Note
Access to this page requires authorization. You can try signing in or changing directories.
Access to this page requires authorization. You can try changing directories.
Microsoft CloudAscent is a data-driven tool designed to provide Microsoft partners with valuable insights into their existing customer base. It utilizes machine learning to analyze sales data and other relevant information to identify new opportunities and generate monthly customer propensity reports, updated the 25th of every month. These reports help partners understand which customers are ready to make purchases and allow for more targeted sales and marketing efforts.
CloudAscent is useful for aligning sales and marketing strategies with customer readiness, focusing on areas such as AI Business Solutions, Cloud & AI Platform, Security, and Surface.
It's a strategic tool for Microsoft partners looking to grow their business for Upper Medium, Medium, and Small accounts by applying data-driven insights to build long-term customer relationships.
You can find a series of video tutorials on the partner website, which we highly recommend. The tutorials are valuable resources for learning about CloudAscent. The tutorials compliment the information provided in this article to give you a more comprehensive understanding. Review the partner trainings for more details: CloudAscent Partner Trainings.
CloudAscent data
Machine learning
In the small-to-medium-business segment, we use machine learning to drive sales and marketing customer predictions within the Upper Medium, Medium, and Small business subsegments.
Customer data is collected and turned into recommendations using the following process:
Collect data: Web crawlers scan and collect billions of customer signals by pinging company domains and monitoring blog posts, press releases, social streams, and technical forums. In addition to the collected signals, firmographics information is collected from both internal and external sources, including external technology profiles, Microsoft internal subscriptions, and transactional data.
Generate predictions: Data collected in the previous step is fed into a machine learning model. The learning model generates a structured data set of sales and marketing predictions for each customer, sorted by cloud product and cluster. Each customer is scored using a lookalike model to Microsoft's top SMB customers that determines the customer's fit, and machine learning algorithms that integrate the customer's online behavior defined as buying signals. The scoring is merged into clusters that show a customer's propensity to purchase Microsoft cloud products.
Optimize models: The machine learning system optimizes the models by consuming transaction data monthly and subscription data quarterly. Machine learning adjusts the algorithms using the win/loss data. It then validates that the models are working as expected by comparing cluster recommendations to opportunities acted upon in Microsoft’s CRM System (MSX).
Scoring
How are targeting recommendations created?
Fit scoring compares customers to our best SMB using a lookalike model to see if they're a potential fit for Microsoft cloud products.
Using signals collected by web crawlers and data gathered from various sources, we consolidate firmographics data and customers' social media signals. Scoring uses the following signals and data in comparison models for fit and scoring models for buying signals.
Customer account fit
- Internal and external data points that define firmographics
- The score is based on data collected: historical revenue and sales opportunities, win/loss Microsoft subscription, and transaction data, demographic information (company size, number of employees and install data)
- Fit scoring is updated quarterly
Customer account buying signals
- Buying Signals - Events or changes in an organization that are likely to generate a sales opportunity
- Buying Signals are combined with the fit score to define the clusters
- Buying Signals are updated monthly
Clustering
Clustering enables users to target specific customers for sales and marketing initiatives based on segment factors, for example, product, geography, industry, and vertical.
Customer account fit and customer account buying signals are consolidated into a clustering score.
CloudAscent has four clusters:
- Act now: Sales-ready customers
- Evaluate: Marketing-ready customers
- Nurture: Drive awareness campaigns
- Educate: Educate and monitor for shifting to other clusters
Propensity model
The Propensity model clusters are displayed in the 'Cluster' columns of the workbook. Here are some examples of how to get to those scores:
To define the clustering of Fit and Buying Signals, use the following steps:
Using machine learning models, we first calculate the customer fit score and buying signals score on a scale of 0 to 100. Scores vary depending on machine learning models.
Some example scores are:
Classification Score High 75 - 100 Medium 55 - 74 Low 30 - 54 Very low 0 - 29 Using this rule, we classify companies as high, medium, low, and very low propensity to buy, using both customer fit and buying signals.
