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Whitepaper

What You’ll Learn

An EA-to-CSP transition works best as a documented, staged process. This workbook gives IT, Procurement, and Finance leaders a structured path to inventory in the current environment, define future licensing needs, identify optimization opportunities, build a transition plan, and evaluate CSP providers before signing.

THE PROBLEM

A transition without visibility invites bad decisions.

Moving from an EA to a CSP is rarely a single event. Without a documented inventory of products, agreements, and user populations, it becomes difficult to make informed licensing decisions before a transition begins.

THE BLIND SPOT

Future requirements rarely get re-evaluated.

Many organizations move existing licensing to a new provider without revisiting planned Microsoft investments, upcoming projects, or growth expectations. That gap can leave the new agreement misaligned with the business's direction.

THE RISK

Not every CSP provider offers the same governance.

A comparable quote does not guarantee comparable support. Organizations evaluating providers often compare licensing expertise, assessment methodology, governance capabilities, and administrative ownership, since these differences tend to surface only after the migration is already complete.

THE NEXT STEP

Document before you decide.

Use this workbook to record your environment, define future licensing needs, and evaluate CSP providers on governance before signing a new agreement.

Who Should Read This Whitepaper?

This workbook is built for stakeholders who own Microsoft licensing decisions, budget, and long-term governance.


  • IT Owners who need a documented inventory of current Microsoft products, licensing agreements, and user populations before evaluating a new model.
  • Procurement Leaders who want to evaluate CSP providers on governance, accountability, and ongoing optimization practices, rather than choosing based on price alone
  • Finance Controllers who need licensing spend reconciled against actual product usage, known renewal timelines, and planned future business initiatives across the organization
  • Executive Sponsors who are accountable for a low-risk migration and want a documented transition plan, timeline, and stakeholder map in place before final sign-off
  • License Administrators responsible for identifying unused licenses, overprovisioned products, and duplicate capabilities before licensing formally moves to a new CSP provider
  • IT Operations Directors who will manage the day-to-day relationship with a new CSP provider long after the migration and provider onboarding are complete