Dynamics CRM 2016 On-Premises Licensing Guide

Dynamics CRM 2016 On-Premises Introduction

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 provides flexible, high value, and simple-to-understand licensing for your on-premises deployments. The multi-tiered licensing model offers a variety of benefits, including:
⚑ Flexibility. Customers can mix and match various types of user licenses within a deployment to accommodate the specific needs of their businesses.
⚑ High value. Customers can choose from highly competitive licensing offerings to optimize the Total Cost of Ownership.
⚑ Easy-to-Understand. Customers can obtain licenses based on the functionality that users require (rather than how users access the application).
⚑ Parity. Equivalency in the licensing use rights of online and on-premises licenses makes it easier for customers to compare and decide what works best for them.

How to License Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 for On-Premises Deployment

For on-premises deployment (meaning you will run the solution on your own server hardware), Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 is licensed under the Server + Client Access License (CAL) model, which requires that you license the server(s) running the software as well as the users and/or devices that connect to the solution.
Note: For very small deployments (not exceeding five users) see Licensing Microsoft Dynamics CRM Workgroup Server 2016 for Small Deployments.

Basic Licensing Requirements
All Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 customers need to license:
⚑ Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 solution functionality running on the server(s), which is (are) licensed through the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016 server license(s)
⚑ Access to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 solution functionality by users or devices, which is licensed through CALs.

Licensing the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Solution Functionality
The Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution functionality is provided by the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016 software. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016 offers a rich feature set supporting multi-tenant deployments.
Before you run any instance of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016 software under a Server License, you must assign that license to one of your servers. That server is the licensed server for that particular license.

Access by External Users
External users are users that are not either your or your affiliates’ employees, or your or your affiliates’ contractors or agents. Access by external (third party) users is included with the Server License; you do not need CALs for external users unless using Microsoft Dynamics CRM client applications and graphical user interface (GUI).
Note: Offsite vendors and agents are considered external users when their time is shared between multiple customer organizations (for example, IT support service vendors serving multiple customer organizations) and they are not in an employee-like relationship.

Access by Internal Users
You license access to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 solution functionality by internal users through CALs. Any time an internal user directly or indirectly accesses the solution functionality, that user must be licensed by a User CAL (which licenses a specific user for access via multiple devices) or the device being used must be licensed by a Device CAL (which licenses access through a specific device by any user).
With the User CAL, you purchase a CAL for every user who accesses the server to use services such as file storage or printing, regardless of the number of devices they use for that access. Purchasing a User CAL might make more sense if your company employees need to have roaming access to the corporate network using multiple devices, or from unknown devices, or simply have more devices than users in your organization.
With a Device CAL, you purchase a CAL for every device that accesses your server, regardless of the number of users who use that device to access the server. Device CALs may make more economic and administrative sense if your company has workers who share devices, for example, on different work shifts.
Only the user or the device requires a CAL, not both. If the user of a device is licensed with a User CAL, then the device does not need a Device CAL. Likewise, if the device is licensed with a Device CAL, then the user does not need a User CAL.
A user or device licensed with a CAL may access any number of instances of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 or earlier versions running on the organization’s servers.
You can mix both User CALs and Device CALs within your deployment.
Note: A Microsoft Dynamics CRM User is defined as any user who accesses the Microsoft Dynamics CRM server, files, data content or “Microsoft Dynamics CRM functionality”. “Microsoft Dynamics CRM functionality” is any service or feature of Microsoft Dynamics CRM that allows a user to view, manipulate, input, query, or otherwise structure “live data”. “Live data” is information that, via user action, dynamically writes to or reads from (or synchronizes with) Microsoft Dynamics CRM, whether it is accessed directly or indirectly. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Users are required to
have the appropriate client accesses licenses, regardless of their direct or indirect connection to the product.

Dual Use Rights
Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers customers the option to deploy either in Microsoft’s Cloud as CRM Online or in a private on-premises or partner-hosted cloud with Dynamics CRM 2016 Server. In some cases, customers may want to deploy both modes simultaneously, for migrating a CRM Server deployment to CRM Online, running private Dev/Test deployments in Azure, or other applications. In the past, customers had to acquire both CALs for CRM Server and CRM Online USL’s to allow such hybrid deployments. However, with Dual Use Rights, CRM Online Users no longer need to acquire CALs to access CRM Server instances.
Users licensed with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online USLs have use rights equivalent to a CAL for the purpose of accessing equivalent on premises workloads. Dynamics CRM Server instances must still be licensed normally, as must all related CALs and supporting servers (e.g., Windows Server and CALs).

