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Directions on Microsoft
@directionsonmicrosoft.com
220 followers 59 following 230 posts
Independent IT planning and EA negotiation service focused exclusively on Microsoft since 1992.
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Microsoft 365 G7 Is Here. Mostly. Sort Of: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-36... #MSLicensing #MSTech
Microsoft 365 G7 Is Here. Mostly. Sort Of.
Microsoft 365 G7, the equivalent of the AI-centric Microsoft 365 E7 suite, but for government community cloud (GCC) customers in the U.S., became available on Oct. 1. But it has only arrived for the l...
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October 14, 2026 at 8:04 PM
directionsonmicrosoft.com
New podcast: What Are Microsoft Enterprise Customers Thinking?
Enterprise users have a lot on their minds. At Directions' latest Licensing Bootcamp, we got an earful. Analyst @getwired.com tells @maryjofoley.bsky.social all about it. www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/wha... #MSTech #MSLicensing
October 2, 2026 at 6:30 PM
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ICYMI earlier this week, Win 11 26H2's phased rollout has begun. Here's what's happening, when: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-ki... #MSTech
Microsoft Kicks Off Windows 11 26H2's Phased Release
Microsoft kicked off the release of its next Windows feature update, Windows 11 26H2, on Sept. 29.  Version 26H2 includes enhanced Windows Hello Sign-In Security; Administrator Protection via administ...
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October 2, 2026 at 6:27 PM
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Directions has a new monthly product/strategy update called "Compass Point." In this edition, we cover what the integration of D365/Dataverse into Copilot means, going forward (among other topics). Check it out: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/compass-poin... #MSTech
Compass Point: Dataverse, Headless Office, and Flex Spend
Welcome to the first installment of the monthly Directions on Microsoft Compass Point report, where we look ahead at emerging Microsoft technologies and product strategies that may impact your operati...
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September 25, 2026 at 5:30 PM
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Microsoft shows off its Copilot "Super App." What you need to know: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-sh... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Microsoft Shows Off Its New Copilot 'Super App'
Microsoft took the wraps off the coming user experience for its latest iteration of its Copilot app on Sept. 25. Previously known as the Copilot “Super App,” the updated app converges the previously s...
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September 25, 2026 at 12:36 PM
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New podcast is out. Tips for Uncovering the Hidden Costs of M365 Copilot (featuring Directions on Microsoft's David Berry and @maryjofoley.bsky.social): www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/unc... #MSTech #MSLicensing
September 17, 2026 at 8:30 PM
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Microsoft to Deliver M365 G7 for Government Users on Oct. 1: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-to... #MSLicensing #MSTech
Microsoft to Deliver M365 G7 for Government Users on Oct. 1
Microsoft made its high-end Microsoft 365 E7 suite available to commercial customers as of May 1, noting, at the time that it was not ready for government customers. But starting Oct. 1, that limitati...
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September 17, 2026 at 8:26 PM
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New podcast now available. Directions on Microsoft built its own AI Assistant for MS licensing and tech queries. Analysts Barry Briggs and Andrew Snodgrass share experiences and lessons learned: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/how... #MSTech
September 10, 2026 at 7:12 PM
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Enterprise takeaways from Microsoft's Q4 FY26 earnings: More capacity constraints, more capex spending: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-ex... #MSTech
Microsoft: Expect Capacity Constraints, CapEx Acceleration to Continue
It looks like Microsoft customers should expect continuing cloud capacity constraints and hefty Microsoft capital expenditure spending for the foreseeable future.   Microsoft closed out its fiscal 202...
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July 30, 2026 at 8:10 PM
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Project Perception: Microsoft's Latest AI Security Play: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsofts-l... #MSTech
Microsoft's Latest Security Play: Project Perception
Just three years after introducing its AI-centric security offering, Security Copilot, Microsoft is rolling out a new end-to-end security platform called “Project Perception.” Perception will go into ...
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July 27, 2026 at 7:40 PM
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New podcast: What enterprises need to know going into MSFT FY'27
Directions' Lane Shelton talks with Mary Jo Foley about Microsoft's pricing and licensing hurdles for the year ahead and how orgs can best prepare: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/mic... #MSLicensing
July 9, 2026 at 7:43 PM
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Microsoft Launches Its Own Forward Deployed Engineering Unit, the ‘Frontier Company’ www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-la... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Microsoft Launches Its Own Forward Deployed Engineering Unit, the 'Frontier Company'
Microsoft already operates a number of consulting businesses. But on July 2, it announced a new one: The Microsoft Frontier Company, which will be focused on helping customers design, deploy, and run ...
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July 2, 2026 at 7:03 PM
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Understanding M365 E7: The Three Risks Behind the $99 Price Point www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/understandin... #MSLicensing
Understanding M365 E7: The Three Risks Behind the $99 Price Point
On May 1, Microsoft introduced Microsoft 365 E7 at $99 per user per month. From the start, there was reason to suspect that number was an opening position, not the whole picture.  Two months in, the e...
