What is a Microsoft Solutions Partner designation?
A Solutions Partner designation is Microsoft's partner badge in one of six solution areas, such as Modern Work, Security or Infrastructure (Azure). You earn it by reaching at least 70 of 100 points on the Partner Capability Score, which Microsoft measures in three areas: Performance, Skilling and Customer success. Growth Path shows which of your steps counts toward each one.
Who is Cherry?
Cherry · your PIE assistant is a side panel that opens every time you visit Growth Path. It asks four questions, such as what you are working toward this year and which area your business is mostly in, then names your one next move from your live PIE counts, with the button to do it. Cherry follows fixed rules on your real data and does not join your check-ins.
How does Growth Path work?
Growth Path is your guided path to a first Solutions Partner designation, built on PIE's own features. You tell PIE your tier and workforce, and it orders eight steps: finish onboarding, training walkthroughs, meet your PIE team, connect with your Microsoft sellers, get credit for your Azure work (PAL), skill your workforce, put CPOR and DPOR in every SOW, and find the money in your work with SOW Analyzer. Each step shows a live count from PIE and one button.
Can I get a Solutions Partner designation in 90 days?
The 90-day plan is PIE's recommended pace, not a Microsoft deadline or a guarantee. How fast your score moves depends on your engagements, your certified workforce and your customers. Microsoft refreshes partner scores around the 20th of each month, and credit counts only from the day an engagement is associated, so the plan puts association in the first two weeks.
What are the weekly check-ins?
Four 30-minute Teams video meetings with the AICloudPartners team, one a week in your first month, booked from the Growth Path page through Microsoft Bookings. After each session, the notes on what you talked about and what we recommended appear on your page.
What reports do I get?
One report, the Growth Path progress report, in six sections: where you started, where you are now, completed this period, skipped items, your next move, and what you can claim today with the largest single incentive, shown as an "up to" figure. It opens on the page and you print it or save it as a PDF. Your 90-day plan, your eight steps and your check-in notes live on the page itself.
Can I skip a step or change the order?
Yes. You can skip up to two items per 30-day block, and you can drag your steps into your own order or go back to PIE's recommended order at any time. Finishing onboarding always comes first and cannot be skipped, because it is what lets PIE read your Microsoft data.
What do PAL, CPOR and DPOR mean?
They are the three ways Microsoft links your work to a customer so it counts toward your score. Partner Admin Link (PAL) is for Azure and needs no customer approval. Claiming Partner of Record (CPOR) covers Microsoft 365, Security and Business Applications work and needs a statement of work signed by the customer. Digital Partner of Record (DPOR) is set by the customer on Enterprise Agreement subscriptions. Growth Path makes PAL a step, and SOW Analyzer flags any SOW missing the CPOR and DPOR wording. Read more in our guide to
DPOR vs CPOR vs PAL.
Is this the same as the Growth Path report in SOW Tracker?
No. The Growth Path report in SOW Tracker is about one deal: the nearest incentive unlocks and a 30/60/90-day plan for that SOW. The Growth Path page is about your whole company: eight steps, a 90-day plan and check-ins toward your first designation.
Is Growth Path a separate product?
No. Growth Path is included in every PIE plan starting at $299/month, with SOW Analyzer, Incentive Claims, ISSI Evidence, Partner Admin Link, SOW Tracker, Workforce and CERTIFY.