Microsoft Licensing

Mastering Microsoft SPLA Audit – How to avoid penalty fees

A Microsoft SPLA audit is:

  • Microsoft initiated a review to verify a service provider’s compliance with SPLA terms.
  • Conducted by an independent auditor to scrutinize the service provider’s hosting services and licensing adherence.
  • Focused on ensuring accurate monthly licensing compliance.
  • This can lead to penalties or agreement termination for non-compliance.
  • Involves multiple stages, including data collection, draft report review, and commercial negotiations with Microsoft.

What Is a Microsoft SPLA Audit?

What Is a Microsoft SPLA Audit

A Microsoft SPLA Audit is an official process that Microsoft initiates to verify that a service provider complies with the Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) terms. This audit ensures that the service provider correctly licenses Microsoft software according to the stipulated terms, thereby protecting Microsoft’s intellectual property and ensuring fair usage.

When you sign the SPLA agreement, you grant Microsoft the right to audit your compliance at any point during the agreement period.

These audit rights are detailed in two essential documents:

1. Microsoft Business and Services Agreement (MBSA)

The MBSA is a foundational document that outlines the universal terms and conditions governing the relationship between Microsoft and the service provider. It covers key obligations, rights, and responsibilities that both parties must adhere to throughout the contractual period.

Key Aspects of MBSA:

  • Audit Rights: Specifies Microsoft’s right to initiate an audit to ensure compliance with licensing terms.
  • Responsibilities of Both Parties: Defines what is expected from Microsoft and the service provider regarding licensing, reporting, and general conduct.

The MBSA acts as a universal baseline agreement, establishing broad guidelines for all licensing agreements between the parties.

2. Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA)

The SPLA is a specific agreement that extends and clarifies the terms established in the MBSA. It details how service providers can deploy and use Microsoft products in hosted environments.

Key Aspects of SPLA:

  • License Reporting Requirements: Details the service provider’s obligation to report monthly usage of Microsoft software, including products consumed by end customers.
  • Terms of Usage: This specifies how the licensed software can be used, including rules regarding virtualization, multi-tenancy, and software assurance.
  • Audit Terms: Extends the MBSA by specifying more detailed conditions under which audits will be conducted, including what data must be provided and the consequences of non-compliance.

Why Understanding These Agreements Matters:

Audit Preparedness: Knowing what’s expected under both agreements helps service providers prepare for an SPLA audit, ensuring that all usage is reported accurately and all licensing terms are adhered to.

Legal Compliance: Understanding the MBSA and SPLA helps ensure service providers comply with Microsoft’s licensing expectations and avoid costly penalties.

Definition of SPLA Audit

Definition of SPLA Audit

An SPLA audit is a comprehensive review process conducted by Microsoft to verify that a service provider adheres to the Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) stipulations. Service providers must comply with Microsoft’s complex licensing requirements.

The audit closely scrutinizes the provider’s hosting services, checking for adherence to licensing terms related to Microsoft products. Compliance is assessed based on Microsoft software’s reported usage and deployment across the service provider’s customer environments. This audit helps prevent unauthorized or under-reported usage of Microsoft licenses.

Key Focus Areas of an SPLA Audit:

  • License Compliance: Ensuring all Microsoft software deployed aligns with licensing requirements.
  • Usage Reporting: Validating that reported usage accurately reflects actual deployments.
  • Contract Adherence means ensuring that the terms stipulated under the SPLA are met, such as proper customer agreements and accurate billing.

By conducting SPLA audits, Microsoft ensures that its software licensing agreements are honored, promoting the fair and legal use of its technology.

The Role of Microsoft in SPLA Audit

Microsoft is the licensor and the entity responsible for enforcing compliance in SPLA audits. Its steps during an audit include initiating it, appointing an independent auditor, and finalizing the interpretation of the audit results.

  • 1. Audit Initiation: Microsoft formally initiates the audit by notifying the service provider and marking the beginning of the compliance review process.
  • 2. Appointment of an Independent Auditor: Microsoft may appoint an independent third-party auditor, often from one of the “Big Four” auditing firms (KPMG, PwC, EY, Deloitte), to conduct the audit. The auditor serves as a neutral party, ensuring that the review process is fair and that Microsoft’s standards are met.
  • 3. Interpretation of Audit Results: Microsoft reviews the findings once the audit is complete to determine whether the service provider has adhered to the licensing requirements. Microsoft has the authority to impose penalties for non-compliance, ranging from financial settlements to potential termination of the SPLA agreement.

