Licensing Options
-
Back to top
Licensing Advice and Delivery
A Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for Licensing and Software Asset Management, Grey Matter has been selling Microsoft volume licenses since 1983. All our licensing experts are either Microsoft Certified Professionals or have passed the Microsoft Licensing Sales Expert exams. Our most experienced Microsoft licensing specialist has been with us for over 23 years. Grey Matter can deliver independent Microsoft licensing advice:
- Direct to end customers
- To other resellers and solution providers who need the best Microsoft licensing advice and service for their customers
- Through ISVs to ensure their customers get the best licensing advice and service for Microsoft products needed to deploy their application
- To customers who have procured licensing from other resellers, but would benefit from an independent licensing review to ensure they are on the best scheme and have not over or under procured.
Contact us on 01364 654100 with all of your licensing queries.
Microsoft Licensing Options
Full-packaged product (FPP)
Full-packaged products are suitable for home users and organisations with less than five desktop PCs. The licence itself - called an End User Licence Agreement (EULA) - is a printed document that is found in the box with the software discs and manual.
OEM software
PC manufacturers and System Builders have the ability to provide a limited range of key software pre-installed on a new desktop PC. This software (such as Windows Desktop and Windows Server) is usually designated as OEM (Other Equipment Manufacturer) software. The OEM End User Licence Agreement (EULA) must be accepted when you first turn on the desktop PC. This type of licence is an agreement between the PC manufacturer/System Builder and the end user. Legal and genuine software that has been pre-installed will also have a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) attached to the chassis and will include the media (software discs) and manuals. Note that OEM software is 'tied' to the PC on which it was first installed, it is not transferrable.
Volume licensing programmes
Volume licensing programmes are suitable for organisations with 2 or more PCs. There are various options available in perpetual or non-perpetual forms to cater for the different needs of organisations, academic institutions and charities. Volume licensing programmes are an easy way to buy multiple Microsoft software product licences - the more you buy the greater the volume discount. With volume-based licensing you no longer receive a paper copy of the End User Licence Agreement (EULA). Instead, all volume-based licences can be viewed online and detail how many users or desktop PCs are covered under the terms of the agreement.
Licensing programmes for academic institutions
We provide a range of flexible licensing programmes for customers from academic institutions. These programmes aim to meet the different requirements of staff and students in qualifying educational institutions: universities, colleges or schools.
Licensing programmes for public sector
We provide a range of flexible licensing programmes for customers in the public sector with between 5 and 250 desktops, as part of the new Microsoft Open Licensing Programme for Government (OLPG).
Licensing for development teams
Reduce your development software management challenges by subscribing to the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) with Visual Studio. MSDN provides cost-effective software development and test licences for organisations developing for the Microsoft platform. MSDN, being a subscription service, is the Software Assurance for Microsoft developer tools.
- For more information about Visual Studio 2008, Visual Studio Team Editions and MSDN, visit our Visual Studio 2008 product pages.
Open
-
Back to top
Open License (OLP)
Number of Initial Licenses Purchased: 5 or more
Organisation Benefits: Open License has the minimum license requirements and offers customers volume pricing with the flexibility to pay as they go. It allows you to acquire additional software products as needed to grow with their changing business needs. Open Business offers volume pricing with minimum license requirements. Open Volume offers a greater discount for a larger upfront order.
Products Included: All commercially available Microsoft software products on the product list
Licensing Offerings: License, License and Software Assurance, and Software Assurance for renewals or eligible original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and full packaged product (FPP) purchases
Software Maintenance Option: Software Assurance is available at the time of license acquisition(License and Software Assurance). Software Assurance coverage is in effect until the end of the two-year term of Open License.
Pricing:
Open Business: Requires only five licenses to enter the program
Open Volume: Each product offering (License, Software Assurance, and License and Software Assurance) is assigned specific point values to determine price levels. Points are calculated based on three product pools, with a minimum entry acquisition level of 500 points; one in each chosen pool.
Agreement Term: Two years, not renewable
Payment Options: Upfront payment only
Product Fulfilment: Media must be acquired separately from Grey Matter.
Software Assurance: Option to add Software Assurance at the time of acquiring the license
Online Services: Not offered
Open Value (OLV) Non-Companywide
Number of Desktop PCs: 5 or more
Organisation Benefits: Open Value Non-Companywide offers simplified license management for more control over your IT investment and better management of software costs with the advantages of Software Assurance.
Products Included: All commercially available Microsoft software products on the product list.
Licensing Offerings: License and Software Assurance, and Software Assurance renewals
Software Maintenance Option: Each License and Software Assurance order counts as one order toward initial minimum of five License and Software Assurance orders. Subsequent orders can be as small as one License and Software Assurance order. Renewal of Software Assurance coverage acquired through any Microsoft Volume Licensing program also qualifies for participation in Open Value Non-Companywide and Open Value Companywide.
