GUIDE
Partner Program guide 2025
Nerdio Manager for Enterprise
Introduction
Welcome to the Nerdio Manager for
Enterprise Partner Program overview
This document outlines how partners can achieve, maintain, and benefit from the various levels of our Partner Program. It also details the support and rewards you can expect from Nerdio at each tier.
The Partner Program operates on a calendar year basis, running from January 1-December 31. Revenue targets are assessed based on performance through the final billing month of the program year (December).
Additionally, you’ll find example scenarios to help you better understand the program and assist with forecasting within your business.
Nerdio reserves the right to change benefits and requirements of tiers at any time upon not less than thirty (30) days prior notice by posting such changes at partnerd.getnerdio.com. Changes will apply to purchases and use after the end of the notice period.
Partner Program Information
Partner levels
Nerdio offers three partner tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each tier has specific requirements that must be met and maintained in order to qualify for and retain the corresponding benefits.
Partner level benefits and requirements
*MRR is defined as the total monthly recurring revenue, which includes existing, expansion, and net new revenue.
**Net new MRR refers to the first month’s billed amount for a new customer deployment within the program year.
***Certifications must be completed within 90 days of becoming a new Nerdio partner.
Partner margins explained
Channel margin
All partner levels are eligible for a 15% channel margin, provided the following criteria are met:
- The partner has a validated deal registrations.
- The partner actively participates and remains engaged throughout the sales cycles.
- The partner collaborates closely with their designated Nerdio representative to promote and position Nerdio as part of the customer’s Microsoft solution.
Deal protection
The deal protection margins outlined in the table above are granted to partners who meet the following criteria:
- The opportunity was not previously known to Nerdio before the deal registration was submitted.
- Only applicable to new customer installations.
- The deal registration has been reviewed and approved.
- The partner must also be the recipient of the channel margin (refer to the eligibility criteria below).
Items to note:
The deal protection margins outlined in the table above are granted to partners who meet the following criteria:
- Deal protection does not provide a separate margin; instead, it adds to the base channel margin when the partner has sourced a net new opportunity with a validated deal registration.
- Channel margin may be paid independently if the partner did not originate the opportunity.
How to engage with Nerdio
At Nerdio, our pre-sales structure includes dedicated account representatives, each supported by a technical sales engineer. This team works collaboratively to engage with customer opportunities and provide both strategic and technical support.
Once a deal registration is submitted, it will be assigned to the appropriate Nerdio account representative. They will contact you to learn more about the opportunity and discuss the sales and technical support you may require.
Support for partners on deal engagement
Nerdio recommends that all partners obtain both sales and technical certifications for Nerdio Manager for Enterprise. This will give you a competitive edge in identifying and managing opportunities. Additionally, we are here to offer further guidance as you acclimate and become proficient.
Nerdio Manager for Enterprise provides an initial 30-day free trial license. Before activating this, it’s important to conduct a discovery call with defined success criteria for the proof of value. During these discovery calls and throughout the 30-day free trial period, our technical sales engineers are available to assist. They can join and support calls, provided that the partner has a technical person present to benefit from the learning and findings of these processes.
Positioning pricing and contracts
Nerdio offers a unique advantage to our partners by collaborating with both you and the customer to agree on the customer pricing for Nerdio. This ensures that if multiple partners are quoting the customer on Nerdio, the price remains consistent, securing the full margin for the partner with deal protection and/ or channel margin.
Nerdio can be transacted on a rolling monthly (PAYG) basis, allowing customers the flexibility to avoid long-term contracts.
For discounts or special pricing, please coordinate with your assigned Nerdio account representative. Typically, discounts are only offered with a contractual commitment from the customer and are not available for pay-as-you-go plans.
The commitment for annual contracts is directly between Nerdio and the customer, as the billing for Nerdio aligns with the customer’s Microsoft Azure Agreement via the Microsoft Azure Marketplace.
Transacting Nerdio Manager for Enterprise
Nerdio Manager for Enterprise can be downloaded, installed, and subscribed for payment through the Azure Marketplace. This simplifies the process by aligning the Nerdio product purchase with the customer’s existing Microsoft Azure agreement. For assistance with Azure Marketplace, Nerdio offers guidance, and Microsoft provides comprehensive support documentation.
