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Part of our Microsoft services practice. Independent buyer side advisory across the full Microsoft estate.
Microsoft SPLA audit defense advisory boardroom
Advisory / Microsoft SPLA

Microsoft SPLA Audit Defense

We contain the SPLA audit, defend the SAL count, and close the engagement on the hoster's terms. Buyer side only.

Schedule a Call → Download the Microsoft EA Playbook
60 to 96%Average claim reduction
500+Microsoft engagements
Home/Microsoft Services/Microsoft SPLA Audit Defense
500+ Enterprise Clients Gartner Recognized $2B+ Under Advisory 11 Vendor Practices 100% Buyer Side Independent
When we help

Three moments we step in

Scenario 01
SPLA usage report
Monthly usage submission has drifted from the actual hosted estate. SAL counts and SAL for SA totals need reconciling before the next reporting window.
Scenario 02
Hoster audit notice
A SPLA verification letter has landed. Deloitte, KPMG, or a Microsoft compliance team is opening the engagement. The audit window is now active.
Scenario 03
Service provider audit findings
An initial findings document quotes a material claim across user counts, workloads, and SAL for SA. The number needs contested before settlement opens.
How we help

Four phase buyer side procedure

Phase 01
Scope and containment
Audit notice acknowledgement. Communications protocol. Legal containment. No data crosses to the auditor or Microsoft yet.
Phase 02
Deployment review
Independent SAL count from CMDB, discovery, hypervisor, and tenant data. SAL for SA reconciliation. Workload framework rebuild.
Phase 03
Findings contestation
Auditor measurement reviewed against the buyer side baseline. Findings rebutted line by line. Settlement framing prepared for legal sign off.
Phase 04
Close and side letter
Settlement signed. Audit findings sealed off from the SPLA renewal. Reporting governance handed back to the service provider.
Deliverables

What you get at close

01
Audit containment file
Legal containment, written communications protocol, and the parallel buyer side SPLA review.
02
SAL baseline
Independent SAL count, SAL for SA reconciliation, and the workload framework rebuilt from hoster data.
03
Findings rebuttal
Line by line response to the auditor findings document with the buyer side baseline attached.
04
Usage report fix
Corrected monthly usage submission template aligned to the actual hosted estate going forward.
05
Side letter at close
Signed instrument preventing audit findings from following into the SPLA renewal or any successor agreement.
06
Executive briefing deck
CFO and audit committee summary of claim posture, savings, residual risk, and recommended forward position.
Outcome

What changes after we engage

60 to 96%
Average claim
reduction
500+
Microsoft
engagements
48hr
Engagement
opening time
0
Settlements paid
on recent closes
100%
Buyer side
independent
Engagement model

Two ways to engage

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

Option A

Fixed Fee Engagement

Scope
Single SPLA audit, hoster verification, or usage report reset. Fixed scope from day one.
Timeline
Eight to twelve weeks typical. Same week start once scope is signed.
Pricing
Fixed fee. Quoted on scope. No hourly billing.
Best for
Active SPLA audit notice, hoster verification letter, or a material findings document on the desk.
Schedule a Call →
Option B

Vendor Shield

Scope
Continuous SPLA defense. Monthly usage report review, SAL reconciliation, standing buyer side counsel.
Timeline
12 to 24 month subscription. Renews annually.
Pricing
Annual subscription. Quoted on estate size.
Best for
Service providers that already closed an audit and want never to reopen reactively.
Vendor Shield detail →
“
The auditor opened with a multi million dollar SPLA claim across the SAL and workload framework. Redress reframed the audit around the actual hosted estate. The SAL for SA matched. Material reduction, no settlement paid above adjusted entitlement.
Vice President IT Procurement
Global service provider
Buyer side advisory boardroom

Your SPLA audit is an opportunity

Verification letter in the inbox. Findings document on the desk. Monthly usage report drifting. We start where you are.

Schedule a Call → Download the Playbook

Buyer side intelligence, monthly

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