Pricing: Minimum of five License and Software Assurance or Software Assurance-only orders
Agreement Term: Three years, renewable
Payment Options: Annual payments or up front
Product fulfilment: One copy of media is shipped free upon the initial order of every product. Additional media must be obtained separately at an additional cost. Customers can also download software from Microsoft Volume Licensing Services .
Software Assurance: Software Assurance is included at the time of acquiring the software license and can be used immediately throughout the term of the licensing agreement.
Open Value (OLV) Companywide
Number of Desktop PCs: 5 or more
Organisation Benefits: Open Value Companywide offers substantial cost savings over Open Value Non-Companywide pricing, as well as simplified license and budget tracking through standardisation on the latest Microsoft technology across the enterprise.
Products Included: Microsoft Professional Desktop Platform Products: 2007 Microsoft Office Professional Plus, Windows Vista Enterprise, Core CAL Suite or Small Business Desktop Platform Products: 2007 Microsoft Office Small Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Small Business CAL Suite. Additional software products are available as needed.
Licensing Offerings: License and Software Assurance, and Software Assurance renewals
Software Maintenance Option: Each License and Software Assurance order counts as one order toward initial minimum of five License and Software Assurance orders. Subsequent orders can be as small as one License and Software Assurance order. Renewal of Software Assurance coverage acquired through any Microsoft Volume Licensing program also qualifies for participation in Open Value Non-Companywide and Open Value Companywide.
Pricing: Minimum of five License and Software Assurance, or Software Assurance only orders. In EMEA, a volume discount applies if you order licenses for at least 250 PCs through your initial order.
Agreement Term: Three years, renewable
Payment Options: Annual payments or up front
Product Fulfilment: One copy of media is shipped free upon the initial order of every product. Additional media must be obtained separately at an additional cost. Customers can also download software from Microsoft Volume Licensing Services.
Software Assurance: Software Assurance is included at the time of acquiring the software license and can be used immediately throughout the term of the licensing agreement.
Open Value Subscription (OVS)
Number of Desktop PCs: 5 or more
Organisation Benefits: Open Value Subscription offers the lowest upfront costs of all Open programs with the flexibility to reduce the licensing costs in years when your PC count declines.
Products Included: Microsoft Professional Desktop Platform Products: 2007 Microsoft Office Professional Plus, Windows Vista Enterprise, Core CAL Suite or Small Business Desktop Platform Products: 2007 Microsoft Office Small Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Small Business CAL Suite. Additional software products are available as needed.
Licensing Offerings: License and Software Assurance and Buy-out Option
Software Maintenance Option: Each License and Software Assurance order counts as one order toward initial minimum of five License and Software Assurance orders. Subsequent orders can be as small as one License and Software Assurance order.
Pricing: Minimum of five License and Software Assurance orders. In EMEA, a volume discount applies to customers who order licenses for at least 250 PCs through their initial order.
Agreement Term: Three years, renewable
Payment Options: Annual payments for License and Software Assurance (not for Buy-out)
Product Fulfilment: One copy of media is shipped free upon the initial order of every product. Additional media must be obtained separately at an additional cost. Customers can also download software from Microsoft Volume Licensing Services .
Software Assurance: Software Assurance is included at the time of acquiring the software license and can be used immediately throughout the term of the licensing agreement.
Further information about Microsoft Open Licensing
If you're unsure about which Open licensing agreement suits your needs, contact us on 01364 654100.
Select and Enterprise
-
Back to top
Select License
Number of Desktop PCs: Organisations with fewer than 250 PCs are unlikely to purchase enough software to meet minimum purchase requirements, but customers with a significant Server software requirement may well also benefit even if they do not meet the desktop quantity.
Organisation Benefits: Select License recognises the customer upgrade cycle and allows for the potential of a greater point forecast. Volume price levels are established for each pool of products (applications, systems, or servers) based on a three-year software forecast that makes it easier to adapt your technology strategy and evolving business needs.
Products Included: All commercially available Microsoft License and Software Assurance software products on the product list.
Licensing Offerings: License, License and Software Assurance, and Software Assurance for renewals or eligible original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and full packaged product (FPP) purchases.
Software Maintenance Option: Ability to acquire Software Assurance throughout the three-year agreement term and renewals, but only at the time of license acquisition (License and Software Assurance) or renewal of Software Assurance. Coverage runs to the end of the agreement term.
Pricing: Each product offering (License, Software Assurance, and License and Software Assurance) is assigned specific point values to determine price levels. Points are calculated based on three product pools, with a minimum three-year forecast of points to be acquired for each price level:
- Level A: 1,500-11,999 points
- Level B: 12,000-29,999 points
- Level C: 30,000-74,999 points
- Level D: 75,000 plus points.
