Partner-Led vs. Active Co-Sell: How to Choose the Right Microsoft Deal Type
The #1 Thing Microsoft Sellers Look For: High-Quality Notes in Active Co-Sell Deals
Submitting a deal as Active Co-Sell? Great — you’re signaling to Microsoft that you're ready to collaborate. But here's the truth:
If your notes are weak, vague, or AI-generated fluff, the seller won’t engage.
Microsoft sellers are scanning dozens (sometimes hundreds) of deal submissions a week. What they’re looking for is simple:
Clear, credible, and useful context that tells them this deal is qualified — and that helping you is worth their time.
Why Your Notes Field Matters So Much
Once you select “Active Co-Sell” in Partner Center, the Customer Contact and Notes fields become required.
But required ≠ strategic.
Most partners treat this as a checkbox. The best-performing partners use it to:
- Build trust
- Accelerate alignment
- Get sellers excited to help
What Microsoft Sellers Want to See in Your Notes
Here’s a simple framework:
1. Proof the Deal Is Real
- Mention who you’re working with (e.g., “in contact with the Marketing Director at Contoso”)
- No need to name names — a title is enough to show qualification
2. Why This Matters for Microsoft
- Is your solution MACC eligible or incentive eligible?
- Can it help the seller hit their quota or performance goals?
- Will it decrement MACC (good for them)?
3. What Help You Need
- Be specific: “Need support navigating IT and procurement,” “Looking for account team alignment,” or “Customer asked for MS recommendation”
4. If There Are PII/Compliance Gaps
- Can’t provide customer contact? Say so clearly.
Example: “PII restrictions prevent including contact info, but we’re actively engaged with procurement.”
This lets the Microsoft “deal catcher” move it forward without delay.
❌ What NOT to Do
- Paste AI-generated notes with generic placeholders
- Write vague summaries like “great opportunity, large customer”
- Skip over customer contact or leave “TBD”
If it doesn’t help a Microsoft seller act — it’s not worth writing.
Example of a Strong Notes Section
“Actively working with Marketing Director at SmartGov. Customer looking to apply MACC toward a 3-year license for our transactable Azure solution. Need Microsoft support to align with IT and guide through MAPs process. Solution is incentive eligible and ACR-backed.”
👏 This tells the Microsoft seller everything they need: customer engagement, MACC impact, ask, and incentives.
