Microsoft Teams ISV app monetization capabilities now available in developer preview

James Skay

Earlier this year at Build 2021 we shared new features to allow ISV application developers to monetization their Teams applications directly within the Teams app store. Today we are pleased to announce that these capabilities are now available in developer preview.

Figure 1.1 highlights the ability to buy a subscription of an ISV application directly within the Teams app store

Monetizing ISV Teams applications was previously possible but required multiple steps: downloading apps from the Teams app store and purchasing a subscription from within Microsoft AppSource. We are excited to bring the ability to buy a subscription directly into Teams.

Why should you build and transact apps on Microsoft Teams?

• Reach your audience with over 250 million monthly active users and 500k organizations using Teams as their daily productivity tool
• Leverage product innovation by creating automation and profess flows for your solutions
• Keep more of your margin with reduced marketplace transaction fees: we charge a flat 3% transaction fee versus an industry-standard 20%
• Join our Microsoft 365 ISV program to get 1:1 support, and other benefits, including financial incentives up to $20,000 USD for publishing a new Teams app

Ready to get started? Follow the five steps below to get your monetizable Teams app live in the app store. We also cover these steps—and best practices for a streamlined development and validation process—in our webinar Building Teams Apps and Sell in Microsoft AppSource and Teams store.

1. Create a free Teams app
   1. Build your Teams app
      1. Build your first Microsoft Teams app overview
      2. Prerequisites: Get started with Microsoft Teams app development
      3. Build apps for the Microsoft Teams platform
      4. Even more: Microsoft Teams Platform developer documentation
2. Integrate with SaaS fulfillment APIs
   1. 1. 1. Create and publish a landing page for initial app subscription configuration and assignment:
            1. Build the landing page for your transactable SaaS offer
            2. AAD and transactable SaaS offers in the commercial marketplace
            3. Commercial marketplace general listing and offer policies
         2. Create and publish a webhook to handle marketplace requests to provision, update, and cancel subscriptions
            1. SaaS fulfillment APIs v2 in Microsoft commercial marketplace
            2. SaaS fulfillment API FAQ
3. Create a transactable SaaS offer
   1. Create a new transactable SaaS offer in Microsoft Partner Center
      1. Create an MPN account in Partner Center
      2. Create a SaaS offer in the commercial marketplace
   2. Specify offer details including description, pricing, and the webhooks & landing page from prior section
      1. Configure your SaaS offer properties in Azure Marketplace
   3. Preview and test your transactable SaaS offer then publish the offer (not including app)
      1. How to test and publish a SaaS offer to the Microsoft commercial marketplace
4. Link SaaS offer to your Teams app
   1. Configure your app with the transactable SaaS offer
      1. Include a SaaS offer with your Microsoft Teams app
   2. Link your Teams app and SaaS offer via Partner Center
      1. Create a SaaS offer in the commercial marketplace
5. Submit your app for validation and publication
   1. Submit the app via Partner Center (same process as with non-monetized apps)
      1. Overview – Teams app store publishing process
      2. Publishing to the Teams store (M365 Developer Blog)

Figure 1.2 shows the plans and pricing portion in the checkout of the Teams app store

While monetizable apps are currently only available in the Teams apps store for those that are in developer preview, we will soon provide these capabilities to everyone with a general release towards the end of the month.

James Skay

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