Microsoft has removed the free grace period for CSP subscriptions that aren't set to auto-renew. It's been replaced by the Extended Service Term (EST) — billed at the standard monthly rate plus a 3% uplift. Full enforcement begins May 4, 2026.
Your three end-of-term options
- Renew — continues as normal into the next term
- Cancel at Expiration — services stop at end of term; you have 30 days to recover data before it's permanently deleted
- EST — subscription continues month-to-month at +3%, cancellable any day
What Cloud Factory does for you
Until May 4, we automatically revert any Microsoft-converted EST subscriptions back to Cancel, so you won't be hit with unexpected costs. You can see which licenses are affected directly in the Partner Portal or in Insights — review your settings and make your choices before the deadline. Be aware that any changes you make before May 4 will be overridden by Cloud Factory
We recommend that you actively monitor your subscriptions in Insights — it's your responsibility as a partner to stay on top of which licenses are approaching end-of-term and ensure the right settings are in place
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Questions? Contact our Partner Care team.
Need Help Navigating EST?
Our partner care team is standing by to help you through this transition.
- Contact Partner Care
- API Documentation
- Microsoft Learn
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