Dual Use Rights are conveyed through Dynamics CRM 2016 Server’s license, so Dual Use Rights may only be exercised with servers licensed with Dynamics CRM 2016 Server. However, customers may use downgrade rights to deploy a Dynamics CRM 2016 Server license with an earlier version of Dynamics CRM Server and use Dual Use rights to access it with CRM Online USL’s.

License Mobility
License Mobility through Software Assurance gives Microsoft Volume Licensing customers the flexibility to deploy eligible server applications with active Software Assurance on Azure or partner-hosted infrastructure. The customer must purchase a user or device CAL covered by active Software Assurance to access this functionality. However, with this Software Assurance benefit, there is no need to purchase new licenses and no associated mobility fees so, you can easily deploy existing licenses on the Azure cloud platform or partner-hosted infrastructure.

Dynamics CRM Server on Azure
You may deploy Microsoft Dynamics CRM on Azure using Dynamics CRM Server on-premises software and licensing via the License Mobility Software Assurance benefit. Dynamics CRM Server use rights apply in the same way for deployments on-premises and on Azure. The primary licensing difference is that on premises Dynamics CRM deployments require the customer to buy licenses and hardware for the underlying server hardware, while deployment on Azure requires the customer to license the Azure virtual machines upon which CRM runs.
Each user or device that accesses Microsoft Dynamics CRM on Azure requires the appropriate Dynamics CRM CAL with active Software Assurance coverage. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online users may also access a licensed CRM server running on Azure via Dual Use Rights. For more information on deploying CRM on Azure, please visit here.

Available Server Editions

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016 offers a rich feature set and supports multi-tenant deployments. It is licensed under the Server + CAL licensing model, and you can add users at any time by purchasing additional CALs. There is no licensing limit on the number of users; the number of users is only limited by your server capacity.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Workgroup Server 2016
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Workgroup Server 2016 offers an alternative solution for small deployments. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Workgroup Server 2016 offers the same rich feature set as Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016, but includes and supports a maximum of five users. Customers who deploy Microsoft Dynamics CRM Workgroup Server 2016 and later need to support more than five users can purchase a Step-Up license to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016 through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Open Value, Select Plus, or Enterprise Agreement programs, and then purchase the additional CALs they require.

Available CALs

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 offers three levels of CALs—Essential, Basic, and Professional—each of which grants an increasingly wider spectrum of use rights. This licensing flexibility enables customers to license the solution based on how their users use Microsoft Dynamics CRM functionality and mix-and-match these licenses within a deployment. These CALs and the associated use rights align to the three User Subscription License (USL) levels for cloud deployments.
Professional: The most comprehensive license designed for users who are engaged in end-to-end customer relationship management scenarios. Licensed users can access full sales, service, and marketing capabilities within Microsoft Dynamics CRM. This license is highly recommended for CRM and extended CRM scenarios.
Basic: The license is designed for entry level CRM users who need access to basic CRM functionality such as account, contact, lead, and case management. This license is also designed for business analysts who require reporting capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Finally, this license is suited for users who are engaged in end-to-end custom application scenarios.
Essential: The license is designed for organizational users who are not necessarily tied to sales, services, or marketing functions but still require light-weight access to custom applications.
Employee Self-Service: The license is a cloud-based knowledge management solution that provides authoritative, accessible and consistent knowledge for all employees to address important and common employee needs and inquiries, for cross-organizational scenarios like Human Resources and IT helpdesk portals, or for role or function-specific knowledgebases.The license may access both online and on-premises Microsoft Dynamics CRM deployments. Capabilities vary by available functionality for a given Online or On-Premises deployment choice.
The following provides a summary of the use rights associated with each of the three CAL levels. (See Appendix A for a detailed list of the specific use rights associated with each CAL.)

