Oracle Java “Security Patch” Call Is a Licensing Audit
I count software for a living. So when a client forwards me an Oracle Java quote, the first thing I do is ask how they got to the number. Th
Microsoft’s AI Bundles Have a Value Problem.
Microsoft’s latest AI bundles revive a familiar enterprise challenge: paying for capabilities that only a subset of employees will use
The EA Renewal Deadline Isn’t Your Deadline.
Last week I sat in on a renewal review with a procurement team. A Microsoft proposal was open on the screen. In the corner sat an expiry dat
Microsoft True-Up: Enterprise FAQs
Understanding Microsoft True-Up, True-Down, and Contract Basics Can I reduce (true down) my Microsoft 365 subscriptions, and when? Yes. On y
Microsoft’s July 1st Pricing Changes Means More Than Higher Costs.
Beginning July 1, 2026 Microsoft will increase pricing across several commercial plans: Office 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E5, f
When Your SAM Lead Is Out, Is Your Team Ready?
Vacation season exposes a SAM risk most enterprises never plan for. A vendor sent a True-Up request on a Tuesday. Moderate ask, tight window
Microsoft Copilot: Why Enterprises Are Backing Out.
Over the past several months, I’ve had the same conversation with multiple large organizations. They adopted Microsoft Copilot with ge
AI Spend Governance Starts With Token Consumption.
Real life scenario: a $500,000 charge landed on an invoice from a single query run without guardrails. The team had no visibility until afte
When “More Licenses” Creates Microsoft Compliance Risk.
A company discovers gaps in its Microsoft licensing position, so the response feels obvious: Buy more CALs. Usually Device CALs. Sometimes U
Microsoft EA Renewal Negotiation: The 30-Year Playbook.
I spent 8 years inside Microsoft selling the Enterprise Agreement before I started helping clients negotiate against it. The Microsoft EA re
Your Microsoft EA Proposal Has a Math Problem.
A mid-size enterprise received two Microsoft EA proposals at renewal. One was built around Microsoft 365 E3, the other around Microsoft 365
Microsoft EA True-Up: Why Finance Called It a Budget Miss.
A large enterprise signed a three-year Microsoft EA for $6 million per year, with a purchase order totalling $18 million to cover the full t
The Azure Agreement Terms That Aren’t in Your Contract.
A mid-market technology company was three months out from an Azure commitment renewal when its procurement team sat down to build a negotiat
Microsoft EA Renewals: The Baseline Pricing Level.
Three client conversations in a single week. Three different organizations, different sizes, different industries. One pattern that showed u
Power Apps Premium Licensing: Why Costs Appear Too Late.
Written by Ben Tight, VP of Delivery & Operations at MetrixData 360. When I review Microsoft renewals, I usually spend extra time on Pow