Aligning Microsoft Support Renewal with Your EA
Introduction: Why Align Microsoft Unified Support Renewal with Your EA?
Microsoft’s Enterprise Agreement (EA) and Unified Support contracts are often treated as separate worlds. Many organizations renew their EA and Microsoft Unified Support on different schedules, missing a strategic opportunity.
Aligning the support renewal timing with your EA is a support contract alignment strategy that can significantly increase your leverage and simplify negotiations.
By co-terming (co-terminating) the Unified Support renewal with your EA, you create one large negotiation event instead of two smaller, isolated talks. Read our complete guide to Microsoft Unified Support Contract Negotiation.
This unified approach often translates to better discounts, a stronger negotiating position, and streamlined budget approvals. CIOs, procurement managers, and IT vendor managers preparing for renewals are increasingly skeptical of Microsoft’s defaults – and for good reason.
Microsoft typically quotes Unified Support fees as a formulaic percentage of your total Microsoft spend, which can quietly climb each year.
Treating support and EA as one combined negotiation forces Microsoft to address the total cost of ownership, rather than sneaking in support cost increases separately.
In short, aligning these renewals consolidates two separate Microsoft contracts into a single unified negotiation, giving you significantly more leverage.
The Case for Co-Terminating Your Support and EA Agreements
Co-terminating your Microsoft support contract with your EA means both agreements end at the same time. The benefits of this strategy are substantial.
First, having both contracts end simultaneously gives you a single, consolidated negotiation event. Microsoft knows a huge portion of its business with you is on the line at once, which maximizes your bargaining power.
Instead of negotiating a smaller support deal one year and a big EA the next, you bundle them into one high-stakes renewal – making Microsoft more inclined to offer concessions to keep your combined business.
Secondly, co-terming simplifies budgeting and internal approvals. Rather than seeking approval for a support renewal one year and an EA renewal the next, you can present a single, unified spend to leadership.
CFOs and finance committees prefer the clarity of one comprehensive “Microsoft renewal” request. It’s easier for them to see the big picture of Microsoft costs when support and licenses are evaluated together.
This often means quicker approval internally, since everyone understands the total financial impact at once instead of piecemeal.
Another advantage is eliminating the continuous renewal cycle. With staggered contracts, you’re perpetually preparing for one Microsoft negotiation or another, which is an administrative burden and a distraction.
Aligning dates allows your team to focus its energy on one negotiation period every few years, then breathe easier. Overall, the case for co-termination is about stronger leverage, a simplified process, and full visibility of your Microsoft spend.
The only trade-off is the planning needed to adjust timelines (and we’ll cover how to manage that next). Most enterprises find that effort well worth the significant boost in negotiating power and potential cost savings.
How to Co-Term Microsoft Support with Your EA
Aligning the renewal dates of your Unified Support and EA requires proactive planning, but it’s entirely achievable. The key is to coordinate contract terms so that both agreements co-terminate on the same date.
Start by reviewing the current end dates of your EA and support contract. If they don’t line up, engage Microsoft early (a year or more in advance) to discuss co-term options. Microsoft will not automatically align them for you – you have to request it.
Fortunately, Microsoft can prorate or adjust a support renewal term to sync with your EA if you provide a valid business rationale.
Common approaches to co-terming include signing a one-time short extension or a prorated contract. For example, if your support contract ends a year before your EA, negotiate a 1-year “bridge” extension for support rather than the standard 3-year renewal.
This interim renewal might be 6, 12, or 18 months – whatever length is needed to have the next support end-date match your EA’s expiration.
Microsoft is generally willing to offer odd-term renewals or prorated fees to accommodate alignment (sometimes at a slight premium or reduced discount for the short term, but that’s usually a minor trade-off).
Conversely, if your support term currently extends past the EA, you can request that Microsoft shorten it or co-term it early. They might issue a prorated invoice for the partial year or adjust the renewal cycle in the contract.