We plot customer fit and buying signals on a two-dimensional matrix, with each intersection representing propensity. For example, high fit + high buying signals = A1, the highest propensity.
Finally, these segments group to form clusters. For example, A1, A2, A3, A4 from the Act now cluster.
We recommend targeting Act now and Evaluate customers.
CloudAscent navigation
This section describes how to use the Partner Center Downloads hub.
Customer landscape
CloudAscent prioritizes the profiling, scoring, and modeling of all Upper medium, Medium, and Small business accounts.
The Upper Medium and Medium business subsegments are important customers for Microsoft and Microsoft partners because of their high value in sales. These subsegments are the primary focus for driving growth in the SMB segment.
The small to medium business (SMB) segment is divided into three subsegments:
- Upper Medium business: Org size: 300+ employees
- Medium business: subsegment is customers with 25 to 300 employees.
- Small business: subsegment is customers with 1 to 24 employees.
This diagram shows the three SMB subsegments:
Get access to CloudAscent
Go to Partner Center, and sign in using your company email.
The appropriate roles to generate reports are: Report viewer | Report viewer with Partner Global account access. Find out how to do it in the next section!
If you encounter any issue, reach out to your Internal leads.
To add new access levels:
In Partner Center, go to User management, and select the user who needs access.
Scroll to View data and reports for one or more locations, and select the Executive or report viewer permission at the organization level.
Downloads hub
Partner Center provides downloadable propensity data from CloudAscent on the last section, Referrals > Downloads hub, in the left-hand navigation.
List of reports available:
| Name | Purpose |
|---|---|
| CloudAscent - Agreement renewal propensity | Propensity data shows existing transacting customers' likelihood to renew the Agreements with Microsoft |
| CloudAscent - Cloud & AI Platform propensity | Propensity data shows existing transacting customers' likelihood to purchase Azure products |
| CloudAscent - AI Business Solutions propensity | Propensity data shows existing transacting customers' likelihood to purchase Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 CoPilot, Dynamics 365 or Surface products |
| CloudAscent - Security propensity | Propensity data shows existing transacting customers' likelihood to purchase Microsoft 365 or Azure products with security features |
| CloudAscent - Surface propensity | Propensity data shows existing transacting customers' likelihood to purchase Microsoft Surface products |
Note
To see information on the reports, you need to have transacting customers, these are appended with solution plays/cohorts and propensity data.
To generate the report most suitable for your business goal:
Select Create new report.
The My reports section is empty if it's your first-time generating a report. Once you follow the remaining steps, the download starts. After the report completes, find the download link in the My reports section.
Select Cloud product performance.
Choose the Basic (Data set & relevant columns selection) download option.
Under Data source, select the CloudAscent Propensity report appropriate to your business strategy.
There are five reports available. Each report name starts with "CloudAscent."
Select all columns to include in your report.
Make sure the time range selected is Lifetime.
Give your report a name.
Select the CSV file type.
Select Download now. The My reports section opens.
Download the .csv file, and then open the file in Microsoft Excel.
Other options include: Schedule download and Preview.
Report overview
Examples of items from this report:
- Your own partner information: GlobalID, PartnerName
- Customers firmographic attributes: Customer ID, Customer Tenant ID, Account Name, Domain, Org Size, City, State, Postal Code, Industry, Vertical, Segment, Sub Segment
- SME&C type summary: Customer segmentation into Upper medium, Medium, and Small business to define customer size and potential
- Solution plays (targeting scenarios that you can use): Yes/No indicator to determine if the customer is part of the Cohort
- Propensity recommendations: signal explainability, and Customer Potential Revenue by Product
To see a full list of the fields and definitions, see CloudAscent - reports and definitions.
Our recommendation is to target the Act now and the Evaluate propensity clusters for the highest yield customers.
To gain further knowledge into the fields and definitions associated with each report, locate the report name within Partner insights reports and data definitions section.
General report usage guidelines
Here are some guidelines on how to navigate through such relevant and dense information:
- Scroll to the section on Propensity (Examples: Azure Cluster, M365 Cluster). Filter on Act now, Evaluate to get the high propensity customers. Use the signal explainability to understand why the customer is high propensity.
