What is “Annual True Up Support”?
Why work with us
Expertise in Licensing Complexity
Our team comprises ex-Microsoft employees with over 20 years of Microsoft Enterprise Agreement negotiation experience and has executed over 1,000 agreements. This gives us unmatched expertise in Microsoft EA licenses, EA True-Up processes, and the ability to identify cost-saving opportunities. With deep knowledge of the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement true-up, we help you avoid compliance risks and optimize licensing.
Independent and Unbiased
We maintain complete independence by not partnering with IT vendors or reselling their licenses or services. This ensures our guidance on Microsoft EA Optimization Services remains unbiased, transparent, and solely focused on delivering what’s best for your business.
Our fees
Our Services
Challenges Customers Face:
Accurate usage reporting
Ensuring an accurate inventory of deployed software and users can be difficult without robust tools, especially when preparing for a Microsoft License Review or EA True-Up.
Compliance Risks
Inaccurate reporting can lead to under-licensing (risk of non-compliance) or over-licensing (unnecessary costs) under a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA).
Dynamic IT Environment
Organizations often struggle to track changes in their IT setup—new deployments, upgrades, or cloud migrations—impacting their Microsoft EA True-Up obligations.
Product Licensing Rules
Microsoft’s licensing terms are complex and frequently updated, making it difficult to know which products require licenses, particularly for Microsoft EA licenses.
Budget Uncertainty
Unexpected costs from overlooked deployments or new services during the annual True-Up can disrupt financial planning.
Over-Commitment
Many organizations license more than required due to conservative estimates, driving unnecessary costs in their Microsoft Enterprise Agreement.
Contractual Issues
Misunderstanding terms like minimum purchase commitments or True-Up timing can result in compliance challenges and financial risks.
How We Assist You :
Contract Review
We help procurement and IT teams fully understand terms like True-Up windows, minimum purchase commitments, and renewal clauses to avoid contractual pitfalls in your Microsoft EA.
Accurate Assessments
Using proprietary Software Asset Management (SAM) tools, we track license usage efficiently to minimize manual errors, ensuring a smooth Using proprietary Software Asset Management (SAM) tools, we track license usage efficiently to minimize manual errors, ensuring a smooth Microsoft Enterprise Agreement True-Up.
Azure Usage tracking
Our FinOps professionals provide visibility into your Azure usage under Microsoft EA, finding optimization areas and implementing governance to reduce spend.
Optimize Spend
As business environments evolve, we align your Microsoft EA licensing strategy with growth, restructuring, or shifting demands. This ensures compliance, cost-efficiency, and maximum value from your Microsoft EA annual True-Up support.
HOW WE WORK
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Discovery
• Review your current Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) contract
• Discuss current software and license usage
• Plan for future requirements and annual True-Up obligations
Technical Analysis
• Assess Microsoft EA license usage across users and deployments
• Evaluate Azure usage and cloud consumption patterns
Insights
• Identify any surplus or shortages in Microsoft licenses
• Highlight potential cost savings and areas for Microsoft EA optimization
• Assess compliance risks to avoid penalties during a Microsoft License Review
Close
• Finalize a tailored contractual solution
• Support you through Microsoft EA True-Up and renewal process to ensure compliance and cost-efficiency
Our Microsoft EA Optimization Approach
Usage Assessment
Conduct a comprehensive review of your Microsoft EA licenses across departments to understand actual usage and identify potential savings.
Cost Optimization
Identify unused or underutilized licenses and recommend adjustments to reduce unnecessary Microsoft EA expenses.
Compliance Review
Ensure reporting accuracy to avoid penalties or audit risks, maintaining full Microsoft License Compliance.
Negotiation Support
Provide insights and strategies to optimize costs during Microsoft EA renewal discussions.
Ongoing Advisory
Continuous monitoring ensures your licenses align with evolving business needs and prevent compliance gaps in future Microsoft annual true-ups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Microsoft EA True-Up?
Microsoft EA True-Up is an annual process where organizations report any increases in Microsoft product usage—such as Office, Windows Server, SQL, or CALs—to ensure Microsoft License Compliance.
How often do I need a True-Up?
True-Up is typically performed once every year as part of the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement.
What happens if I under-report licenses?
Under-reporting licenses can result in financial penalties, compliance risks, and potential audits. Proper reporting ensures transparency and avoids unexpected costs.
How can Nafkha Consulting help reduce EA costs?
We identify unused licenses, right-size Microsoft deployments, and provide negotiation support with Microsoft to reduce costs while staying fully compliant.
Is True-Up only for large enterprises?
While Microsoft EA is primarily for large organizations, mid-sized businesses with significant Microsoft usage also benefit from EA annual true-up support and cost optimization.
Can True-Up help optimize license allocation?
Yes. By analyzing usage during True-Up, organizations can reallocate licenses, remove redundancies, and reduce overall Microsoft EA costs.
What is the difference between EA True-Up and EA Renewal?
EA True-Up reports usage changes and adjusts licensing costs annually, while EA Renewal renegotiates the terms and scope of the Enterprise Agreement for the next term.
How does ongoing advisory improve EA management?
Continuous monitoring ensures licenses match business needs, prevents compliance gaps, and helps maintain cost efficiency throughout the year.