Business Insights: Get enterprise-class e-mail and collaboration tools—without the IT overhead

If you are having trouble viewing this e-mail, please view the online version. • Boost productivity with online services • Using pivot tables to view financials • Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online • Rieva answers your questions A cloudy forecast might brighten your future You want your business to look and be professional, and that means having a reliable, secure, and professional-quality set of tools for e-mail, messaging, conferencing, and collaboration. But you're reluctant to take on the aggravation and expense of replacing your old systems. The solution? Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), the affordable cloud-computing subscription that gives you big-business tools without the IT hassles. Read the full article online Calculate Estimated Costs Case Study: Manufacturer Saves Time; Boosts Productivity by 50 Percent by Using Online Services Video: Supercharge Productivity with Microsoft Online Services SHARE Digital Events Gathering Information Using Electronic Forms Available on demand. SharePoint Foundation 2010: Team Collaboration Software Available on demand. Driving Business Productivity and Cost Efficiency Showcases how Microsoft Online Services can reduce your costs, streamline business communications, and simplify IT management while operating in a more secure and reliable environment. Join us as we demonstrate these services, and learn how to lower the total cost of ownership of your IT infrastructure while still providing end users with rich capabilities for communications and collaboration. Available on demand. Offer: Get More Value for Less Money with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides fast online access, simple contact management, and great sales performance for a low monthly cost—an excellent value on the market today. For Salesforce.com and Oracle CRM On Demand customers, it gets even better! Eligible organizations can get six months of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online—at no charge.** Offer: Save Money and Move Your Business Forward For existing Microsoft Dynamics customers: Take advantage of these time-sensitive offers, and expand the capabilities of your organization.*** Ask Rieva Q: We're a bicoastal office—about half of us are in California and the others are in New Jersey. This makes it difficult to communicate with one another and stay on top of what needs to be done. Are there any easy solutions? A: Yes, thanks to technology, there are. You'll be able to interact as if you were all under one roof. You can coordinate calendars, instantly communicate, and increase productivity—and it's all seamless when you use a single, interoperable software package, like the Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite. Read the full response here Submit your brief questions on using technology to manage and grow your business to AskRieva@microsoft.com. The Windows 7 Release Candidate is expiring! Do you still have Windows 7 Release Candidate on any computer? Starting March 1, 2010, your computer will shut down every two hours and your work will not be saved. To avoid interruption, please back up your data and perform a clean install of Windows 7 (or earlier version). Learn more Upcoming Support Life-Cycle Transition Dates for Windows Client and Server. Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), and Windows Vista Release to Manufacturing (RTM) will reach the end of support in upcoming months. Customers should migrate their systems to a supported version of Windows Client or Windows Server, including any applicable service packs because Microsoft will not issue new updates—including security updates—for these operating systems. Get free training on Microsoft software, online technical support, and insights that will benefit your business, all personalized to fit. Join the Microsoft Business Resource Center to get the most out of your software. Sign up Find A Partner In Your Area GO Tips & Tricks Try the Demo and Watch Collaboration in Real-Time Online services provide rich capabilities in a familiar and intuitive user experience. See how e-mail, instant messaging (IM), Web conferencing, and content management work together. Save Time and Get Organized Stay connected with e-mail on your phone. Better Manage Your Business and Financials Creating a pivot table report in Microsoft Office Excel 2007. Keep Up on the Latest Tips & Tricks Stay current on all of the latest tips, tricks, and offers for small and medium businesses when you follow us on Twitter! SHARE Downloads Download Microsoft Office 2010 Beta Microsoft Office 2010 gives you powerful new tools to express your ideas, solve problems, and connect with people. Try it through October for no cost.