The key is to incorporate co-terming into your negotiation strategy well in advance. Signal to Microsoft that your goal in the next renewal cycle is to sync up support with the EA.
By planting this in their minds early (for instance, 12 months before renewal), you set the expectation that any quotes they provide should include options for alignment.
Don’t wait until the last minute; aligning contract timelines can involve approvals on Microsoft’s side, too.
With proper notice, Microsoft will typically accommodate the request to co-term Unified Support with your EA, since it ultimately means a larger combined deal for them to renew.
Negotiating Microsoft Support and EA Together
When the timing is aligned, you can negotiate your Unified Support renewal and EA renewal together as one package – and this is where the magic happens.
A broader negotiation scope gives you flexibility to trade discounts and concessions between support and licensing. Essentially, you have more levers to pull.
If Microsoft is resistant to discounting your EA licenses further, you can push them on support fees instead (“We’ll accept that 5% discount on licenses if you take 15% off our support renewal price”).
Conversely, if support pricing is formulaic, you might secure a deeper discount on an Azure or Microsoft 365 component in exchange for renewing support at the same time. By bundle negotiating, you ensure that Microsoft looks at your account holistically rather than in silos.
A unified negotiation also strengthens your walk-away position.
Microsoft knows that if you’re negotiating both contracts simultaneously, you could threaten to shift spend elsewhere or even consider third-party support if the total deal isn’t attractive. Your ability to say “no” carries more weight when it applies to millions of dollars in licenses and support services together.
Make it clear to Microsoft that no deal is finalized until both the EA and support terms are satisfactory. Often, different Microsoft sales teams handle licensing and support, so you may need to orchestrate a joint discussion or at least transparently let each side know the other is part of the deal.
Insist that Microsoft’s support sales reps and EA reps communicate and present a coordinated offer. This prevents a scenario where Microsoft gives on one hand but takes on the other – for example, offering a great EA discount while quietly raising support fees or vice versa.
Negotiation tactics for a bundled EA + Support deal: (Use these tactics to maximize value when negotiating both agreements together)
- Cross-leverage commitments: Explicitly link the two deals in your asks. For instance, “We will commit to a three-year EA renewal and a three-year Unified Support renewal, but in return we need a guarantee of no support fee increase for those three years.” Trading a long-term commitment on one side for price protection or discounts on the other side often resonates with Microsoft.
- Demand unified price caps: If your Microsoft EA spend is poised to grow (e.g., you plan to add users or Azure services), negotiate a “not-to-exceed” cap on support costs. Because support fees typically scale as a percentage of your spend, you want a safeguard. For example, require that Unified Support charges cannot rise above a certain percentage, even if your usage spikes, or set a fixed fee for support each year of the EA. This tactic ensures Microsoft can’t simply reap more revenue from support as you invest more in their products.
- Tie cost reductions together: Should you manage to reduce your licensing scope in the EA (say you remove unused products or cut excess licenses), insist that support costs are recalculated accordingly. Microsoft might otherwise leave your support fee based on the old, higher spend. When negotiating together, bake in a clause or understanding that any decrease in EA spend will yield an immediate proportional decrease in Unified Support fees. This keeps your total Microsoft costs truly aligned with actual usage.
- Keep options open: While bundling, quietly maintain your alternative options to increase leverage. Research third-party support providers or prepare a scenario of dropping to a lower support tier. You don’t necessarily plan to do it, but knowing you have a fallback gives you confidence. If Microsoft balks at your combined demands, you can subtly remind them that Unified Support isn’t the only game in town. Even a polite hint that you’re aware of other support avenues or willing to trim services can motivate Microsoft to be more flexible on price and terms.
By employing these tactics in a unified negotiation, you’re effectively making Microsoft “earn” your full renewal.
The outcome should be a cohesive deal where your total Microsoft spend (licenses + support) is optimized. You want to come away with the confidence that you didn’t leave money on the table on either contract.
Read about alternatives, Alternatives to Microsoft Unified Support: Is Third-Party Support or Pay-Per-Incident Right for You?.