Agreement Term: Three years, renewable.
Payment Options: Annual payments for License and Software Assurance and Software Assurance only.
Product Fulfilment: Each enrolment receives one introductory Product Fulfilment Kit that contains an initial set of media for the product pools and language groups selected. Updates are provided throughout the agreement term. Customers can also download software from Microsoft Volume Licensing Services.
Software Assurance: Option to add Software Assurance at the time of acquiring the license.
Select Plus License
The Select Plus licensing scheme shares many common features with the normal Select Licence scheme, but there are four key differences:
- The scheme is perpetual, so even if in any one year you don't qualify, in a subsequent year (if you meet the minimum entry requirements) you can step back into the scheme without having to sign new agreement forms
- Qualification is no longer based on forecasting purchases over a 3 year period but is based on an initial minimum purchase in a year OR you may qualify based on the previous year's purchase level or your current Select status if you are switching schemes
- Software Assurance under Select was tied to the scheme years, so purchasing during a scheme year meant that you paid for a full year but got the benefits only for the remainder of that year. Select Plus software assurance runs for a full 3 years from the date of purchase, and at the end of that period (if renewal is required), may be pro-rated to tie in with the scheme years
- Immediate benefit of accumulated purchases. If, during a scheme year, a further order accumulates to achieves a better pricing level (on a pool basis) then that order will immediately qualify for the better pricing purchase level as will any subsequent orders in that pool during that year. Under ordinary Select, pool reviews occurred only on an annual basis. Under Select Plus the pools are still reviewed annually and this will affect the initial pricing level for the subsequent year.
Number of Desktop PCs: Organisations with fewer than 250 PCs are unlikely to purchase enough software to meet minimum purchase requirements, but customers with a significant Server software requirement may well also benefit even if they do not meet the desktop quantity.
Products Included: All commercially available Microsoft License and Software Assurance software products on the product list. The products are available in 3 distinct pools - Applications (Desktop), Server (incl. Server Applications) and Systems (Desktop Op Systems). Pools cannot be mixed to achieve qualifying requirements.
Licensing Offerings: License, License and Software Assurance, and Software Assurance for renewals or eligible original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and full packaged product (FPP) purchases.
Pricing: Each product offering (License, Software Assurance, and License and Software Assurance) is assigned specific point values to determine price levels. Points are calculated based on three product pools, with a minimum qualification requirement, per pool of:
- Level A: 500 points
- Level B: 4000 points
- Level C: 10000 points
- Level D: 25000 plus points.
Agreement Term: Perpetual, does not expire.
Payment Options: Annual payments for License and Software Assurance and Software Assurance only, otherwise pay in full at point of purchase.
Product Fulfilment: Customers can download software from Microsoft Volume Licensing Services. This method is encouraged. It is possible to get physical media, but only for products actually ordered and listed on the initial Registration form. There is no full media kit release.
Enterprise Agreement
Number of Desktop PCs: 250 or more.
Organisation Benefits: The Enterprise Agreement offers substantial cost savings over standard license pricing, as well as simplified license and budget tracking through a single agreement. With the Enterprise Agreement, you can easily deploy the latest Microsoft technology across the enterprise to help enable IT standardisation.
Products Included: Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Platform Products: 2007 Microsoft Office Enterprise, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Microsoft Enterprise Client Access License Suite or Microsoft Professional Desktop Platform Products: 2007 Microsoft Professional Plus, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Microsoft Core Client Access License Suite. Additional software products are available as needed.
Licensing Offerings: License and Software Assurance, and Software Assurance renewals.
Software Maintenance Option: Software Assurance is included as part of the Enterprise License. Software Assurance coverage runs to the end of the agreement term.
Pricing: Price levels based on the number of qualified computers in the enterprise:
- Level A: 250-2,399 computers
- Level B: 2,400-5,999 computers
- Level C: 6,000-14,999 computers
- Level D: 15,000 plus computers.
Agreement Term: Three years, renewable.
Payment Options: Annual payments for all items (License and Software Assurance, Software Assurance only) ordered initially only. True-up payments for growth.
Product Fulfilment: Each enrolment receives one introductory Product Fulfilment Kit that contains an initial set of media for the product pools and language groups selected. Updates are provided throughout the agreement term. Customers can also download software from Microsoft Volume Licensing Services.
Software Assurance: Software Assurance is included at the time of acquiring the software license and can be used immediately throughout the term of the licensing agreement.
Enterprise Subscription Agreement
Number of Desktop PCs: 250 or more.
Organisation Benefits: The Enterprise Subscription Agreement offers substantial cost savings over standard license pricing on a subscription basis, allowing customers to acquire only what they need when they need it, as well as simplified license and budget tracking through a single agreement. With the Enterprise Subscription Agreement, you can easily deploy the latest Microsoft technology across your enterprise to help enable IT standardisation.