Notes:

1. User can only create, read and update cases that they create
2. Custom entities (either based on entities included in CRM or created by a customer or partner) may require a higher CAL or USL, depending on the required access. Customizations can only be performed against entities included in the use rights
3. Creating, updating, and deleting via workflows can only be performed against the entities included in the use rights (i.e. update an opportunity requires Professional)
   As you progress from the lowest level CAL (Essential) to the highest level CAL (Professional), the user/device is licensed to use the solution in ways that will provide more value. You therefore have the flexibility to decide which level of investment to make for any given individual based upon the functions that user/device is performing on behalf of the organization.
   Notes:
   ⚑ A user or device licensed with any Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 CAL can access the solution functionality using Microsoft Dynamics CRM client applications such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook, Microsoft Dynamics CRM web application, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile express, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM for iPad & Windows 8.
   ⚑ Access to Microsoft Dynamics CRM through Microsoft Dynamics CRM for iPad & Windows 8 is included with every CAL, with no additional license fees for mobile access.

Custom Entities
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Essential and higher provide the right to use custom entities. Custom entities may be based on entities included in Dynamics CRM, or created by a customer or partner. If the custom entity is based on or replicates the functionality of entities included in Dynamics CRM, or if the entity links to entities included in Dynamics CRM, then users accessing the custom entity must also be
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 On-Premises Volume Licensing Guide | December 2015 Page 11
licensed to access the included entity. In other words, customizations may only be performed against entities users are licensed to access.

Stepping-up to a Higher Level CAL
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 enables step-up from a lower level CAL to higher level CAL using Additive CALs. The following Additive CALs are available.
⚑ Basic Additive CAL – Used to step-up an existing Essential CAL to Basic CAL. Basic Additive CALs may never exceed the total number of Essential CALs in an environment or organization, and a user can never have a Limited Additive CAL without also having an Essential CAL.
⚑ Professional Additive CAL – Used to step-up an existing Basic CAL to Professional CAL. Professional Additive CALs may never exceed the total number of Basic CALs in an environment or organization, and a user can never have a Professional Additive CAL without also having a Basic CAL.
Notes:
⚑ To step-up from an existing Essential CAL to Professional CAL, add a Basic Additive CAL and Professional Additive CAL to the Essential CAL.
⚑ Professional CALs, Professional Additive CALs, Basic CALs, Basic Additive CALs, and Essential CALs may be mixed within an environment.
⚑ User can convert CALs from Device CALs to User CALs, or vice versa, on their Software Assurance anniversary date/renewal. If their CALs are not covered under Software Assurance, they cannot switch, because the choice is permanent.

Administrative Users
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016 allows for up to two separate devices or users to access instances of the server software only to administer those instances, which do not consume CALs.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Workgroup Server
2016 al lows for separate management or administrative users of the server software, which do not consume any of the 5 users permitted with Workgroup.

Unified Service Desk
Unified Service Desk (USD) consolidates numerous communication channels (such as phone, chat, email, and social media) and relevant services to enable greater efficiency and productivity.
USD installation rights are included with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Professional and Enterprise USLs
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and with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Professional CAL Software Assurance. USD is not available as a standalone license.
USD software is installed and run locally on the user’s device. The use rights expire upon expiration of the qualifying USL subscription term or Software Assurance subscription. Only licensed users may use the software.

Interactive Service Hub
Interactive Service Hub provides a modern and intuitive end user experience for customer service roles through a new online user experience (UX) design. The new design allows customers to find and act on data with reduced clicks and navigation. It unifies customer interactions and pulls together all related information, enabling customers to be productive and view what’s most relevant at all times. The interactive service hub includes a multi-stream dashboard where users can view and act on their workload across multiple data streams as well as a single-stream dashboard where users are provided an aggregate view of the workloads.
Interactive Service Hub is licensed with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Basic and higher USL’s and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016 for Basic and Professional CALs.
Recent Acquisitions
Microsoft recently acquired FieldOne, Adxstudio, and Fantasy Sales Team (FST). These products and their capabilities are not available through Volume License agreements at this time. Licensing details will be made available prior to general availability of these capabilities.