- Use the Cohorts to determine which customers to target for each marketing campaign.
- Prioritize customers with higher potential revenue range
- Apply filters that are applicable to your business case. Examples: Org Size, Industry, Vertical, or Country/region.
- Match the Customers list to your internal customer relationship management (CRM) system to align contact data using Tenant ID or Domain.
- Sign in to Digital Marketing Content OnDemand to use the existing campaign materials provided to partners free of cost from Microsoft. Use the marketing material associated with the solution play/cohort that you filtered on and run a campaign with these customers.
Reports deep-dive
This section is about how to interpret and take advantage of the Propensity columns, Cohorts, Firmographics, and Customer identifiers.
Propensity columns
On your downloaded report, scroll to the Propensity section, focus on the Cluster column because it consolidates the fit and buying signals recommendations. The column is named Solution area+Cluster (examples: "AzureCluster", "M365Cluster"). See the following example:
Filter by Act now and Evaluate to get the high propensity customers:
In this case, there are two propensity sets: one for AI Business Solutions and another one for Surface. Use the appropriate report according with your needs.
There's one Dynamics 365 model based on Business Central:
D365 Business Central: This model provides a comprehensive business management solution designed for small to medium-sized businesses.
For renewals, all propensity models are shown to help explain where the customer is showing high propensity to purchase Microsoft products.
It starts with the Azure Cluster ("AzureCluster"), the Dynamics 365 Business Central Cluster ("D365BCCluster"), the Microsoft 365 Cluster ("M365Cluster"), and the CoPilot Cluster ("M365_CoPilot_Cluster").
For Security, Microsoft 365 and Azure propensity are shown. These propensity solutions include security and the Security upsell column gives a recommendation on how to target the customer. Partner’s must assess the customers security solution based on their needs.
Cohorts
Use Cohorts to determine which customers are in each targeting scenario.
Filter the respective column to Yes or the Cohort name to select the customers who meet the criteria for this Cohort.
The Cohort column name shares the details of the targeting scenario and what kind of model should be applied.
For the Azure scenario, this Cohort identifies customers that have no Azure consumption but purchased on Prem solutions for either servers or data bases. Filter this to Act Now, Key sales pitch: infrastructure migration, operational efficiency, or database modernization and cost efficiency.
AI Workforce Example: Microsoft develops Solution Plays and associated cohorts to help guide sellers in aligning sales motions, customer targeting, and solution recommendations. Within the AI Workforce category, there are three primary Solution Plays designed to support customers as they adopt AI:
- Secure AI Productivity
- Copilot & Agents at Work
- AI Ready with Surface Copilot+ PCs
These Solution Plays help sellers identify where customers are in their AI journey and what actions or products they're most likely to adopt next.
Secure AI Productivity: The Foundational Solution Play
The Secure AI Productivity Solution Play serves as the strategic foundation for understanding AI Workforce propensity. It significantly influences the other AI Workforce motions, including Copilot adoption and Surface device readiness.
This Solution Play is organized into customer maturity levels ranging from Level 1 (lowest maturity) to Level 5 (highest maturity).
Data shows that most attach products - such as Microsoft Copilot, Surface devices, Teams Phone, Business Central, ME5, and various Security Add-ons - concentrate within Cohorts Four and Five of the Secure AI Productivity Solution Play.
Understanding these levels helps sellers target customers who are most prepared for advanced AI and security workloads.
Breakdown of AI Workforce Cohorts
Cohort 1: Migrate to Cloud
Customer Profile: Customers without an active Microsoft 365 subscription. The scenario can include End of Support (EOS) scenarios, on-premises deployments, or competitive displacement.
How to Engage: Use the Has Transacted EOS Product indicator to identify customers who purchased EOS products but haven't yet adopted Microsoft 365. Goal: Convert these customers to cloud-based solutions.
Cohort 2: Upsell Productivity
Customer Profile: Customers with fewer than 10 productivity bundles (for example, moving from Business Basic to Microsoft 365 E5).