* Sign up for other newsletters | Unsubscribe | Update your profile © 2010 Microsoft Corporation * For answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Microsoft Office 2010 Beta, click here. ** Subscriptions must be activated by March 31, 2010. Minimum of five users. Maximum of two times the number of seats subscribed to via qualifying competing products. After six months, subscription price is $44 per user per month. Contract term is 12 months. Offer applicable only to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. Offer available only in the United States and Canada. Eligible customers must be currently paid subscribers to Salesforce.com or Oracle CRM On Demand switching to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online and must show valid proof of Salesforce.com or Oracle CRM On Demand subscription to participate. For offer details, please visit https://offers.crmchoice.com/moreforless. *** For offer details, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/brl/offers/default.aspx Microsoft respects your privacy. Please read our online Privacy Statement. If you would prefer to no longer receive the Business Insights newsletter, please click here to unsubscribe. These settings will not affect any newsletters you've requested or any mandatory service communications that are considered part of certain Microsoft services. To set your contact preferences for Microsoft newsletters, see the communications preferences section of the Microsoft Privacy Statement. Microsoft Corporation One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA, 98052, USA

MCP Flash: March 2010

Sign up for other newsletters | Unsubscribe | Update your profile

The Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) Flash is a monthly newsletter that announces program updates; training, exam, and credential availability and retirements; and special offers for MCPs. Find more information on the MCP member site or on the Microsoft Learning site. Virtual Business Cards Now Available to MCPs Virtual Business Cards (VBCs) are now available as a new benefit for MCPs. Use VBCs to show off your expertise, knowledge, and achievements--creatively, securely, and interactively. Brand yourself and let everyone know what credentials you hold by using them on the Web or in your e-mail signature. Announcements Live Meetings for Managers Please join us for this Live Meeting series created specifically for managers of IT professionals and developers. • The Business Value of Windows 7: Training for ROI Thursday, March 25, 2010, at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time • Exam Forensics and What Microsoft Is Doing to Catch the Cheaters Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time Visit the IT Manager Portal for the full schedule and links to previously recorded meetings. Register for Tech·Ed North America 2010 Today and Save US$200 We're excited to offer all MCPs a US$200 savings on the full conference fee for Tech·Ed North America 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana, June 7-10. Here are some reasons why you should join us for the 18th annual Microsoft premier IT professional and developer conference: • Increase your technical knowledge. Choose from 21 learning tracks, with more than 750 sessions. • Meet world-class experts in your field. Hear the latest and greatest from Microsoft product managers. • Exchange ideas and business cards. Network with your peers and community leaders. • Explore New Orleans, Louisiana. Learn all about the culture, history, music, and food New Orleans has to offer. How to register and save US$200: 1. Go to the Microsoft Tech·Ed North America 2010 Sign In page. 2. Sign in with your Windows Live ID or create a user name and password. 3. Select Register Yourself or Another Individual. 4. In the "Register with a Registration Code" section, type ATGNCX6B. Note You are receiving this code because you are an MCP. Please don't share this code with others. 5. Complete the registration form. For questions concerning your registration or hotel reservations, please send an e-mail message to the Tech·Ed 2010 Registration team. Updated Born to Learn Web Site The Born to Learn Web site is now more social than ever. An updated site has launched with Live ID integration, forums for online conversations, social sharing, a whole new look and feel, and much more. Come join the conversation and say "hi" in the new forums. Microsoft Certification Program Update We're simplifying and clarifying how we talk about our certifications, and you'll see some minor changes as a result. First up: we're moving away from the term "Microsoft Certified Professional ID," referring instead to "Microsoft Certification ID." It's a vocabulary change, nothing more--you'll continue to use your same number. We'll just be dropping the "P," referring to it instead as your MC ID. You may see both terms in use for the next few weeks as we make the transition. Wallet Card Survey Microsoft wants to hear from the Microsoft Certified Professional community. Please take two minutes to answer six survey questions regarding the importance of Wallet Cards. Stay involved, stay informed, and help steer the program in the right direction to meet your needs. This survey will be open from March 18 through March 31. Join Us for the Visual Studio 2010 Launch On April 12, Visual Studio 2010 will launch worldwide. In order to keep up to date on the Microsoft Developer Platform, you'll want to attend. The main launch event will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, where you'll see keynotes from Bob Muglia and Scott Guthrie; hear the latest about Visual Studio 2010, Silverlight 4, and the rest of the Microsoft .NET platform; and even get three conferences and three days of training for the price of one. As a valued MCP, you're entitled to a special discount. Use code MCP when registering to receive a US$100 discount. We hope to see you there! Microsoft Certified Master (MCM) Program Gets Rave Reviews The MCM program