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Programmatically create Azure subscriptions for a Microsoft Partner Agreement with the latest APIs

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This article helps you programmatically create Azure subscriptions for a Microsoft Partner Agreement using the most recent API versions. If you are still using the older preview version, see Programmatically create Azure subscriptions with legacy APIs.

In this article, you learn how to create subscriptions programmatically using Azure Resource Manager.

When you create an Azure subscription programmatically, that subscription is governed by the agreement under which you obtained Azure services from Microsoft or an authorized reseller. For more information, see Microsoft Azure Legal Information.

Note

We recommend that you use the Azure Az PowerShell module to interact with Azure. To get started, see Install Azure PowerShell. To learn how to migrate to the Az PowerShell module, see Migrate Azure PowerShell from AzureRM to Az.

You can't create support plans programmatically. You can buy a new support plan or upgrade one in the Azure portal. Navigate to Help + support and then at the top of the page, select Choose the right support plan.

Prerequisites

You must have a Global Admin or Admin Agent role in your organization's cloud solution provider account to create subscription for your billing account. For more information, see Partner Center - Assign users roles and permissions.

If you don't know whether you have access to a Microsoft Partner Agreement account, see Check access to a Microsoft Partner Agreement.

The following examples use REST APIs. Currently, PowerShell and Azure CLI aren't supported.

Find the billing accounts that you have access to

Make the following request to list all billing accounts that you have access to.

GET https://management.azure.com/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingaccounts/?api-version=2020-05-01

The API response lists the billing accounts.

{
  "value": [
    {
      "id": "/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx",
      "name": "aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx",
      "properties": {
        "accountStatus": "Active",
        "accountType": "Partner",
        "agreementType": "MicrosoftPartnerAgreement",
        "billingProfiles": {
          "hasMoreResults": false
        },
        "displayName": "Contoso",
        "hasReadAccess": true
      },
      "type": "Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts"
    }
  ]
}

Use the displayName property to identify the billing account for which you want to create subscriptions. Ensure, the agreementType of the account is MicrosoftPartnerAgreement. Copy the name for the account. For example, to create a subscription for the Contoso billing account, copy aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx. Paste the value somewhere so that you can use it in the next step.

Find customers that have Azure plans

Make the following request, with the name copied from the first step (aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx) to list all customers in the billing account for whom you can create Azure subscriptions.

GET https://management.azure.com/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/customers?api-version=2020-05-01

The API response lists the customers in the billing account with Azure plans. You can create subscriptions for these customers.

{
  "totalCount": 2,
  "value": [
    {
      "id": "/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/customers/bbbb1b1b-cc2c-dd3d-ee4e-ffffff5f5f5f",
      "name": "bbbb1b1b-cc2c-dd3d-ee4e-ffffff5f5f5f",
      "properties": {
        "billingProfileDisplayName": "Fabrikam toys Billing Profile",
        "billingProfileId": "/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/billingProfiles/YL4M-xxxx-xxx-xxx",
        "displayName": "Fabrikam toys"
      },
      "type": "Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/customers"
    },
    {
      "id": "/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/customers/acba85c9-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "name": "acba85c9-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "properties": {
        "billingProfileDisplayName": "Contoso toys Billing Profile",
        "billingProfileId": "/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/billingProfiles/YL4M-xxxx-xxx-xxx",
        "displayName": "Contoso toys"
      },
      "type": "Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/customers"
    }
  ]
}

Use the displayName property to identify the customer for which you want to create subscriptions. Copy the id for the customer. For example, to create a subscription for Fabrikam toys, copy /providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/customers/bbbb1b1b-cc2c-dd3d-ee4e-ffffff5f5f5f. Paste the value somewhere to use it in later steps.

Get the resellers for a customer

This section is optional for Indirect providers only.

If you're an Indirect provider in the CSP two-tier model, you can specify a reseller while creating subscriptions for customers.

Make the following request, with the id copied from the second step (/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/customers/2281f543-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx) to list all resellers that are available for a customer.

GET "https://management.azure.com/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/99a13315-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/customers/2281f543-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx?$expand=resellers&api-version=2020-05-01"

The API response lists the resellers for the customer:

{
  "value": [{
  "id": "/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/customers/2ed2c490-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
  "name": "2ed2c490-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
  "type": "Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/customers",
  "properties": {
    "billingProfileDisplayName": "Fabrikam toys Billing Profile",
    "billingProfileId": "/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/billingProfiles/YL4M-xxxx-xxx-xxx",
    "displayName": "Fabrikam toys",
    "resellers": [
      {
        "resellerId": "3xxxxx",
        "description": "Wingtip"
      }
    ]
  }
}]
}

Use the description property to identify the reseller who is associated with the subscription. Copy the resellerId for the reseller. For example, to associate Wingtip, copy 3xxxxx. Paste the value somewhere so that you can use it in the next step.

Create a subscription for a customer

The following example creates a subscription named Dev Team subscription for Fabrikam toys and associate Wingtip reseller to the subscription. You use the copied billing scope from previous step: /providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/customers/2281f543-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx.