How to Engage: Focus on driving adoption of core productivity workloads and increasing user subscriptions or licenses count. Promotion eligibility can be found in the Promos column.
Cohort 3: Upsell Security
Customer Profile: Customers with more than 10 productivity bundles who have no current security solutions.
How to Engage: Position foundational security products, such as:
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Defender for Office 365
- Defender for Endpoint
- Intune
- Business Premium
- Microsoft 365 E3
These customers are ideal for beginning their security modernization journey.
Cohort 4: Expand Security
Customer Profile: Customers with 10+ productivity bundles and some security workload adoption, but EMS usage is below 50%.
How to Engage: Upsell broader security packages such as Business Premium or Microsoft 365 E3 to increase their security maturity.
Cohort 5: Cross-Sell Next Workload
Customer Profile: Customers with 10+ productivity bundles and EMS adoption of 50% or higher. They're mature users of both productivity and security solutions.
How to Engage: Cross-sell advanced workloads such as:
- Microsoft Copilot
- E5 Security
- Security Add-ons for Business Premium
- Teams Phone
- Business Central
- Fabric
Notably, 80% of Copilot subscriptions or licenses are sold within Cohorts 4 and 5, highlighting their readiness for advanced AI adoption.
For the Surface scenario, consider the three Surface cohorts in AI Ready with Surface Copilot+ PCs. These cohorts are designed to align Surface device adoption with broader Microsoft 365 and Copilot solution plays:
- Expand Surface: Customers who already own Surface devices and show potential to expand their deployment. The goal is to deepen Surface adoption across the organization.
- Cross-Sell with M365: Customers with Microsoft 365 licenses but no Surface devices. These customers are ideal for introducing Surface as a productivity-optimized endpoint that enhances the Microsoft 365 experience.
- Cross-Sell with Copilot: Customers with Copilot licenses but no Surface devices. This cohort is targeted for Surface Copilot+ PCs, emphasizing the value of AI-optimized hardware to unlock the full potential of Microsoft Copilot.
For the Dynamics 365 scenario, this cohort targets customers who don't currently have Business Central and purchased past on-premises or 'Dark' solutions.
The goal is to transition them to cloud services, emphasizing the benefits of cloud services. Filter Dynamics 365 Cohorts to the corresponding Cohort to see customers that are showing high propensity to Migrate from Dynamics on-premises to Business Central.
In the Agreement Renewals report, prioritize the customers to target based on the Agreement ID, Agreement End Date, Rev Sum Division Name, and the Expiring Revenue of the customer. Review the customer's propensity to purchase other products using the cluster columns to identify high propensity customers (Act Now/Evaluate).
Advanced XDR Propensity Alignment
The propensity for Advanced XDR aligns with Microsoft 365 E3, as threat protection capabilities are native features within Microsoft 365 E3.
When working with existing Microsoft 365 E3 customers, consider positioning upgrades that unlock extra security value, such as:
- Microsoft 365 E5
- Defender Suite
- Purview Suite
- Defender & Purview Suite
These packages allow customers to deepen their security posture and utilize advanced protection capabilities. Filter this cohort to Yes to see customers with potential for XDR.
Security Upsell Opportunities
The Security Upsell column highlights whether a customer currently using Microsoft 365 E3 has potential to upgrade to Microsoft 365 E5 or add complementary security solutions.
Potential upsell paths include:
- Defender Suite
- Purview Suite
- Defender & Purview Suite
For customers on Business Premium, similar opportunities might exist depending on their security maturity and requirements.
Firmographics data
CloudAscent provides customer firmographics data in the first columns of each report.
These fields can be used to filter the data to further tailor targeting. Examples: Org size, Industry, Vertical, or Country/Region.
The firmographics data is the same in all downloads. Apply filters that are applicable to your business case.
Unique customer identifiers
To match your internal CRM system, follow these priorities:
- Domain
- Customer's name
- Customer ID (Microsoft TPID can be used for matching if it's available in your system)
- Tenant ID
Digital marketing content
To create your own campaign, apply the Cohort and Solution play alignments to campaign content on the SMB Go To Market Execution page.