Why Microsoft’s Role Matters:

  • Penalties and Consequences: Depending on the audit’s outcome, Microsoft may impose significant penalties or terminate agreements if non-compliance is found. Therefore, Microsoft’s interpretation of the audit findings is crucial in determining the service provider’s future relationship with them.
  • Accountability: Microsoft, as the licensor, ensures its software is used according to the agreed-upon terms, protecting intellectual property and revenue.
  • Fair Compliance: By appointing independent auditors, Microsoft aims to create a fair process for verifying compliance objectively.

The Difference Between SPLA and Other Audits

The Difference Between SPLA and Other Audits

While the fundamental objective of an SPLA audit is to verify compliance, similar to other types of software audits, some notable differences set SPLA audits apart.

1. Frequency and Nature of Compliance

  • Continuous Compliance Verification: An SPLA audit is unique because it assesses compliance every month rather than at a single point in time. This ongoing verification means that service providers must consistently maintain compliance, reporting their usage each month.
  • Other Audits: In contrast, other software license audits are generally performed as snapshot reviews, meaning compliance is assessed based on the deployment and usage data at a specific time.

2. Historical Data Impact

  • Past Discrepancies: During an SPLA audit, discrepancies in past data can lead to cumulative consequences for the service provider. For example, if under-reporting is detected for previous months, the provider may need to compensate for the monthly shortfalls across the period in question.
  • One-off Events: Other audits usually focus on compliance with the current or recent state of deployments without delving as deeply into historical usage patterns.

3. Accountability and Reporting

  • Monthly Reporting Requirement: The SPLA requires service providers to report usage monthly, ensuring Microsoft receives accurate data on software deployments. This continuous reporting makes the SPLA audit a far more dynamic process than other licensing audits, which might only review data once annually.
  • Audit Outcomes: The outcome of an SPLA audit can be more impactful because discrepancies can accumulate over time, leading to larger settlements or a reassessment of the service provider’s entire licensing strategy.

Summary of Differences:

  • Ongoing Compliance: SPLA audits focus on continuous monthly reporting, whereas other audits are often one-off assessments.
  • Historical Accountability: SPLA audits consider discrepancies over time, leading to cumulative impacts.
  • Licensing Complexity: The SPLA’s complex nature requires constant vigilance from service providers, making it more stringent than typical software licensing audits.

SPLA audit triggers

SPLA audit triggers

Understanding the triggers for an SPLA (Services Provider License Agreement) audit is crucial for service providers to stay compliant and avoid unnecessary complications.

Microsoft often conducts SPLA audits to ensure service providers accurately report their use of Microsoft products. Here are the primary reasons why an SPLA audit might be triggered:

1. Delays in Monthly Reporting

Monthly Reporting Requirements: Under SPLA, service providers must submit monthly consumption reports detailing their usage of Microsoft software. This includes the number of users, instances, and other relevant consumption metrics.

  • Slow Reporting: If you are slow to submit your monthly reports, this signals a lack of compliance discipline to Microsoft. Timely reporting is critical, as delays suggest potential issues with tracking usage accurately or attempting to obscure details.
  • Impact of Delays: Reporting delays can lead Microsoft to suspect inaccuracies or intentional underreporting, which increases the likelihood of an audit. The audit verifies that all software use is properly accounted for, especially if unexplained or recurring delays occur.

How to Avoid This Trigger: Ensure monthly consumption reports are submitted promptly and without delay. Implement internal reminders and automate report generation whenever possible to ensure timely submissions.

2. Missing Monthly Reports

Failure to Report: Not submitting monthly usage reports is a significant red flag for Microsoft and can almost guarantee that an audit will be triggered. SPLA requires consistent monthly reporting to maintain transparency regarding software usage.

  • Consequence of Non-Reporting: If a service provider fails to report their usage in a given month, Microsoft may assume the provider is non-compliant, under-reporting, or is potentially using unlicensed software.
  • Audit Trigger: The lack of monthly reports means that Microsoft lacks visibility into the provider’s usage patterns, which raises compliance concerns and leads to an audit.

How to Avoid This Trigger: Develop a robust internal process to guarantee that monthly reports are never missed. Assign specific team members the responsibility for monthly SPLA compliance and reporting.

