Independent advisory. 500+ enterprise clients across 11 vendor practices. Contact Us →
Part of our Microsoft services practice. Independent advisory across the full Microsoft estate.
Microsoft audit defense boardroom
Advisory / Microsoft Audit Defense

Microsoft Audit Defense Service 2026

We absorb the SAM engagement, contest the verified self assessment, and close the formal audit. Your side only.

Contact Us → Download the Microsoft EA Playbook
90%+Claim Reduction
500+Enterprise Clients
Fixed fee, all inclusive. Quoted on scope before we start, with no hourly billing and no surprises. Every dollar we save you stays with you.
Home/Microsoft Services/Microsoft Audit Defense
How this engagement works1:53

What audit defense covers, and what it costs

Two minutes: why a licensing review is an audit by another name, how entitlements and deployment are reconstructed before anything is conceded, and why the fee is fixed while the claim is not.

Contact Us →

The presenters in this briefing are AI generated avatars. The service, the commercial terms, and the guidance are real, produced by Redress Compliance analysts from our client engagements.

Watch the briefingResearch briefing · 4:03

Running the Microsoft EA Negotiation: Sequence, Counters, and the Close

Scope first, always. The one-sheet counter to the Multiple Equivalent Offers, pricing Microsoft's asks as sellable gives, business-desk escalation on evidence toward June 30, and a close that is a document, not a meeting.

Open the briefing with transcript and chapters Browse the full video library →
500+ Enterprise Clients Industry Recognized $2B+ Under Advisory 11 Vendor Practices 100% Independent
When we help

Three moments we step in

Scenario 01
SAM engagement opened
Microsoft has invited you into a SAM engagement or verified self assessment. It feels soft, but it is the front door to a formal audit.
Scenario 02
SPLA audit in flight
A hoster or service provider SPLA audit has landed. Reporting accuracy, qualified user counts, and listed price exposure are all in play.
Scenario 03
Formal audit notice
A formal audit letter has arrived from Microsoft or its appointed auditor. The response clock is running and the claim will be material.
How we help

Four phase engagement procedure

Phase 01
Containment
Engagement scoped, communications protocol locked, and Microsoft correspondence routed through counsel. No raw data leaves the building.
Phase 02
Independent baseline
Your side measurement of the Microsoft estate from HR record, asset inventory, M365 telemetry, and Azure billing. Auditor numbers compared line by line.
Phase 03
Findings contestation
Counter position drafted, qualified user math contested, and SPLA reporting validated. Written response delivered to Microsoft.
Phase 04
Close and side letter
Settlement closed at the your side number. Side letter prevents audit findings from following into the renewal or any successor agreement.
Deliverables

What you get at close

01
Audit response file
Counsel led communications protocol, document hold instructions, and the response register for every Microsoft data request.
02
Independent deployment baseline
Your side measurement from HR record, asset inventory, M365 telemetry, and Azure billing. Built before any data crosses to Microsoft.
03
Findings contestation memo
Written challenge to qualified user counts, SPLA reporting, and M365 license assignments, with documentary support.
04
Settlement counter position
Your side settlement model, walk away number, and the staged concession path through the negotiation window.
05
Side letter at close
Signed instrument sealing audit findings off from renewal pricing and any successor Microsoft agreement.
06
Executive briefing deck
CFO and audit committee summary of claim posture, savings achieved, residual risk, and recommended forward stance.
Outcome

What changes after we engage

90%+
Average audit
claim reduction
500+
Enterprise audits
defended
0
Renewal price
spillover
48hr
Engagement
opening time
100%
Your side
independent
Engagement model

Two ways to engage

Pick the option that matches your posture. Fixed Fee for a single audit cycle. Vendor Shield for continuous always on Microsoft defense across the calendar year.

Option A

Fixed Fee Engagement

Scope
Single Microsoft audit cycle from SAM engagement or formal notice through settlement and side letter.
Timeline
Eight to fourteen weeks typical. Same week start once scope is signed.
Pricing
Fixed fee. Quoted on scope. No hourly billing.
Best for
Active SAM engagement, SPLA audit, or formal audit notice with a defined response window.
Contact Us →
Option B

Vendor Shield

Scope
Continuous Microsoft defense. Estate monitoring, audit posture, standing negotiation counsel.
Timeline
12 to 24 month subscription. Renews annually.
Pricing
Annual subscription. Quoted on estate size.
Best for
Estates that closed an audit and want never to reopen reactively.
Vendor Shield detail →
“
Microsoft opened the audit with a twelve million dollar claim. Redress walked us into close at one point one million, with renewal pricing protected by a signed side letter.
Head of Vendor Management, Fortune 500 manufacturer
Microsoft audit defense
Buyer side advisory boardroom

A SAM letter is not a verdict

SAM engagement in the inbox. SPLA audit on the desk. Formal notice in the email. We start where you are and close at the your side price.

Contact Us → Download the Microsoft EA Playbook

Negotiation intelligence, monthly

One letter a month. Negotiation moves, audit signals, and price book shifts.