Drive a ready-made campaign using Digital Marketing Content On-Demand provided to partners free of cost from Microsoft. Campaigns are editable and can be scheduled for email and social media.
Support for accessing Partner Center
Accessing the Partner Center
If you aren't able to sign in to Partner Center, create a Support ticket.
In the Tell us about your issue section, select General > Accounts, Onboarding, Access > Unable to Login to Partner Center.
In the Recommended solutions dialog, select Provide issue details.
Accessing CloudAscent (inside Partner Center)
If you're having challenges accessing CloudAscent, create a Support ticket.
Within Partner Center, in the top-left menu, select Help + support.
Explore Partner Center articles or API for self-serve help. For help within a Workspace, select the Copilot icon to contact Support.
Outside of Partner Center, navigate to the Support tab on Partner.Microsoft.com, and select Create request in Partner Center, or fill out the requested information for self-serve help.
If you have questions about the data in CloudAscent, use the CloudAscent form.
CloudAscent FAQs
Technical FAQs
Here are the CloudAscent technical FAQs:
What customers should I target?
We recommend that you target Act Now and Evaluate customers, as they show a high propensity to purchase Microsoft products.
How does CloudAscent ensure data security?
CloudAscent follows industry-standard security practices. It complies with major regulatory requirements to ensure the security of your and your partners' data during report generation and export.
Why am I not able to download the report?
To see the downloads, you need to be assigned the report viewer role within Partner Center. This role is assigned during the Partner Center onboarding process. Your organization lead, who owns your Global ID, can assign this role for you in user management.
What should I do if there's no data in my download?
CloudAscent can share existing transacting customers with partners. This data correlates to the Global ID (MPN ID) that the transaction occurs against. If you sign in to Partner Center with a different Global ID than the transaction occurs with, the customer doesn't surface in your data set. It could be the reason you're not seeing any customers. Also, to see the downloads, you need to be assigned the report viewer role within Partner Center. Your organization lead, who owns your Global ID, can assign this role for you in user management.
Why are some but not all my customers listed in the report?
Microsoft can only share customers to the transacting partner of record. CloudAscent is a small to medium business program and only includes customers in the Small to Mid Size Business segment. Corporate and Enterprise customers aren't included in your downloads.
By legal requirements, Microsoft must share all customers. It's why you might see older customers included in your data set. Customers in End of Support scenarios likely purchased years back. To see the active customers in the report, use the last column in the download that shows if the customer purchased in the trailing 36 months.
Why am I not able to see contact information in the report?
Due to privacy regulations, the customers contact information can't be included in the report. You need to use your internal contact information to reach the customer. You can match the data by using the unique identifier of the domain or a fuzzy match on the customer name.
Why am I seeing old customer data in my CloudAscent Report?
The data included in the CloudAscent report refers to any of the existing (historical and recent) transactions with customers. CloudAscent pulls the last 10 years of customer transactions to share in the data set. There might be older transactions than the ones you expect to see but this supports identification of EOS customers and other critical upsell motions.
To mitigate it, the last column in all CloudAscent downloads is Transacted in the last 36 months. This column shows you the most recent customers who transacted with Microsoft in the last 36 months. Filter this column to yes to show the recent transacting customers.
Why are my new transacting customers not shown in my report?
CloudAscent is updated on the 25th of every month. If a customer purchase happens after this date, the customer might not be included in your download. Look for the new transacting customers after the update on the 25th of the month. The propensity score associated with new customers is updated every three months.
Do I have to pay for CloudAscent data?
No, Microsoft provides CloudAscent data free of charge for your existing transacting customers. Customers are scored for cross-selling, and upselling opportunities and whitespace on products that they haven't purchased.
Troubleshooting FAQs
Here are the CloudAscent troubleshooting FAQs.
What should I do if I encounter an issue?
If you encounter an issue, consult this FAQ section of the CloudAscent documentation. Reach out to the Partner Center team through the support portal or fill out the CloudAscent form.