3. Low Reporting of Consumption

Under-Reporting of Usage: The SPLA audit can also be triggered if the consumption reports submitted by the service provider are consistently low compared to expected industry standards or past usage trends.

  • Unusually Low Reporting: If a service provider suddenly reports a significant drop in usage without a clear reason, it may suggest to Microsoft that usage is being under-reported intentionally. Unusually low numbers may be seen as an effort to reduce licensing costs improperly.
  • Comparison with Benchmarks: Microsoft has internal benchmarks and expected usage levels for various services. If a provider’s reporting falls below these benchmarks, it can result in an audit to verify that the reported usage matches actual consumption.

How to Avoid This Trigger: Ensure your reporting accurately reflects software usage. If there is a legitimate decrease in usage, provide supporting documentation and explanations, such as fewer customers or reduced deployments, to justify the drop.

The SPLA Audit Process

The SPLA Audit Process

The SPLA (Services Provider License Agreement) audit is crucial to ensure compliance with Microsoft’s licensing terms and conditions.

Understanding the audit process can help service providers stay prepared, minimize risks, and address compliance issues effectively.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of each phase of the SPLA audit process to better understand what to expect and how to prepare:

1. The Initiation Phase

The audit process begins with formal communication from Microsoft.

  • Microsoft notification: Microsoft will inform the service provider that an audit is scheduled. This notification marks the official beginning of the audit.
  • Details Included: The notification generally contains crucial information like the audit’s scope, the appointed auditing firm, and an estimated timeline. Microsoft often partners with well-known auditing companies, such as one of the “Big Four” (EY, PwC, KPMG, Deloitte).

Tip: Notify key stakeholders about the audit as soon as possible and begin preparing to gather the necessary documentation.

2. Data Collection and Provision

This phase concentrates most of the service provider’s work. It involves collecting relevant data and providing it to the auditor.

  • Provider’s Responsibility: The service provider must gather comprehensive data about its hosting services and software usage after initiating the audit.
  • Auditor’s Role: The auditor thoroughly examines the provided data to detect potential areas of non-compliance. Accurate and detailed reporting at this stage is crucial.

What Data Will Be Requested?

The data collection phase can be quite extensive. Typically, the following types of data are requested:

  • Active Directory Listings: Machine and user listings to identify usage patterns.
  • Virtual Environment Information: Details of virtual machines, hosts, and resource allocation.
  • Comprehensive Software Inventory: A full list of Microsoft products and licenses deployed in the hosting environment.
  • Evidence Supporting SPLA Reporting: This includes proof of previously reported usage figures to Microsoft, showing the accuracy of the billing.
  • Billing Details: Contracts and billing details between the service provider and customers.
  • Agreements with Customers: Documentation detailing the customer agreements confirms the correct use of software under SPLA terms.
  • Software Assurance Verification: Forms that verify active Software Assurance benefits, such as license mobility.

Tip: Prepare the requested data accurately and promptly to reduce audit delays. Clear, organized data helps prevent unnecessary back-and-forth with auditors.

3. Draft Report Presentation

Once the data collection phase concludes, the auditor will analyze the collected information to identify any compliance issues.

  • Preliminary Findings: The auditor will prepare a draft report that presents their initial findings. The report may highlight potential non-compliance, discrepancies in usage reporting, or missing documentation.
  • Common Issues Found: Typical findings include under-reporting of licenses, incorrect usage of licensing terms, or insufficient documentation for license compliance.

Tip: Communicate closely with the auditor during this phase to understand any issues they have identified. This will help you prepare for the next step.

4. Review and Defense by the Service Provider

After receiving the draft report, the service provider can respond.

  • Opportunity to Respond: The service provider should thoroughly review the draft findings and prepare a response to defend their practices. This could involve providing additional documentation and context or correcting misunderstandings.
  • Clarify Discrepancies: The goal is to clarify any discrepancies and address compliance issues noted by the auditor. Accurate information during this stage is critical to potentially mitigate findings of non-compliance.

Tip: This phase is your chance to avoid penalties by clarifying misunderstandings. Involve licensing experts to prepare a robust response.

5. Final Report and Commercial Negotiations

Once the review is complete, the auditor finalizes the audit report.