Products Included: Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Platform Products: 2007 Microsoft Office Enterprise, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Microsoft Enterprise Client Access License Suite or Microsoft Professional Desktop Platform Products: 2007 Microsoft Professional Plus, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Microsoft Core Client Access License Suite. Additional software products are available as needed.
Licensing Offerings: License and Software Assurance and Buy-out Option.
Software Maintenance Option: Software Assurance is included as part of the Enterprise License. Software Assurance coverage runs to the end of the agreement term.
Pricing: Price levels based on the number of qualified computers in the enterprise:
- Level A: 250-2,399 computers
- Level B: 2,400-5,999 computers
- Level C: 6,000-14,999 computers
- Level D: 15,000 plus computers.
Agreement Term: Three years, renewable.
Payment Options: Annual payments for License and Software Assurance (not for Buy-out).
Product Fulfilment: Each enrolment receives one introductory Product Fulfilment Kit that contains an initial set of media for the product pools and language groups selected. Updates are provided throughout the agreement term. Customers can also download software from Microsoft Volume Licensing Services.
Software Assurance: Software Assurance is included at the time of acquiring the software license and can be used immediately throughout the term of the licensing agreement.
Further information about Select, Select Plus and Enterprise Licensing
If you're unsure about which licensing agreement suits your needs, contact us on 01364 654100.
Public
-
Back to top
Microsoft Open Licensing Programme for Government (OLPG)
A new licensing programme for Public Sector organisations with up to 250 desktops was launched on October 1st 2008. It is aligned to the existing Open and Open Value licensing programmes, so please refer to the ‘Open’ tab above.
Microsoft has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding which defines which entities in the UK are considered public sector entities by Microsoft in relation to its volume licensing programmes, and has extended benefits to the Open Licensing and Open Value Government licensing schemes (OLPG) that previously had been applicable only to the Select and Enterprise licensing schemes.
While the normal rules of the Open Licence and Open Value Licence schemes apply, special pricing applies to eligible parties.
An “eligible government entity" is any contracting authority as defined by:
- the Public Contracts Regulations 2006; or
- the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006,
as these are subsequently amended, or as contracting authorities are renamed or restructured from time to time.
The organisation must be:-
- Supranational
- National
- Regional/County
- Local/Parish
- Healthcare
- Other government organisations
Conditions and exclusions apply, so please contact us for a fuller statement.
Further information about Microsoft Open Licensing Programme for Government (OLPG)
For more information about OLPG, contact us on 01364 654100.
Academic
-
Back to top
We provide a range of flexible licensing programmes for customers from educational organisations. These programmes aim to meet the different requirements of staff and students in every qualifying organisation: universities, colleges or schools and assist with the complexities and costs of acquiring, upgrading and managing Microsoft software.
Office 2007 Standard for Students and Teachers Licence
A licensing programme designed for individual students, teachers and parents to use software at home.
School Agreement
For schools with 10 desktop PCs or more, Microsoft's School Agreement is a comprehensive, annually renewable licensing programme that meets the unique needs of primary and secondary schools.
Campus Agreement
Microsoft Campus Agreement is an annually renewable licensing programme created for further and higher education organisations.
Education Open Licence
Microsoft's Education Open licence is ideal for organisations with 2 to 500 desktop PCs. Education Open Licence makes it easier to take advantage of volume-based pricing when buying Microsoft software.
Education Select Licence
A volume licensing programme for eligible organisations with more than 250 desktop PCs.
Academic Full-Packaged Product
This is a full-boxed version of a Microsoft product for use in qualifying academic organisations. The contents of full-packaged products are the same as regular packages, i.e. they have the same media, manuals and Licence Agreement, except these are made available at a special price for qualifying customers from academic organisations.
Further information about Microsoft licensing for academic organisations
If you're unsure about which educational licensing agreement suits your needs, contact us on 01364 654100.
Microsoft Finance
-
Back to top
Microsoft Finance from Grey Matter
When you finance your Microsoft licenses through Microsoft Financing, you get predictable monthly payments that are spread over the life of your IT investment. Microsoft Financing enables you to avoid budget-straining upfront cash investments. You can add or upgrade licensing during your contract so it's easy to adapt your IT strategy to keep up with evolving business needs.
Benefits
Microsoft License Financing will enable your organisation to:
- Make predictable payments over time - spread the payments over 24 to 60 months
- Add non-Microsoft licensing to the same finance agreement
- Meet all your IT needs and stay within your budget
- Plan long-term IT investments
- Conserve capital and keep credit lines intact
- Add more licensing to the contract as you need it.
Further information about Microsoft Finance
For more information about Microsoft Financing options, or for a finance quote, contact us on 01364 654100.
Related Documents
-
Back to top