Bundle Discounts and Incentives in EA + Support Deals
Microsoft loves to talk about “better together,” and you can use that to your advantage by pursuing bundle discounts and incentives when negotiating EA and support concurrently. The idea is to unlock extra value because you’re bringing a bigger deal to the table.
Here are some incentives and discounts you should push for as you bundle your support renewal with your EA:
- Unified Support fee discount: Leverage the size of your EA to get a special break on support costs. For example, if Microsoft initially quotes Unified Support at 10% of your total license spend, negotiate it down to 7% or 8% as part of the bundle. Large enterprises have managed to secure even lower percentages (around 5–6%) by highlighting their significant overall spend. Remind Microsoft that they stand to retain a major account across both licenses and support – a good reason to shave points off the support fee beyond the standard formula.
- Multi-year pricing protections: When bundling, ask for multi-year discounts or price locks on support. Microsoft might offer a multi-year Unified Support commitment discount – for instance, agreeing to a 3-year support term at a lower rate or with Year 1 at a deep discount. Additionally, negotiate an annual uplift cap (or even a freeze) on support costs for the EA term. If you’re increasing your EA investment, push Microsoft to freeze support fees for those years or limit any increase to a minimal percentage. This guarantees you real savings and cost predictability from the “better together” deal.
- Free services and credits: A bundle negotiation is the perfect time to request extra value-adds. Microsoft can include freebies or credits that sweeten the pot. For example, ask for a pool of free support hours with a Dedicated Support Engineer (DSE) or access to exclusive workshops/training at no charge. Microsoft might also provide adoption funds or credits – such as Azure consumption credits, FastTrack deployment assistance, or funding for pilot programs – as part of the overall deal. These incentives often don’t directly lower the support invoice, but they offset other costs and add tangible value to your organization.
- Better terms on related products: If you’re negotiating everything together, you can sometimes turn the bundle into a “mix and match” of concessions. Maybe you want a higher discount on a specific expensive product in your EA, or an additional benefit like extended support hours. Since the entire contract value (licenses + support) is on the table, propose creative trade-offs. For instance, “We’ll agree to that new Office 365 E5 purchase, but we want 24/7 phone support included in our Unified Support at no extra cost,” or “We’ll commit to increasing Azure usage, but in return we expect a 10% decrease in our Unified Support fee.” Microsoft often has flexibility with services and add-ons when you are making a significant licensing commitment.
When pursuing bundle incentives, always frame it as a win-win. Make Microsoft see that by giving you these discounts or extras, they secure a larger, longer-term commitment from your company.
Bundle negotiations are your chance to maximize value across the board – so think broadly about all the sweeteners that could reduce cost or increase benefit for your organization, and don’t be shy about asking for them.
Avoiding Support Coverage Gaps
One practical concern when aligning support with your EA is avoiding any support coverage gap during negotiations.
If your Unified Support contract expires while you’re still hammering out a new deal (for example, if EA talks extend past the renewal date), you could risk a lapse in support service.
This is something to plan for so that you maintain continuous Microsoft support for your critical systems.
To prevent lapses, proactively negotiate coverage extensions in case they’re needed. Microsoft will usually agree to a short-term extension of your existing support agreement if renewal discussions are ongoing in good faith.
For instance, you can ask for a month-to-month extension or a 3-month extension on current terms to cover any delay. It’s best to get this commitment in writing ahead of time – perhaps as a side letter or email confirmation – saying that Microsoft will continue to provide Unified Support services under the same conditions if the expiration date passes without a new contract in place.
This removes the “time bomb” pressure and ensures you’re not forced into a corner simply to avoid losing support.
Also, align your internal timeline to conclude negotiations well before the drop-dead date. In your co-term planning, factor in a buffer. If both EA and support are set to expire on December 31, for example, aim to have agreement on terms by early December at the latest (if not much sooner).
