Microsoft True-Up Risk Assessment

Do you have on-premises Microsoft products (Windows Server, SQL Server, Office) outside your EA?

Legacy on-premises deployments are the most common source of true-up surprise costs.

Are your Microsoft licences properly assigned to the correct users and devices?

Misassigned licences (e.g., E5 features used by E3 users) create compliance exposure even if total licence count is sufficient.

Do you run SQL Server outside of Azure?

SQL Server licensing is complex (Core vs Server+CAL) and frequently under-licensed. This is a top audit finding.

SQL virtualisation licensing is extremely complex.

Do you run Windows Server in VMware or Hyper-V virtual environments?

Windows Server licensing in virtual environments depends on edition, host cores, and VM count. Misconfiguration is common.

When is your next EA true-up or anniversary date?

EA true-ups occur annually on the EA anniversary. Surprises at true-up time are expensive.

Have you used all Software Assurance (SA) benefits you are entitled to?

SA benefits (AHUB, disaster recovery rights, training vouchers, planning services) are often unused but paid for.

SA typically costs 25% of licence value annually.

Have you conducted an internal licence compliance review in the last 12 months?

Regular self-audits identify gaps before Microsoft does. Microsoft conducts formal audits through third parties like Deloitte and EY.