrate software.
DO I QUALIFY FOR SOFTWARE ASSURANCE/FREE MICROSOFT TRAINING?
Software Assurance is selected at the time of software purchase. If your organization purchased volume licensing of Microsoft software, you most likely participate in Software Assurance. “SA Pack MVL” on your Microsoft Licensing invoice means your organization participates in the Software Assurance program. The Notices Contact listed on the agreement is your organization’s Agreement Administrator. Your organization can begin using qualifying benefits immediately and over the term of the license agreement.
HOW CAN I FIND SATVS AT MY ORGANIZATION?
You can ask the Benefits Administrator, Software Purchasing Manager or IT Manager at your organization for your training vouchers.
CAN TRAINING VOUCHERS BE USED FOR ANY OFFICIAL MICROSOFT LEARNING PRODUCT COURSES?
Training vouchers can be used for any of the following type of courses designated for IT professional and developer courses only.
WHAT IS NOT ELIGIBLE THROUGH SATV?
SA training vouchers cannot be used for:
WHAT IF AN EMPLOYEE WANTS TO ATTEND A CLASS THAT IS NOT ON THE SOFTWARE ASSURANCE LIST OF ELIGIBLE COURSES?
Software Assurance training vouchers can only be used for eligible courses. Courses not covered under SATV scheme can be enrolled by making payments separately.
WHEN A VOUCHER IS CREATED FROM THE AVAILABLE TRAINING DAYS, HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
Training vouchers expire 180 days after their creation date. If the designated employee does not use a voucher within 180 days, the voucher is automatically revoked and the training days are returned to the company pool of days for use by others. If the customer agreement has expired, vouchers and training days will be forfeited.
WHERE TO REDEEM THE TRAINING VOUCHERS?
You can redeem training vouchers only at participating a Learning Partner like NetCom.
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF EACH SOFTWARE ASSURANCE TRAINING VOUCHER?
One training voucher day equals one classroom training day. For example, if a course is five days, a five-day voucher is required.
DOES THE VOUCHER VALUE VARY BY COURSE TYPE?
The voucher value is the same for all eligible courses. There is no difference in voucher value between a developer course and an IT professional course. If the course length is the same, they both require the same number of voucher days.
Other questions not listed?
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