Other Product Licenses
Please refer to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Please refer to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 20162016 implementation guide for documentation on technical implementation guide for documentation on technical requirements for running Microsoft Dynamics CRM requirements for running Microsoft Dynamics CRM 20162016. Licenses for Microsoft Dynamics CRM . Licenses for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 20162016 do do not includenot include licenses for other products that may be requirlicenses for other products that may be required for your installation; product licensing rights ed for your installation; product licensing rights for these must be established separately.for these must be established separately.
View Implementation Guide and System Requirements for Microsoft Dynamics CRM
View Implementation Guide and System Requirements for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 20162016 on on TechNetTechNet..
The Microsoft License Advisor Tool can help you determine the licenses you need.

Additional Software
Marketing Connector for Microsoft Dynamics CRM is provided, to licensed Microsoft Dynamics Marketing customers and synchronizes marketing data between Microsoft Dynamics Marketing and Microsoft Dynamics CRM (either online or on-premises). However, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server On-Premises customers must purchase Microsoft Azure cloud computing services in order to run the Connector.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions are data processing extensions that can be installed on the Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Extensions are provided to licensed Microsoft Dynamics CRM customers, and does not require additional Microsoft Dynamics CRM licensing on the SQL Server Reporting Services Server.

Multiplexing
Multiplexing is the use of hardware or software (including manual procedures) to reduce the number of devices or individuals that access or use the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 solution functionality by pooling connections. Multiplexing does not reduce the number of licenses required to access the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 solution functionality. Any internal user who accesses the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 solution functionality —whether directly or indirectly—must be properly licensed.
Note: Licensed users may manually rekey information (when coming from non-licensed users) into the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 solution functionality. This scenario is not considered to be multiplexing.

Licensing Programs

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 is licensed through the Microsoft Volume Licensing programs and Microsoft Dynamics price lists.

Microsoft Volume Licensing
Microsoft Volume Licensing is the most cost-effective, flexible, and manageable way to license Microsoft software and cloud services. Microsoft offers several Volume Licensing programs, each tailored to the needs of different sizes of businesses and types of organizations. To find the right program for your organization, you’ll first need to determine the type and size of your organization, the software that you want to license, and how you will use it. Learn more about how Volume Licensing works.
Software Assurance is also included or available for purchases with licenses. This comprehensive maintenance offering can help organizations get the most out of their software investment. It combines the latest software with phone support and IT tools. Participating in a Volume Licensing program typically involves signing an agreement and/or enrollment, meeting a minimum purchase requirement, and ordering licenses through a Microsoft Reseller.
Visit the Microsoft Volume Licensing website to learn more about how to buy through Volume Licensing,find a reseller partner, and more.

Applicable Volume Licensing Programs
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016* is available through all Volume Licensing programs (including Government, Academic, Health, and Charity agreements). Below is an overview of each program.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Workgroup Server 2016 is not available through all academic licensing agreements.

⬌ Enterprise Agreement – The Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) is the best licensing program for commercial and government organizations that want to standardize IT across the enterprise yet retain the flexibility to choose from on-premises and cloud services. The EA includes attractive volume pricing, the full benefits of Software Assurance, the flexibility to transition to cloud services at your own pace, and simplified license management though a single company-wide agreement. Learn more.

⬌ Enterprise Subscription Agreement – An enrollment under the EA, EA Subscription provides a lower initial cost based on a three-year subscription, the ability to increase or decrease subscription counts on an annual basis, and non-perpetual licenses that end with your subscription term. Learn more.

⬌ Select Plus – Select Plus is a way to make transactional purchases and offers many additional benefits, including the ability to manage assets and centralized reporting. Learn more.

• As of July 1, 2015, Select Plus was replaced by Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA) for new customer agreements, which offers a simpler and more flexible agreement. Retirement of Select Plus occurs in phases:
  ◌ Beginning July 1, 2016, customers with existing Select Plus agreements will no longer be able to make new purchases after their agreement anniversary. All future purchases will be moved to the MPSA; however, customers will continue to have full rights and access to all software and Software Assurance they acquired under Select Plus.

