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David Overton's Blog » Action Pack subscription changes - you should know about them, but they start on 1st March
Action Pack subscription changes - you should know about them, but they start on 1st March

I know that this has been well sign-posted and people have discussed the merits etc in the past, however this is a reminder!!

As I’m sure you’re aware, from March 1st all subscribers wishing to renew must pass an assessment. This is what you need to know:

1. We’ve made available on the Partner Portal an enrolment and re-enrolment guide, which will help people with renewals (see: www.microsoft.com/uk/partner/actionpack and https://partner.microsoft.com/UK/40049696).

2. The portal also contains all the info that those interested in MAPS need, however if anyone is experiencing issues renewing, we do want to encourage them to call the Regional Support Centre (RSC) for assistance. In the UK that number is: 0800 917 3128.  Also if you have any questions regarding your current Action Pack subscription, please call 0870 60 70 700 (press option 1)

 

thanks

David

Posted Fri, Feb 22 2008 10:35 PM by David Overton
Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Tez wrote re: Action Pack subscription changes - you should know about them, but they start on 1st March
on Tue, Feb 26 2008 6:28 PM

What happens if you fail the assessment too many times?

How do you convert the installed action pack software to licensed products if I chose to no longer be a partner?

Interestingly the last few weeks I have been doing more Mac and Linux work, so maybe its time to redirect my time and money.

I still don't believe its down to competency, its a way of culling the bottom end support while encouraging registered partners to go to gold.

David Overton wrote re: Action Pack subscription changes - you should know about them, but they start on 1st March
on Tue, Feb 26 2008 11:17 PM

Tez,

I don't think you can "convert" MAPS licenses to ordinary licenses, except by purchasing the software.

On the need for the exams .. let me share an e-mail I got the other day:

I took over a small business that had subscribed to the Action Pack, and was using the liscenses on the local computers (which number around 8 machines & one Server).  Unfortunately my take over date was December 1, 2007 and I missed the November 30th deadline.  I am afraid I may lack the necessary skills to become a Subscriber.   Any suggestions on which 'Course' or topic would be good to take with an 'Assessment' that would not be too onerus to complete?

This highlights the problems with the wrong people using the Action Pack.  The "exams" are really quite easy for people who work in IT.

Finally, it is not necessarily MS or "the other stuff".  It is probably a bit of both.  Obviously, I'd hope that "our" stuff comes off better, but as Susan Bradley says "better to know" rather than to have "heard".

ttfn

David

Tez wrote re: Action Pack subscription changes - you should know about them, but they start on 1st March
on Thu, Feb 28 2008 11:27 PM

My biggest argument over the exam is that *we* have to give up an hour of our time, and (I believe) have to pay for the exam to get something that we have to help us get a 30 day advantage (eg, Vista) over the consumer in order to sell MS software to the masses. I would not have a problem with the exam if *we* were getting something more, eg, the ability to 'sell' ourselves as partners or have some higher level of software / beta or otherwise, but we can't. so what benefit will we get? its more of a culling exercise for MS.

Regarding the email, it would seem that the action pack is open to abuse, indeed, I have seen many copies of action pack software 'purchased' on ebay used in the wrong environment (don't even get me started on how many companies buy student office from PCWorld because its no questions asked sir), but the action pack has always been 'give me your £199 and I won't ask questions.

MS need to check the validity of the subscriber, but I don't think the exam is the way to do it.

ps, any chance you can edit the 'leave a comment' input box to make it wider?

David Overton wrote re: Action Pack subscription changes - you should know about them, but they start on 1st March
on Thu, Feb 28 2008 11:37 PM

training and exam are free.

sent from a mobile

David Overton wrote re: Action Pack subscription changes - you should know about them, but they start on 1st March
on Thu, Feb 28 2008 11:47 PM

oh, we do check up on people who apply for the action pack, but with hundreds of thousands of partners we need simplier approach. A no charge exam that you should be able to pass without training is not a huge burden. it took me ten mins or so one evening in a browser to get above 70%, which is the pass mark.

 

sent from a mobile

Graham Tew wrote re: Action Pack subscription changes - you should know about them, but they start on 1st March
on Tue, Mar 11 2008 12:16 PM

I have now been trying to pass one of these exams now for the past week or so to no avail. My problem is not getting the required score (that's the easy part).My problem is the website actually showing that I've passed it. So far I've now taken three of the exams, passing all of them. But everytime I've clicked on the 'finish' button the assessment box has closed, and the 'My Training' page has refreshed to show the exams all sat there in 'in progress'. No matter how many times I keep taking the exams they still just sit there in this 'in progress' section. I've only got 10 more days until my expirery date is up... I'm getting really mad with this now...

David Overton wrote re: Action Pack subscription changes - you should know about them, but they start on 1st March
on Tue, Mar 11 2008 4:05 PM

Graham,

can you please contact the regional support centre, or me, so this can be investigated.

thanks

David

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