  • Conclusion of the Technical Phase: The final report will detail any remaining non-compliance issues and provide an official summary of findings.
  • Commercial Negotiations with Microsoft: The final report marks the beginning of commercial discussions with Microsoft. The outcome of these negotiations will determine the financial settlement, corrective actions, or future changes in licensing.
  • Possible Outcomes:
    • Penalties: Depending on the severity of non-compliance, penalties may be assessed.
    • Future Licensing Adjustments: You may be required to adjust licensing practices or increase license procurement to align with compliance requirements.

Tip: Be prepared to negotiate. Addressing and resolving issues during the review phase will strengthen your negotiating position.

Additional Context: What to Expect from an SPLA Audit

  • Independent Auditors: Microsoft may appoint an independent auditor to conduct the SPLA audit. Typically, auditors from the “Big Four” are selected because of their expertise in complex licensing environments.
  • Consequences of Non-Compliance: Non-compliance with SPLA can lead to significant consequences, including financial penalties or even termination of the Services Provider License Agreement. This is why it is crucial to ensure compliance well in advance of an audit.

Tip: Compliance is about passing an audit and managing ongoing risk. Regular internal audits and licensing reviews can help identify and fix problems before an official Microsoft audit.

Important SPLA Audit Insights

Important SPLA Audit Insights

Navigating an SPLA audit can be complex, but the following insights will help service providers handle the process more effectively. Understanding these common pitfalls and crucial statistics can significantly impact the audit outcome.

1. Common SPLA Audit Shortfalls

Underestimation of Shortfalls: Service providers often underestimate their licensing shortfalls during SPLA audits by as much as 80%. This significant underestimation usually stems from insufficient software use tracking and poor reporting mechanisms.

  • Why It Matters: Underreporting software usage can result in substantial penalties. Understanding the typical gap between actual usage and reported figures is crucial to avoiding these shortfalls.

User Licenses (SALs): Subscriber Access Licenses (SALs) account for several shortfalls—typically between 50% and 80%. However, SALs are often overlooked or improperly tracked, resulting in non-compliance.

  • Mitigation Tip: Ensure user access is accurately reported monthly, particularly for Microsoft products that use SALs. Proper documentation of user assignments and regular audits can prevent costly oversights.

Windows Server Licenses: Mitigating shortfalls in Windows Server licenses is particularly challenging, largely due to the complex infrastructure configurations involved.

  • Why It Matters: Accurately licensing Windows Server can be one of the SPLA’s trickiest aspects, especially in virtualization environments. Misreporting Windows Server usage can result in large financial penalties.

2. Takeaways for a Successful Microsoft SPLA Audit

Consider these practical tips for managing and defending your position throughout the SPLA audit process.

Understand the Auditor’s Role: The auditor’s primary function is technical, focused on gathering and analyzing data related to software usage. Their job is not to negotiate or determine the financial repercussions of the findings.

  • Why It Matters: Don’t expect to negotiate financial matters with the auditor. Their role is limited to presenting an unbiased analysis of your software use and compliance.

Microsoft Determines Financial Figures: After the auditor concludes their analysis, Microsoft determines the financial consequences of non-compliance.

  • Negotiation Tip: This is the stage where you present your business case, provide justifications, and negotiate the financial terms. Prepare thoroughly for this phase, as it significantly impacts the audit’s outcome.

Present Your Business Case During Negotiations: When negotiating with Microsoft, it is critical to effectively present your business case and any appeals. This may involve explaining discrepancies, providing additional data, or offering justifications for under-reported usage.

  • Why It Matters: Microsoft is ultimately responsible for determining the penalties, and presenting a well-documented business case can help mitigate them.

The Auditor’s Report is Not Final: The audit report prepared by the independent auditor is not the final determination of compliance or penalties.

Continue Defending Your Claim: Even after presenting the auditor’s report, you can defend your claim during negotiations with Microsoft. This is your chance to address discrepancies, provide supporting documentation, and reduce the overall impact of the findings. This can improve your chances of a favorable outcome and maintain compliance with Microsoft’s licensing terms.

Step-By-Step Guide on how to prepare for a Microsoft SPLA Audit

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Prepare for a Microsoft SPLA Audit

Preparing for a Microsoft SPLA (Services Provider License Agreement) audit can be daunting, but a structured approach can help ensure compliance and mitigate risks.

Below is a step-by-step guide to help you effectively prepare for an SPLA audit.

1. Understand the SPLA Audit

The first step is to fully understand what an SPLA audit is and why it’s essential. Microsoft conducts an SPLA audit to ensure your organization complies with its licensing terms and conditions. The purpose of the audit is to verify accurate usage reporting of Microsoft products used under SPLA. Non-compliance can lead to significant penalties or even termination of the agreement.