⬌ Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA) – Microsoft Products and Services Agreement is a single agreement for your Online Services, software, and Software Assurance purchases across your organization. It can save time and money by combining purchase points for the best price level and reducing the administrative overhead associated with managing multiple agreements. Learn more.
⬌ Open License – Open License is a good choice if you are a corporate, academic, charitable, or government organization that wants to pay as you go. You must have a minimum initial purchase of five software licenses for an Open License agreement, but you can obtain additional licensed products through Open License in any quantity at any time during the two-year agreement term. Learn more.
⬌ Open Value – Open Value is the recommended program if you have a small to midsize organization with five or more desktop PCs and want to simplify license management, manage software costs, and get better control over your investment. It also includes Software Assurance, providing access to valuable benefits such as training, deployment planning, software upgrades, and product support help you boost the productivity of your entire organization. Learn more.
⬌ Open Value Subscription – Open Value Subscription provides the lowest up-front costs of the Open Program options with the flexibility to reduce the total licensing costs in years when the desktop PC count declines This option gives your organization the rights to run the software throughout your organization only during the term of the agreement with Microsoft. You also have the ability to add the single platform option to an Open Value Subscription agreement. Learn more.
⬌ Enrollment for Education Solutions – The Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES) is available to both primary/secondary and higher education institutions and offers the simplicity of counting people instead of PCs/devices and the flexibility to add additional products in any quantity as needed. Learn more.
⬌ School Enrollment – The School Enrollment is for primary/secondary schools and preschools and offers the simplicity of licensing all products organization-wide where you can order any product for a quantity that matches the annual count of your organization’s PCs/devices. Learn more.
⬌ ISV Royalty – The Microsoft ISV Royalty Licensing Program is a worldwide software licensing program that offers Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) a convenient way to license Microsoft products and integrate them into a software business application. Learn more.
⬌ SPLA – The Microsoft Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) is for services providers and independent software vendors (ISVs) to license the latest Microsoft software to provide software services and hosted applications to customers. With the SPLA, service providers and ISV’s can license Microsoft products on a monthly basis, during a three-year agreement term, to host software services and application to their customers. The SPLA provides third party commercial use rights to service providers who will be the holder of these Microsoft licenses and provide the software service.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 offers three levels of SALs—Essential, Basic, and Professional. The use rights of each SAL matches those provided to each level of CAL.

SPLA deployments differ from other Volume Licensing for on-premise deployments in the following ways:

1. The end customer organization receiving the software service is not required to obtain their own Microsoft licenses. End customers receive the right to interact with functionalities of Microsoft software through the Service Provider’s SPLA licenses. Service providers cannot use products purchased through retail or purchased in their name through Microsoft Volume Licensing to provide software services.
2. Deployments under the SPLA are partner hosted.
3. A Subscriber Access License (SAL) is required for each unique individual user who is authorized to access or otherwise use the licensed products. When using the SAL option, a separate Server License is not needed.

Adding Access to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Microsoft Dynamics CRM On-Premises Users via the USL for Software Assurance

If you have Microsoft Dynamics CRM CALs covered by active Software Assurance (SA), you can add access to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online by acquiring the USL for SA licenses, thus protecting your on-premises investments in Microsoft licensing, and permitting you to maintain non-perpetual rights to online service for the duration of your service agreement.
USLs for SA are available for purchase through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Enterprise Agreement, Enterprise Subscription Agreement, and Enrollment for Education Solutions (under a Campus and School Agreement).
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For each User CAL or Device CAL to which you assign a USL for SA, you will receive a CRM Online USL. Pricing for the USL for SA is set to provide credit for you SA investment.
Notes:
⚑ The USL must be used for the same user of the User CAL. The USL cannot subsequently be transferred to another user unless the corresponding CAL is also transferred to the new user.
⚑ The USL level will correspond to the CAL level. For instance, a Professional CAL with USL for SA will be granted the Professional USL use rights.
⚑ Device CALs that you have purchased as part of an Enterprise Agreement or Enrollment qualify USL for SA on a 1:1 basis: One Device CAL qualifies for one USL for SA.

The USL for SA model includes two parallel agreements:

1. A new or existing Software Assurance agreement that the customer will continue to maintain and renew, and
2. An additional USL for SA License Agreement that provides rights to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online service.
   The following Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online USL for SA licenses are available for Microsoft Dynamics CALs with active Software Assurance:

Transitioning from Microsoft Dynamics CRM CALs to USLs under the Enterprise Agreement

As part of ongoing efforts to simplify licensing and respond to partner and customer feedback, Transitions have been removed from the November 2015 EA Enrollments. CRM Online “For SA” Add-ons, which recognize customer investments in on-premises licensing, are the recommended path for customers interested in licensing Online Services during the term of their Enrollment. Transitions will remain available as quoted for customers with active Enrollments (versions 2011 through 2014) for the remainder of their Enrollment term.