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June 25, 2026 at 5:17 PM
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New podcast. What You Need to Know Before You Sign a Microsoft Multiple Equivalent Offer (MEO) with Directions' analyst Steve Kelley: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/wha... #MSLicensing
June 25, 2026 at 5:14 PM
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Microsoft’s Copilot Cowork Gets Model Choice Plus Usage-Based Billing: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsofts-c... #MSLicensing #MSTech
Microsoft’s Copilot Cowork Gets Model Choice Plus Usage-Based Billing
Microsoft’s Copilot 365’s Cowork feature, which is generally available worldwide as of June 16, will offer customers a choice of models and won’t be solely Anthropic-based as it is currently.  Microso...
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June 16, 2026 at 3:11 PM
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Is a Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC) Still Worth It at Any Discount? www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/azure-maccon... #MSLicensing
Azure MACConomics: Is a MACC Worth It at Any Discount?
There is a question Microsoft Azure customers are only now beginning to ask. It comes after consumption data has been gathered, forecasts assembled, growth plans documented. A commitment figure sits o...
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June 15, 2026 at 2:03 PM
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New podcast: Microsoft's evolving AI strategy. New clues from Build: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/mic... #MSTech
June 12, 2026 at 5:46 PM
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Microsoft’s AI Strategy: Platform Control Over Short‑Term ROI. Some post-Build 2026 observations from Directions analyst David Berry www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsofts-a... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Microsoft’s AI Strategy: Platform Control Over Short‑Term ROI
Build 2026 got me thinking, even more than usual, about Microsoft’s AI strategy.  Microsoft is not trying to win with the shiniest toys (although the Surface RTX Spark looks nice!). It’s working to po...
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June 5, 2026 at 4:20 PM
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Build 2026: Microsoft Pushes the Agent Envelope with Android Devices, New Windows PCs www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/build-2026-m... #MSTech
Build 2026: Microsoft Pushes the Agent Envelope with Android Devices, New Windows PCs
Last year’s Microsoft Build developer conference focused heavily on agents. But this year’s Build, which kicked off June 2, is almost entirely agent-focused.  Microsoft is working to position everythi...
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June 2, 2026 at 8:17 PM
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If your org is being pushed from an EA to an MCA upon renewal, make sure to run the following checklist against every CSP quote you receive, says Directions' Steven Kelley: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/ea-to-mca-mi... #MSLicensing
EA to MCA Migration: Your Four-Point Compliance Checklist
Microsoft no longer wants midsize enterprises on the Enterprise Agreement (EA). The de facto floor for an EA renewal has been creeping upward for years, and customers in the 2,500-to-10,000 user band....
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May 29, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Reposted by Directions on Microsoft
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Understanding M365 E7 -- Beware the Step-Up Offer says Directions on Microsoft's Lane Shelton: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/understandin... #MSLicensing
Understanding M365 E7: Beware the Step-Up Offer
Microsoft rarely releases a new enterprise suite. M365 E5 arrived almost a decade ago, and nothing of comparable significance has followed until now. M365 E7 is not an incremental upgrade. It is a pla...
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May 22, 2026 at 4:08 PM
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New podcast: Tips for Dealing with Azure Consumption Constraints and Hidden M365 Costs. Good tips and advice from Directions' Lane Shelton: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/tip... #MSLicensing
May 22, 2026 at 4:15 PM
directionsonmicrosoft.com
Understanding M365 E7 -- Beware the Step-Up Offer says Directions on Microsoft's Lane Shelton: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/understandin... #MSLicensing
Understanding M365 E7: Beware the Step-Up Offer
Microsoft rarely releases a new enterprise suite. M365 E5 arrived almost a decade ago, and nothing of comparable significance has followed until now. M365 E7 is not an incremental upgrade. It is a pla...
www.directionsonmicrosoft.com
May 22, 2026 at 4:08 PM
directionsonmicrosoft.com
Microsoft To Make Azure Linux a Full Commercial Distribution: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-to... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Microsoft To Make Azure Linux a Full Commercial Distribution
In a move some may find surprising — and others not so much — Microsoft plans to make Azure Linux 4.0 a full, commercially available Linux distribution optimized for Azure. Microsoft officials reveale...
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May 20, 2026 at 7:29 PM
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Microsoft's Multiple Equivalent Offer (MEO) will apply to every enterprise renewal in FY27. What you need to know to avoid the traps: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsofts-m... #MSLicensing
Microsoft’s Multiple Equivalent Offer (MEO): How to Avoid the Trap Before Your Next Renewal
If your Enterprise Agreement is up in the next twelve months, your Microsoft account team is going to put a Multiple Equivalent Offer (MEO) on the table. They will pitch this MEO (sometimes also calle...
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May 14, 2026 at 6:09 PM