Margin allocations
As Nerdio is procured and transacted via the Azure Marketplace, the customer simply needs to decide which existing Microsoft Azure contract they wish to allocate it to (e.g., CSP, EA, MCA).
- If the partner is the direct or indirect CSP provider of the customer and has opted to receive an upfront discount on the Nerdio line item on the CSP bill, it is the partner’s responsibility to adjust the discounted pricing to the agreed end customer SRP in accordance with the applicable percentages and duration. Subsequently, the partner will be responsible for appropriately allocating the Nerdio margins internally.
- If the partner is the direct or indirect CSP provider for the customer and has chosen not to apply an upfront price reduction, it is their responsibility to ensure that no blanket uplift is applied to the Nerdio line item on the CSP bill. In such cases, Nerdio will issue a quarterly rebate instead as detailed below. The deal registration has been reviewed and approved.
- If the customer is consuming Azure on an EA/MCA in a region where MPO is not an option to receive an upfront discount, Nerdio will pay the margin as a rebate in accordance with the payment schedules documented below. It will be the partner’s responsibility to allocate the Nerdio margins appropriately.
- If the customer is consuming Azure on an EA/MCA in a region where MPO is an option, Nerdio can discount the pricing to the partner and guide them on how to uplift it appropriately to match the expected and agreed SRP that the customer expects to consume Nerdio at. Margins will be paid in accordance with the Microsoft MPO terms and conditions.
Margin payment dates
In scenarios where Nerdio does not provide an upfront discount to the pricing and pays the Nerdio margins via the rebate method, the payment will be made through a quarterly rebate. This will be accompanied by a statement detailing the corresponding deals and calculation breakdowns.
Note: Rebates will be issued within 45 days following the end of each calendar quarter.
Margin examples
Example one
Example one is based on a Silver Partner that sourced the deal new, and the customer is paying on a month-to-month (PAYG) basis:
This process will repeat for four quarters (12 months billing) at 20%. Since this is a PAYG customer, the margin will reduce to 15% in years two and three but follow the same process and payment profiles. The first rebate will be issued within 45 days of March 31.
Example two
Example two is based on a Platinum Partner that sourced the deal new and the customer has signed a 3-year agreement:
This process will continue for 12 quarters (36 billing months) at a rate of 30%, in accordance with the customer’s agreement to a 3-year contract. The first rebate will be issued within 45 days of March 31.
Example three
Example three is based on a Gold Partner that sourced the deal new, and the customer has signed a 3-year agreement and paid upfront.
The rebate is not recurring; it is paid upfront in alignment with the customer’s payment method for Nerdio and will be paid within 45 days following the end of the quarter the deal is closed in.
Partner margins: length of payments
- Deal protection is paid for 12 months if the customer has chosen to consume Nerdio on a PAYG basis.
- Deal protection will be paid for the term of the contract should the customer commit to one.
- Channel margin is paid for three years.
- After three years, the margin drops to 8% unless a partner secures an annual or multi-year contract with Nerdio, which increases it to 15%.
Renewal process
Nerdio is currently formalizing our renewal program for partners. This will only apply to customers that have or are wanting to move to a contracted subscription with Nerdio.
Moving forward, partners will be able to view in their partner portal whether the customer they sold Nerdio to is on a PAYG or contracted subscription with Nerdio.
Certification requirements
Nerdio partners are to complete the required sales and technical certifications within 90 days of signing the partnership contract.
The Nerdio Sales Certification is broken down into two parts:
1. Nerdio Enterprise Sales Foundations (NMES-200)
2. Nerdio Enterprise Sales Fundamentals (NMES-100)
The Nerdio Technical Certification is called NME-201*.
Users can view and launch both certifications from Nerdio University. If you need access, contact your Nerdio Partner Manager in your region.
*Existing NME-200 certifications are valid until they expire. Users can take the free, updated NME-201 certification at their convenience.
** Both elements (NMES-100 & NMES-200), and any future sales modules added will be required to count as a fully certified individual for partner level compliance requirements.