Here is the link to the TechSoup explanation, but here's the gist:


  • To date, Microsoft has offered 50 "perpetual" (i.e. non-monthly-subscription) licenses for their products (Microsoft Office is what our non-profit customers primarily have used) every 2 years.  These licenses cost a $36 administrative fee from TechSoup, and apply to any single PC (or Mac).
  • Recently, Microsoft started offering a free 10-user subscription to Microsoft Business Premium, which includes the Office applications (in addition to the email service, which has always been offered for free).  In addition, they offer additional Business Premium licenses at a reduced $3/month rate (compared to $22/month for everyone else).  Any users that have this subscription (whether free or paid) can use this on up to 5 computers (including home/non-corporate PCs).
  • As Microsoft is eliminating perpetual licensing in favor of subscriptions across the spectrum, they've announced that perpetual licenses will no longer be provided starting April 4.


What do you need to do? 

Nothing, technically, but we're writing this up so that you can take full advantage of the donation before having to switch to subscription as your perpetual licensing goes out of date or you purchase new computers.


In the next couple of days, we'll be providing you with an "asset list" of all of your computers (and other devices), along with the Microsoft Office licensing that we're showing attached to them.  We've already registered you for the 10 free Microsoft 365 licenses as well, and we'll show anyone we might have assigned those to already.  

For each computer, you'll want you to evaluate if you'd like to spend $36 one-time to upgrade to Microsoft Office 2021 before April 4, or if you want to use existing licensing and forgo the upgrade.


Our recommendations:


  • At a minimum, we recommend upgrade any computers still running perpetual Office versions prior to 2019. Office 2019 will be supported until October 2025, while Office 2021 will be supported until October, 2026, so upgrading those licenses may not make sense, since you'd essentially be spending 1 year's worth of subscription ($3 * 12 months) to avoid the subscription fee for an additional year.
  • You may want to purchase licenses in advance if you expect a significant number of new machines in the next year or two. There's no requirement that the licenses be applied to machines at the time of purchase.