About Competencies

In the Microsoft Partner Program, Microsoft Competencies are a recognized level of expertise within a given technical and/or business area. A specialization is a focused area of proficiency within a Competency. Each Competency may have zero to multiple associated specializations. Currently, there are thirteen Competencies that partners can apply to join:

Gold Certified Partners, Certified Partners, or Registered Members can earn a Microsoft Competency or Competencies at any time throughout the program year. You earn Partner Points for the successful achievement of your first two Competencies.

Enrollment in a Competency is automatic when the Competency requirements are met. If you are a Registered Member earning a Competency, you will not be active in the Competency (and therefore unable to receive Competency benefits) until you meet the Program Level requirements for a Certified or Gold Certified Partner. Registered Members who meet Competency requirements have a status of "Qualified."  Below is a list of Competency statuses.

 

Your Current Program Level

Competency Status

Description

 

Registered Member, or Certified Partner, or Gold Certified Partner

In Progress

Your Organization or Location has fulfilled some but not all requirements for the Competency.

 

Registered Member, or Certified Partner, or Gold Certified Partner

Qualified

Your Organization has earned the Competency, but your Organization has not become active as a Certified or Gold Certified Partner. To become active and receive Competency-specific benefits, complete all the requirements for the Competency and the requirements for either the Certified or Gold Certified level.

 

Certified Partner or Gold Certified Partner

Active - Pre-approved

Your Organization is granted the Competency, based on previous status in Microsoft programs, and you are currently a Certified or Gold Certified Partner. However, you have yet to meet the Competency requirements. The Competency must be earned by your next anniversary date.

 

Certified Partner or Gold Certified Partner

Active - Inherited

This status is applicable to a Location when:

  • If one Location earns a Competency, all the other Locations associated to the Organization have a status of Active-Inherited because they inherit the Competency that was earned by the one Location. (Note that the single Location that earned the Competency receives the status of Active-Earned.)

  • When the assets of multiple Locations earn a Competency for the Organization, all Locations have the status of Active-Inherited.

Exception: For Learning Solutions Partners, each Location must earn the Learning Solutions Competency outright; it cannot be inherited across the Organization.

 

Certified Partner or Gold Certified Partner

Active - Earned

At the Location level, Active - Earned indicates the Location has earned all of the Competency requirements outright.

At the Organization level, Active - Earned indicates the Organization has earned the Competency because one Location has earned it outright, or the requirements were met by two or more Locations within the Organization.

 

Certified Partner or Gold Certified Partner

Canceled

Partner requests to discontinue enrollment into the Competency.  This must be done by an RSC.

 

Notes

For a Competency that has specializations, you meet the requirements of a specialization to earn the Competency.  

A Competency is valid as long as individual requirements are valid. For the vast majority of the Competencies/specializations, this will be from the date the Competency is earned through the remainder of that membership year, plus one additional year. The exception are those specializations that require tested product certifications.  While most tested products have a valid certification period for two or more years, when a tested product certification expires, the Partner Points and associated Competency are valid through the end of the membership year.

See View Competency Requirements in the Membership Center for details on the requirements for each Competency/specialization.

For more information on Microsoft Competencies, see the Partner Program Web site.