By building in buffer time or an agreed extension, you avoid coverage gaps even if there are unexpected delays in approval or final signatures.
In summary, always have a contingency plan for support coverage so you maintain uninterrupted service during a prolonged negotiation – that way, you negotiate on your terms, not under duress.
Single Agreement vs Separate Contracts
It’s important to understand that even when co-terminating, Unified Support and the EA remain separate contracts.
Microsoft Unified Support does not magically merge into your EA – you will still sign a distinct support agreement (or enrollment) apart from the EA.
However, aligning renewal dates makes them feel like one package for negotiation purposes. You should leverage the connection points between them without confusing the legal separation.
Know where the linkage matters most: Unified Support pricing is directly influenced by your EA spend. Microsoft’s model typically pegs support fees at a percentage of your Microsoft product consumption (licenses, Azure, etc.). This means if your EA grows, Unified Support costs rise in tandem.
When contracts are separate and off-cycle, Microsoft might quietly increase support costs year over year as your usage expands (or as list prices go up) and hope you won’t notice.
By syncing them, you shine a spotlight on this linkage and can negotiate to control it (for example, by capping that percentage or excluding certain new spend from support calculations).
At the same time, remember you have the freedom to enter into separate agreements. Co-terming doesn’t obligate you to always renew both. In fact, treating them as separate contracts in the fine print can be a tactical advantage – it means, in theory, you could switch your support provider or drop a support tier at the next renewal without breaking your EA (and vice versa).
Microsoft sales reps may talk as if your EA and support are one combined deal, but legally, you can still choose to decouple them later if it benefits you. Understanding this dynamic is crucial: align the contracts for negotiation leverage, but keep an eye on each contract’s terms individually.
Ensure the EA and support agreements each stand on its own merit, even as you negotiate them together. For example, don’t let Microsoft sneak unfavorable support terms into your EA paperwork or vice versa – review each contract thoroughly.
In summary, a co-termed EA and Unified Support give you strategic one-event negotiation power, yet they remain distinct agreements.
Use the combined leverage where it helps (pricing and discounts), and use the separation where it helps (flexibility and clarity of terms).
By mastering this balance, you can lock in great bundle deals without handcuffing yourself unnecessarily.
Internal Coordination: Treat Support as Part of the EA Budget
A common mistake is to silo the support contract as an “IT expense” separate from the EA’s licensing budget. To succeed in negotiations, treat Unified Support as part of your overall Microsoft budget. Internally, present it as one line of spend alongside your EA.
This mindset shift can rally executive support for driving a harder bargain. After all, when your CFO or CEO sees the total cost of Microsoft (licenses + support), they grasp the full financial impact and are more likely to back aggressive negotiation strategies to reduce that number.
Start by getting all stakeholders on the same page. The teams managing your EA renewal and those managing support (which might be different groups, e.g., licensing procurement vs. IT operations) should collaborate closely.
Share data and strategies: for example, if the EA team plans to push for a 15% discount on licenses, the support team should know that and simultaneously plan to ask for a corresponding cut or cap in support costs.
Create a unified story for Microsoft and for your leadership – something like, “Our Microsoft spend is projected to be $X next year, and we’re aiming to keep support at or below $Y of that by negotiating both together.”
When you pitch it this way, senior leadership buy-in is easier because they see you managing Microsoft as a single vendor relationship rather than two unrelated contracts.
Budgeting-wise, incorporate support renewal costs into the same approval cycle as the EA. If your company conducts annual budget planning, don’t budget for the EA and then separately determine support later.
Bundle them in your budget request: “Microsoft Enterprise Agreement including Unified Support: $ABC total (target with negotiation).” This approach not only strengthens your negotiating stance with Microsoft (since you’re clearly viewing their products and support as one bundle, you expect a deal on), but it also helps avoid surprises.
Many companies have been caught off guard when a new EA with more products triggered a big jump in Unified Support fees – but if you frame it as one Microsoft spend, you’ll proactively manage those dynamics.