PUT https://management.azure.com/providers/Microsoft.Subscription/aliases/{{guid}}?api-version=2021-10-01api-version=2021-10-01

Request body

{
  "properties":
    {
        "billingScope": "/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/customers/2281f543-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
        "DisplayName": "Dev Team subscription",
        "Workload": "Production"
    }
}

Response

{
  "id": "/providers/Microsoft.Subscription/aliases/sampleAlias",
  "name": "sampleAlias",
  "type": "Microsoft.Subscription/aliases",
  "properties": {
    "subscriptionId": "aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e",
    "provisioningState": "Accepted"
  }
}

You can do a GET on the same URL to get the status of the request.

Request

GET https://management.azure.com/providers/Microsoft.Subscription/aliases/{{guid}}?api-version=2021-10-01

Response

{
  "id": "/providers/Microsoft.Subscription/aliases/sampleAlias",
  "name": "sampleAlias",
  "type": "Microsoft.Subscription/aliases",
  "properties": {
    "subscriptionId": "cccc2c2c-dd3d-ee4e-ff5f-aaaaaa6a6a6a",
    "provisioningState": "Succeeded"
  }
}

An in-progress status is returned as an Accepted state under provisioningState.

Pass the optional resellerId copied from the second step in the request body of the API.

Use ARM template or Bicep

The previous section showed how to create a subscription with PowerShell, CLI, or REST API. If you need to automate creating subscriptions, consider using an Azure Resource Manager template (ARM template) or Bicep file.

The following ARM template creates a subscription. For billingScope, provide the customer ID. The subscription is created in the root management group. After creating the subscription, you can move it to another management group.

{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-08-01/managementGroupDeploymentTemplate.json#",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "parameters": {
        "subscriptionAliasName": {
            "type": "string",
            "metadata": {
                "description": "Provide a name for the alias. This name will also be the display name of the subscription."
            }
        },
        "billingScope": {
            "type": "string",
            "metadata": {
                "description": "Provide the full resource ID of billing scope to use for subscription creation."
            }
        }
    },
    "resources": [
        {
            "scope": "/",
            "name": "[parameters('subscriptionAliasName')]",
            "type": "Microsoft.Subscription/aliases",
            "apiVersion": "2021-10-01",
            "properties": {
                "workLoad": "Production",
                "displayName": "[parameters('subscriptionAliasName')]",
                "billingScope": "[parameters('billingScope')]"
            }
        }
    ],
    "outputs": {}
}

Or, use a Bicep file to create the subscription.

targetScope = 'managementGroup'

@description('Provide a name for the alias. This name will also be the display name of the subscription.')
param subscriptionAliasName string

@description('Provide the full resource ID of billing scope to use for subscription creation.')
param billingScope string

resource subscriptionAlias 'Microsoft.Subscription/aliases@2021-10-01' = {
  scope: tenant()
  name: subscriptionAliasName
  properties: {
    workload: 'Production'
    displayName: subscriptionAliasName
    billingScope: billingScope
  }
}

Deploy the template at the management group level. The following examples show deploying the JSON ARM template, but you can deploy a Bicep file instead.

PUT https://management.azure.com/providers/Microsoft.Management/managementGroups/mg1/providers/Microsoft.Resources/deployments/exampledeployment?api-version=2020-06-01

With a request body:

{
  "location": "eastus",
  "properties": {
    "templateLink": {
      "uri": "http://mystorageaccount.blob.core.windows.net/templates/template.json"
    },
    "parameters": {
      "subscriptionAliasName": {
        "value": "sampleAlias"
      },
      "billingScope": {
        "value": "/providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxx-xx-xx/customers/2281f543-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx"
      }
    },
    "mode": "Incremental"
  }
}

To move a subscription to a new management group, use the following ARM template.

{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-08-01/managementGroupDeploymentTemplate.json#",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "parameters": {
        "targetMgId": {
            "type": "string",
            "metadata": {
                "description": "Provide the ID of the management group that you want to move the subscription to."
            }
        },
        "subscriptionId": {
            "type": "string",
            "metadata": {
                "description": "Provide the ID of the existing subscription to move."
            }
        }
    },
    "resources": [
        {
            "scope": "/",
            "type": "Microsoft.Management/managementGroups/subscriptions",
            "apiVersion": "2020-05-01",
            "name": "[concat(parameters('targetMgId'), '/', parameters('subscriptionId'))]",
            "properties": {
            }
        }
    ],
    "outputs": {}
}

Or, the following Bicep file.

targetScope = 'managementGroup'

@description('Provide the ID of the management group that you want to move the subscription to.')
param targetMgId string

@description('Provide the ID of the existing subscription to move.')
param subscriptionId string

resource subToMG 'Microsoft.Management/managementGroups/subscriptions@2020-05-01' = {
  scope: tenant()
  name: '${targetMgId}/${subscriptionId}'
}

Next steps