2. Know the Differences Between SPLA and Regular Audits

SPLA audits differ from regular Microsoft audits due to their monthly assessment nature. In an SPLA audit, the service provider’s compliance is evaluated based on multiple monthly licensing positions, reflecting the “pay-as-you-consume” nature of the SPLA agreement. This makes it crucial to maintain accurate historical data for every month to avoid discrepancies.

Tip: Maintain organized, detailed records of each month’s software usage and licensing positions to ensure you can provide accurate data during an audit.

3. Prepare Your Legal Department

Ensure your legal department is well-versed in SPLA and Microsoft’s licensing framework. They must understand the audit terms outlined in the Microsoft Business and Services Agreement (MBSA) and the Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA).

Training Focus Areas:

  • Audit Rights: The conditions under which Microsoft can initiate an audit.
  • Contract Terms: Specific clauses related to compliance, penalties, and audit cooperation.
  • Legal Responses: How to respond legally to audit notifications and findings.

Tip: Conduct internal training sessions for the legal team to ensure they’re prepared to handle SPLA-specific audit terms.

4. Organize Your Agreement Paperwork

Document Organization: Make sure that all agreement paperwork is well-organized and accessible. This includes your SPLA agreement, the MBSA, and additional supporting documentation.

Why It Matters: Having all agreements readily available will allow for a faster response to auditor requests and ensures you can quickly reference terms when defending your licensing practices.

Tip: Digitize these documents and store them in a secure, easily accessible repository.

5. Establish Emergency Processes and Tools

Emergency Response Systems: Set up emergency processes, tools, and trained personnel to respond effectively to the audit. This includes having an internal team responsible for data collection and responding to the auditor’s requests.

Key Components:

  • Data Collection System: A system that quickly gathers all relevant data required during an audit.
  • Designated Team: Trained staff members who understand SPLA reporting and compliance should be appointed to handle the audit process.
  • Communication Plan: A clear communication plan with Microsoft and the auditor throughout the audit.

6. Understand the SPLA Audit Process

The SPLA audit process is structured into several phases:

  • Initiation Phase: You’ll first receive an audit letter from Microsoft, followed by a kick-off meeting to set the expectations.
  • Data Collection: This is where you gather all necessary data to present to the auditor.
  • Review of the Draft Report: The auditor presents their initial findings.
  • Defense of Your Position: You can challenge the findings and present additional evidence.
  • Final Report and Negotiations: After the final report is issued, commercial negotiations with Microsoft begin to determine the outcome, including any financial penalties.

Tip: Familiarize yourself with these phases to prepare effectively and understand what will be expected from your organization at every stage.

7. Prepare for Data Collection

Data Requests: During the audit, the auditor will request a wide range of data. Prepare the following:

  • Active Directory Listings: Include both machine and user listings.
  • Virtual Environment Data: Information about virtual environments, including the number of hosts and VMs.
  • Software Inventory: A complete list of all Microsoft products installed and used.
  • SPLA Reporting Evidence: Data backing up previously submitted SPLA reporting figures.
  • Customer Billing Details: Billing information between you and your customers.
  • Customer Agreements: Agreements that specify software usage rights with customers.
  • Software Assurance Verification: Verification forms for any Software Assurance benefits being utilized.

Tip: Create a checklist of required data so your team can systematically gather everything the auditor will need.

8. Understand the Auditor’s Role

The auditor’s role is primarily technical. It involves analyzing software usage data to determine compliance. However, it is important to note that Microsoft, not the auditor, determines the financial consequences of the audit.

Implications for You:

  • Data-Driven Process: The auditor will look at data to identify discrepancies. Your task is to ensure the data is accurate and complete.
  • Presenting Your Case: Since the auditor’s role is limited to presenting technical findings, you must be ready to present your business case and negotiate with Microsoft if discrepancies are found.

Tip: The auditor’s report is not final. The actual financial settlement is determined through negotiations with Microsoft, giving you another opportunity to present evidence and appeals.

9. Review and Defend Your Position

You must proactively defend your position once the auditor presents the draft report.

  • Thorough Review: Carefully review the auditor’s findings. Look for inaccuracies or areas where additional context might change the interpretation.
  • Provide Evidence: If there are discrepancies, be prepared to submit further evidence to support your compliance claims.
  • Not Final: Remember, the auditor’s report is not the final say. Continue presenting your case during the negotiation phase with Microsoft.

