Important changes to Microsoft Dynamics Marketing

October 25, 2016

Microsoft Dynamics Marketing is changing.

Writing in their blog on 24th October, Microsoft outline their plans for Dynamics 365 and Dynamics Marketing. Please see excerpts from the blog below:

“In preparation for Dynamics 365 and the opportunities it opens up to our customers around the world, we have taken years’ worth of customer feedback, internal experience, and industry refinements in the marketing space to bring forth the next generation of marketing from Microsoft.  Today, we are pleased to announce that our vision for the future of marketing will be realized in our Spring 2017 release cycle with the availability of a new marketing application “Dynamics 365 for Marketing, Business Edition”.

The new marketing application that will accompany this release will bring our marketing automation tools and features to a whole new level, while also ensuring that they harness the power of Azure and are hyper-scalable for customers of all sizes.  While we are very excited about this release and its many features, it also means that our existing marketing application, Microsoft Dynamics Marketing, will no longer be sold to new customers as of November 1st, 2016 in order to prepare for the debut of this new application.

Although Microsoft Dynamics Marketing will no longer be available for purchase, Microsoft is continuing to invest in Marketing solutions.

Microsoft is planning to release a new marketing app as part of the Dynamics 365, Business edition. This solution is planned for the Spring of 2017. Pricing and licensing details will be made available prior to release. The new Marketing application will include features and benefits that Dynamics Marketing customers will find very appealing including functionality to model and manage customer journeys across marketing and sales, lead management across marketing and sales, and sharing the same Dynamics 365 platform as the Sales app.  Additionally, the Marketing app in the Spring 2017 release of Dynamics 365 for Marketing will include email marketing, event management, landing pages, and lead management.

Existing Microsoft Dynamics Marketing customers: 

The blog continues:

“Microsoft Dynamics Marketing customers who wish to transition to the new Dynamics 365 Marketing app should evaluate the solution in Spring 2017 and plan their transition in the following 6 to 12 months.

For our existing Dynamics Marketing customers, we want to be crystal clear about our intentions, what the transition between these two applications will look like, and what this means for your business.  Below is a brief summarization of the methods in which Microsoft Dynamics Marketing can be purchased today:

  1. MOSP (web-direct): Dynamics Marketing licenses purchased directly via the Office 365 portal
  2. CRM Online Enterprise: All existing CRM Online Enterprise licenses include Dynamics Marketing
  3. Enterprise Agreements: Dynamics Marketing licenses may have been included within your EA

In line with our support policy, existing customers in an Enterprise Agreement or those who have purchased licenses directly through MOSP (web-direct) will have the option to request renewal of their existing agreements until October 31st, 2017.  Existing customers can also continue to purchase additional seats and Dynamics Marketing add-on capabilities – such as additional email messages and data storage – for the duration of their agreement.  Microsoft is committed to providing support for Dynamics Marketing until October 31st, 2020 in order to honor and facilitate any renewed Enterprise Agreements.

Furthermore, we want to highlight a few of the most important points below:

  1. If you have purchased Microsoft Dynamics Marketing Enterprise directly through MOSP (web-direct) will be able to continue to use Microsoft Dynamics Marketing for the duration of their agreement.
    If auto renewal is enabled, the renewal of the Dynamics Marketing Enterprise will be automatically taken care of but only until the 31st January 2017.  Customers may also request their subscriptions renewal through Billing & Subscription support until October 31st, 2017.
  2. Customers who have CRM Online Enterprise licenses that include Microsoft Dynamics Marketing can continue using CRM Online and their existing Microsoft Dynamics Marketing instance throughout the license period.
    If auto renewal is enabled, the renewal of CRM Online Enterprise will be automatically taken care of but only until the 31st January 2017. This renewal includes the Dynamics Marketing license.
    For a renewal after this date customers will need to transition the licenses to a Dynamics 365 licensing plan. Microsoft Dynamics Marketing will not be included within the new plan.  In this case, customers who had activated Dynamics Marketing should contact Billing & Subscription support to convert and if needed renew the license for their existing Dynamics Marketing instance. Renewal can be requested Billing & Subscription support until October 31st, 2017.
  3. Customers with an Enterprise Agreement will be able to request renewals based on their individual renewal dates until October 31st, 2017 by working through their assigned Microsoft Solution Sales Professional (SSP) or the Volume Licensing Service Center.

In the near future, we will be sharing further details on the new marketing application included with all “Dynamics 365 for Marketing, Business Edition” plans.  Please monitor this website https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/crm/ for future updates and details as they become available.”

TLDR?

  • Microsoft Dynamics Marketing will no longer be available to new customers from 1st November
  • A new Marketing App will be rolled out in Spring 2017 as part of the Dynamics 365 ecosystem
  • Existing customers have different transition options and timelines
  • Microsoft will stop supporting Dynamics Marketing from 1st November 2020

SeeLogic will contact all existing Microsoft Dynamics Marketing customers to advise them on the different options. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us