License Keys & Product Activation
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 media obtained under Volume Licensing programs include license keys embedded on the media (Media is ‘Pre-Keyed*’). The license keys will no longer need to be entered upon installation. If you have downloaded a Trial or time limited version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, and later purchase Volume License media and do not wish to re-install, you may input the license key from your purchased media within the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Deployment Manager.
The License Key may be located by searching the installation files contained on the media for the \server\amd64\license.txt file.

Where to obtain License Keys for each channel
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WG = Microsoft Dynamics CRM Workgroup Server 2016
CRM Server = Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2016

Notes:
⚑ IMPORTANT! Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 license keys will not appear in the license key product listing that appears for some products in VLSC. The product keys are embedded in the VLSC downloads and on the physical media, so there is no need to enter a product key, except in the event a TRIAL version has been installed first.(If this is the case – see the TRIALs section.)
⚑ All Programs do not require registration of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Server/CAL licenses.

On Premises Upgrades & Migration

Technical Upgrade Path for Dynamics CRM 2011 and Dynamics CRM 2013 Customers
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 server editions must first be updated to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 editions followed by an update to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 editions before they can be upgraded to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 server editions.

License Upgrade Path for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 Customers
Customers who are current on their Software Assurance Plan as of December 1, 2015 are entitled to upgrade the licenses from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 as shown below:

Customers’ right to use Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 software is evidenced by this product condition note and evidence of their corresponding licenses and Software Assurance for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015. A customer’s right to use Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 software under this grant is subject to the terms and conditions of its volume licensing agreement. That right expires upon the expiration or termination of the right to use Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 under the corresponding qualifying Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 licenses. Upon expiration of SA coverage on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 licenses, the customer may renew SA for the granted Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 licenses.
For Enterprise Agreement customers eligible for these complimentary licenses and rights as described above, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 licenses that are as part of a customer’s annual true-up process during the current enrollment term are also qualifying licenses.
For Enterprise Subscription, Campus and School, and Open Value Subscription Agreements, the same rights are granted on a temporary basis until the end of the license enrollment term, as long as the Licenses and Software Assurance are valid during the grant period and the customer maintains continuous subscription coverage. These rights only become permanent upon exercise of the buy-out option, and remain subject to all the terms and conditions of the customer’s license agreement.

Carefully Consider Your Upgrade Path
Customers need to be aware of possibilities, limitations and consequences when choosing their upgrade path.
Software Assurance Renewals occurring after General Availability of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 in the relevant language version will be calculated based on the price of the relevant Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 part number.

Customers with Expired Software Assurance
Customers with expired Software Assurance will need to obtain Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 licenses under standard pricing programs, and license it like a new customer.

The only time Software Assurance can be acquired alone is if it is being renewed from a prior agreement.

Upgrade Path for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Customers
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Users must upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, before proceeding to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013, 2015, and 2016 editions. There is no direct technical upgrade path from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016.
The licensing upgrade path for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 users to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016is as follows:

Downgrade Paths: Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011
Customers with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 through 2016 licenses may use Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 in place of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 through 2016. Their Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 licenses may be deployed as Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 licenses as follows:

A customer’s right to use Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is subject to the terms and conditions of a customer’s license agreement, the product use rights for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and these terms. That right expires upon the expiration or termination of their right to use Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 under their qualifying Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 licenses.
To add additional CALs to a Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2011 server, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 CALs must be purchased. Downgrade rights provide the path to add additional users.

Software Assurance
Software Assurance includes a core set of benefits to help improve workforce productivity, streamline software deployment, and reduce costs. A distinctive set of benefits, such as new software versions, planning services, 24×7 phone and Web support, training, and more—all designed to help you get the most from your organization’s Volume Licensing purchase.
When you purchase through the Open, Open Value, Open Value Subscription, Enterprise Agreement, Enterprise Subscription Agreement, Select Plus programs or Enrolment for Education Solutions, Software Assurance is automatically included with your licenses.
Your specific Software Assurance benefits vary according to the Volume Licensing program. Refer to the resources and tools below to learn more about the Software Assurance benefits available to your organization.

For more informations download the document:

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