If you’re an independent software vendor (ISV) who provides a cloud communication and collaboration platform, you may want to offer customers a collaboration experience inside and outside meetings. That’s why we are excited to introduce the Microsoft 365 Document Collaboration Partner Program (MDCPP), a new opportunity for eligible platform providers to integrate Microsoft 365 apps into their platforms. Whether it’s a presentation, a spreadsheet, or a document, the program can enable users to share, edit, and coauthor, without switching between apps or losing context.
By joining the program, you can enable customers on your platform to view, collaborate, and coauthor documents within Microsoft apps. In the past, we’ve provided these experiences to people within Microsoft Teams, and we’re excited to expand it into new platforms. In this blog post, we’ll explain how the program works, what benefits it offers, and how you can apply.
What is the Microsoft 365 Document Collaboration Partner Program?
The Microsoft 365 Document Collaboration Partner Program allows eligible communication and collaboration ISVs to integrate Microsoft 365 experiences into their communication and collaboration platforms. There are two options of the program available – a web app and live app option.
- The web app option allows ISVs to provide simultaneous collaboration and editing of documents integrated into their platform (outside of a meeting experience). This includes the ability to integrate Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents from SharePoint and OneDrive for Business.
The live app option builds on the web app option and adds additional meeting experiences optimized with features supporting an interactive and engaging experience with PowerPoint Live and Excel Live. With PowerPoint Live and Excel Live, meeting participants can interact and collaborate with the documents in real time. Presenters can also benefit from a rich presenter view, speaker notes, and presentation tools.
Zoom puts the program into action
We’re excited to announce that Zoom is one of the first organizations to explore the collaboration options of the MDCPP program.
“We are delighted to bring Microsoft 365 experiences to millions of people in Zoom. We can’t wait to see how our work together through this new program will empower our joint customers with these enhanced collaboration experiences.”
-Aleš Holeček, Corporate Vice President, Office Product Group
Zoom’s platform delivers limitless human connection. It is a leader when it comes to communication and collaboration, serving a diverse customer base from small businesses to large enterprises and government organizations that can benefit from this program. Zoom shares:
“We are looking forward to collaborating with Microsoft on this initiative. Working on Microsoft 365 documents within Zoom has been a long standing ask from our shared customers. We are pleased to work together to address these customer needs.”
Brendan Ittelson, Chief Ecosystem Officer, Zoom
What are the benefits for ISVs?
The program offers several benefits for ISVs.
- Enhance your platform with Microsoft 365 experiences that are familiar and trusted by millions of users.
- Provide your customers with collaboration and coauthoring experiences within Microsoft apps, regardless of the platform they are using.
- Save time and investment needed to create document collaboration experiences of your own.
Who is eligible for the program and how to apply?
To be eligible for the program, your company must be a cloud communication and collaboration platform provider. This means that your platform enables both online meetings and instant messaging and/or audio and video calling, as primary parts of a single business offering. You must also meet some other requirements, such as paying an initial fee and annual fees for cost recovery, maintaining certain levels of insurance coverage, and meeting the technical requirements for the integration. The program owners will discuss the detailed requirements with you if applicable.
We look forward to welcoming more ISVs to the program soon. If you want to learn more about the program and how to apply, please visit the application page and register your interest. If qualified, we’ll contact you to discuss the program details, qualifications, and billing.