Ultimately, treating support as part of the EA budget internally ensures you leverage your entire Microsoft investment in negotiations and drive a better outcome for the organization.
Case Example: Co-Term Success
Consider the example of Contoso Corp., a hypothetical global company that successfully aligned its support renewal with its EA and reaped the rewards. Contoso’s Enterprise Agreement was set to renew in July 2025, but its Unified Support contract originally ran until July 2024.
Rather than renewing support for a full year in 2024 and negotiating the EA separately in 2025, Contoso took a strategic approach. Eighteen months ahead of the EA renewal, they engaged Microsoft about co-terming.
Microsoft agreed to extend Contoso’s support contract by an additional 12 months (at a prorated cost) so that both support and EA would now expire together in 2025. This required some internal planning and an interim approval for that extension, but it set the stage for a powerful combined negotiation.
When 2025 arrived, Contoso entered the EA + Unified Support renewal talks as one large negotiation. The company made it clear: they were willing to increase their EA spend (they planned significant Azure expansion and added Microsoft 365 licenses, resulting in a 20% uptick in EA value), but only if their Unified Support renewal was addressed favorably in tandem. Using the leverage of this expanded EA, Contoso negotiated a support cost freeze for the next three years.
In other words, Microsoft agreed that the annual Unified Support fee would remain flat for the entire EA term, despite Contoso’s growth in usage. This was a huge win – normally, with 20% more Microsoft product consumption, support fees would have climbed accordingly. Instead, Contoso locked in a predictable support cost, avoiding what could have been hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra fees.
Internally, the co-term approach simplified the approval process. Contoso’s executives only had to sign off once on a comprehensive Microsoft deal. The bundled agreement was presented as a clear value: the company would get all the new licenses needed and continuous top-tier support.
In return, Microsoft got a three-year commitment – but on terms that capped Contoso’s support spending. By aligning the contracts, Contoso transformed what would have been two routine (and more expensive) renewals into a single strategic deal that delivered both cost savings and operational benefits.
This case exemplifies how savvy timing and bundle negotiation can yield results far better than handling EA and support in isolation.
Checklist: How to Align Support with Your EA
When should you start planning to co-term your support renewal with your Enterprise Agreement?
Use this timeline checklist as a guide to stay on track:
- ✓ 18 months before renewal: Review the expiration dates of your EA and Unified Support contracts. If they don’t match up, identify the gap. Begin internal discussions on the benefits of aligning these dates and get buy-in from leadership to pursue a co-term strategy.
- ✓ 12 months before renewal: Open dialogue with Microsoft or your reseller about co-term options. Request a plan to synchronize the support end date with the EA. This may involve a prorated renewal or extension – ask Microsoft for quotes on a short-term renewal or adjusted contract that would bridge any timing gap. Starting this early gives everyone time to approve non-standard terms.
- ✓ 9 months before renewal: Align your internal processes and approvals. Ensure that budgeting and procurement cycles account for a single, consolidated negotiation. For example, if normally the support renewal would be handled by IT separately, bring it into the main procurement plan for the EA. Communicate to all stakeholders (procurement, IT, finance) that support and EA will be negotiated together, so approvals and requirements should be synced.
- ✓ 6 months before renewal: Formulate your combined negotiation strategy and officially kick off talks with Microsoft. By this point, both you and Microsoft should be preparing for the unified renewal event. Develop a clear negotiation roadmap: know your targets for license discounts, support fee reduction or caps, and any bundle incentives you’ll request. With half a year to go, it’s time to put EA + Support bundle negotiation on the table explicitly and enter detailed negotiations knowing you have the advantage of time and preparation.
(Adjust these timeframes based on your organization’s size and risk tolerance – larger enterprises often start even earlier, whereas smaller deals might compress the timeline. The key is to plan ahead and not leave alignment until the last minute.)