offers exclusive advanced training and certification on Microsoft server technologies to seasoned IT professionals. Here is what recent attendees of MCM training have said about it: • "Best training experience I have had, period." • "Awesome." • "Exceeded my expectations." • "Well worth my time and money." • "The caliber of the instructors was phenomenal. Strongly recommend it." If you are a seasoned IT professional looking to differentiate yourself from the competition, the MCM program can help set you apart. Looking for a Few Good Hiring Managers We're looking for experienced professionals who manage a team of IT professionals or developers to work with us as part of the Microsoft Learning IT Manager Advisory Council (ITMAC). If you are interested in participating on the Microsoft Learning ITMAC, or if you know someone who would be a great voice for the team, you can download and submit the ITMAC profile form. Please submit profiles for the North America summit now. Selected individuals will be notified in April. Leverage Your Microsoft Certified System Administrator (MCSA) Credential If you're an MCSA, you might want to explore upgrading to a Windows 7 certification. Learn about your options, available resources, and offers to grow your Windows expertise. Prepare for New Exams with Instructor-Led Training Certification courses are available for most technologies and skill levels, from business workers to IT professionals. Microsoft Official Courses can help you meet your goals because they are: • Faster and more thorough than self-paced courses. Each class takes just three to five days and is designed to create a complete and customized experience using a combination of course material, Hands-On Labs, interactive media, and group exercises. • The most job-relevant technology instruction in the industry. Classes cover the planning, design, implementation, management, and support phases of the technology adoption life cycle. • Able to give you the classroom experience to help you develop skills that can easily transfer into the workplace and tools that you can reference long after training. Find out more about our instructor-led training and sign up for a class today. Special Offers Get a Second Shot at Microsoft Certification Microsoft Learning can make it easier to earn your Microsoft certification and advance your career. Second Shot provides a complimentary retake if you don't pass your certification exam the first time. This offer is available through June 30, 2010, or while supplies last. Take Control of Your Career with a Microsoft Career Package Career Packages are an efficient way to get up to speed on key Microsoft technologies. Each package includes classroom training, a certification exam, and a complimentary, fully licensed copy of the software. Career Packages are available for Windows 7, SQL Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008. This offer is good through June 30, 2010, or while supplies last. Save up to 40 Percent on Microsoft Certification Exams for IT Teams (France, Germany, the Netherlands, North America, South Africa, and United Kingdom only) Microsoft Certification is simpler and more cost-efficient than ever. Purchase a specially priced exam pack and take advantage of special savings exclusively for team managers. New Exams Find Out Which Exams Are Available Now View a full list of English and localized exams that became available in recent months. March 2010 In This Issue: Announcements Special Offers New Exams Resources • Born to Learn blog • MCP Web site • Special Offers for MCPs Share Your Feedback • Tell Us What You Think About This Newsletter Learning Portals • Windows 7 • Windows Vista • Windows Server 2008 • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 • Visual Studio 2008 • Visual Studio 2005 • Exchange Server 2010 • Exchange Server 2007 • Microsoft Forefront • 2007 Microsoft Office System • Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 • Microsoft Virtualization Welcome! Subscribing to the MCP Flash is the easiest way to stay current on training and certification news from Microsoft. As part of your subscription, you may occasionally receive beta exam or survey invitations from the Microsoft Certification Program. You may unsubscribe from these notices, but in doing so you will also cancel your subscription to the monthly MCP Flash, which contains information about your certification benefits and status. ©2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Forefront, SQL Server, Visual Studio, Windows, Windows Server, and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. Microsoft respects your privacy. Please read our online Privacy Statement. If you would prefer to no longer receive this newsletter, please reply to this message with "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line or click here to sign in and unsubscribe. These settings will not affect any other newsletters you've requested or any mandatory service communications that are considered part of certain Microsoft services. To set your contact preferences for other Microsoft communications, see the communications preferences section of the Microsoft Privacy Statement. Legal Information Microsoft Corporation One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052 Sign up for other newsletters | Unsubscribe | Update your profile © 2010 Microsoft Corporation Terms of Use | Trademarks | Privacy Statement