Tip: Engage a licensing expert to review the draft findings and strengthen your defense. This can significantly affect the outcome.

10. Engage in Commercial Negotiations

After the technical phase concludes and the final report is signed off, you will begin commercial negotiations with Microsoft.

  • Prepare Your Case: This is the stage where you need to negotiate penalties or fees and present any mitigating factors that could reduce financial exposure.
  • Engage in Dialogue: Microsoft may be open to negotiations, especially if you can demonstrate that issues have been rectified or if mitigating circumstances exist.

Tip: Approach this phase with all necessary documentation and context. This is your final opportunity to reduce the penalties or fees determined by the audit findings.

SPLA Audits and How to Defend Yourself: FAQ

What is an SPLA audit? An SPLA audit is a review process initiated by Microsoft to ensure that service providers comply with the licensing terms specified under the Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA).

How does Microsoft decide to initiate an SPLA audit? Microsoft initiates SPLA audits based on various factors, including irregularities in monthly reporting, delays in data submission, and significant deviations from expected software usage.

What should I expect during an SPLA audit? You should expect requests for detailed data on software usage, licensing compliance, and customer agreements. The audit typically includes data collection, draft report review, and negotiations.

How long does an SPLA audit take? The length of an SPLA audit can vary depending on the complexity of the service provider’s environment and how promptly they provide the requested information. However, it typically lasts several weeks to a few months.

Who conducts the SPLA audit? Microsoft appoints an independent auditor, often from one of the “Big Four” firms (PwC, KPMG, EY, Deloitte). These auditors analyze data, verify compliance, and present their findings to Microsoft.

What kind of data will the auditor request? Auditors generally request detailed data, including Active Directory machine and user listings, information from virtual environments, software inventory, customer agreements, billing records, and evidence supporting SPLA usage reports.

What are common reasons for non-compliance in an SPLA audit? Common reasons for non-compliance include under-reporting of software usage, incorrect Subscriber Access License (SAL) counts, and insufficient documentation for reported figures. Misconfigured virtual environments can also lead to discrepancies.

How can I prepare for an SPLA audit? To prepare for an SPLA audit, maintain accurate monthly reporting, organize all license documentation, ensure your legal team understands SPLA terms, and designate personnel to respond promptly to audit requests. Proactively conduct internal audits to identify any compliance issues.

What happens if the auditor finds discrepancies? If discrepancies are found, the auditor will present a draft report outlining areas of non-compliance. You can review and challenge these findings by providing additional evidence or explaining your usage.

How do I defend my position if discrepancies are found? Defend your position by reviewing the draft report thoroughly, providing any missing evidence, and correcting misunderstandings. Present a detailed business case to explain discrepancies or justify software usage that may appear incorrect.

Who determines the financial impact of the SPLA audit? Microsoft, not the independent auditor, determines the financial impact of the SPLA audit. Microsoft uses the auditor’s findings to calculate any penalties, additional licensing fees, or required adjustments.

What are the potential consequences of non-compliance? Consequences of non-compliance may include significant financial penalties, increased licensing fees, or even termination of the SPLA agreement. Non-compliance can also damage your business relationship with Microsoft.

Can I negotiate the outcome of an SPLA audit? Yes, after the technical phase of the audit concludes, you can negotiate with Microsoft regarding penalties or required fees. Presenting a well-supported business case during these negotiations can help reduce the financial burden.

How can I reduce the risk of an SPLA audit? To reduce the risk of an SPLA audit, maintain accurate and timely monthly reporting, document all software usage, and proactively address discrepancies through internal reviews. Consistent compliance can minimize audit triggers.

Is the auditor’s report final? No, it is not final. It is a draft that you can respond to, challenge, and defend before Microsoft makes any final decisions regarding compliance and financial penalties.

Do you want to know more about our Microsoft SPLA Audit Defense Service?

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Author
  • Fredrik Filipsson has 20 years of experience in Oracle license management, including nine years working at Oracle and 11 years as a consultant, assisting major global clients with complex Oracle licensing issues. Before his work in Oracle licensing, he gained valuable expertise in IBM, SAP, and Salesforce licensing through his time at IBM. In addition, Fredrik has played a leading role in AI initiatives and is a successful entrepreneur, co-founding Redress Compliance and several other companies.

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