Comparison Table: Separate vs. Co-Termed Contracts
| Approach | Benefits | Risks | Negotiation Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separate (staggered renewals) | Independent timing for each contract; flexibility to negotiate each on its own schedule. | Lost leverage from smaller, isolated deals; staggered approvals can exhaust internal resources and result in less executive focus. | Limited – You negotiate two smaller deals, reducing overall bargaining power. |
| Co-Termed (aligned renewals) | Stronger leverage with one large combined deal; simplified approval process with one renewal event; opportunity for bundle discounts and “better together” incentives. | Requires timing adjustments or interim contracts to achieve alignment; all-in-one renewal means less flexibility to change course mid-term. | High – A unified negotiation maximizes your leverage and lets you trade concessions across contracts. |
(This comparison highlights how co-terming your Microsoft support with your EA generally delivers far greater leverage in negotiations. While separate renewals offer a bit more timing flexibility, they forfeit the considerable benefits of bundling.)
FAQ: Aligning Microsoft Support Renewal with EA
Q1: Can I co-term Unified Support and EA if the dates are currently far apart?
A1: Yes. Microsoft can adjust contract lengths to align them, even if the end dates are a year or more off. You might do a one-time short renewal or extension on the support side (or occasionally on the EA side) to sync the schedules. It’s common to negotiate a prorated support term specifically so that both the EA and support will co-terminate going forward.
Q2: Does bundling my EA and support negotiations actually lower my costs?
A2: Often, yes. Bundling gives you more leverage to reduce costs because you’re negotiating a bigger pie. Microsoft is more likely to offer discounts or throw in incentives when a lot of revenue is at stake at once. For example, you might secure a better discount on support fees by tying it to a large EA renewal, or get a break on license pricing because you agreed to renew Unified Support at the same time. By trading concessions between the two, many organizations see overall cost reductions.
Q3: Will Microsoft resist co-terming my support with the EA?
A3: They might not volunteer it, but with persistence, you can make it happen. Microsoft sales teams sometimes prefer separate cycles (it can be easier for them to manage and less pressure to discount), so your account rep might not bring it up. However, if you insist on aligning the contracts for your planning purposes, Microsoft will generally accommodate the request. In fact, when presented with the prospect of a larger combined deal, they often come around. Be prepared to explain the business reasoning (e.g,. executive oversight, budget alignment) and escalate if needed – higher-ups at Microsoft understand large customers wanting co-termination.
Q4: What if my EA renewal negotiations drag on past the support expiration date?
A4: Don’t worry – just plan for a safety net. If there’s a risk of protracted EA negotiations, ask Microsoft upfront for a short-term extension of the support contract. They can extend your existing Unified Support agreement on a monthly or quarterly basis until the new deal is signed. This way, you avoid any gap in support coverage. Most importantly, get an agreement in principle for this extension early, so you’re not pressured into signing a subpar deal just to keep support active. It’s a common practic,e and Microsoft would rather extend support than lose you as a customer.
Q5: Are the EA and Unified Support on one combined contract once aligned?
A5: No – even when co-termed, they remain separate agreements. You will still have distinct contract documents (or sections) for the EA and for Unified Support. However, they would share the same end date, and possibly be negotiated at the same time. They’re financially linked (since support cost is tied to your Microsoft spend) but legally separate. This means you have to manage each contract’s terms individually, but you negotiate them in tandem for the best result. Think of it as two contracts riding on the same timeline.
Q6: Does a higher EA spend always increase my Unified Support fees?
A6: Usually yes, unless you negotiate otherwise. By default, Unified Support is priced as a percentage of your Microsoft spend, so if you purchase more licenses or consume more Azure, your support baseline goes up proportionally. However, during negotiation, you can seek exceptions or caps. For instance, you might negotiate that certain new projects (like a big one-time Azure investment) won’t fully count toward support fees, or put in a cap that support costs won’t rise more than a fixed percentage year-over-year. Without such terms, you should assume any EA growth will result in higher support costs under Microsoft’s standard model. Being aware of this linkage is exactly why aligning and negotiating both together is crucial for controlling costs.
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