Bluehost: How to Move Your Microsoft Office 365 Service to Microsoft Direct

Due to recent unexpected changes to Microsofts Direct Reseller Partnership program and new service restrictions imposed by Microsoft, our Microsoft Partner status has changed. As a result, Microsoft will no longer support renewals of Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365 & O365) services through us after July 31, 2026. While this change is outside of our control, we are committed to helping make this transition as smooth as possible for you.

What This Means for You

To address this, we are partnering with Ingram Micro as an Indirect Reseller of Microsoft licenses. This collaboration enables you to transition your Microsoft 365 reseller relationship to Ingram Micro while continuing to manage your Microsoft 365 services with us. Please note that product billing will continue to be handled by us, ensuring that after the transition, you can continue using your Microsoft 365 services without disruption.

How to Complete Your Microsoft 365 Transition — Step-by-Step Guide

To continue your Microsoft 365 service without disruption, please follow these simple steps as soon as possible:

1. Accept the Partner Relationship with Ingram Micro

As soon as possible, you must Accept the Partner Relationship with Ingram Micro.

1. Sign in to your Microsoft Admin Portal as a Global Admin User.
2. Click the link below to accept the Partner Relationship invitation.
3. Accept Partner Relationship
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm your acceptance.

Once you've completed this step, no further action is needed on your end. We'll confirm the acceptance and complete the transition on our side.

Why Is This Important?

Completing these steps is essential to avoid any interruptions to your Microsoft 365 services.

Your Options Moving Forward

We strongly encourage you to follow the above instructions and transition your services via Ingram Micro to maintain continuity.

Alternatively, if you prefer not to proceed with this transition, you may choose to:

• Move directly to Microsoft as a direct customer using the details provided in the previous email sent by Microsoft. This requires a direct purchase of the same subscription with Microsoft.
• Click for more information: Resolve subscriptions detached from Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners
• Switch your email services to another trusted provider such as Google Workspace or Professional Email offerings.

However, please note that our priority is to support you in transitioning with Ingram Micro to minimize disruption.

We recommend backing up your email and data immediately to prevent loss.

Some users may face access issues related to Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA) or Granular Delegated Admin Privileges (GDAP). If you cannot access your Microsoft Admin portal, use the Microsoft 365 Global Admin Recovery Process or contact Microsoft for assistance.

Our support team remains available to assist you with transitioning to alternative email providers to maintain seamless email service.

2. Back Up Your Data

Backing up ensures you don't lose your valuable emails, contacts, and calendars during migration. Please know the following guides are available options for backing up your Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) data include:

• Back up your email and data immediately.
  Important Notice: We recommend backing up your email and data immediately to prevent loss.
• Using Microsoft Outlook’s export features to create local backup files.
• Export emails, contacts, and calendars if you are moving from other webmail platforms.
• Considering third-party backup solutions for additional security.

How to Export Emails from Microsoft 365 to a Local Backup (.pst) File:

1. Open Microsoft Outlook configured with your Microsoft 365 account.
2. Click File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
3. Select Export to a file, then click Next.
4. Choose Outlook Data File (.pst), then click Next.
5. Select the account or specific folders to export. Ensure Include subfolders is checked.
6. Click Browse, choose a save location, name the file, and click Finish.

Outlook will export your emails to a .pst file that you can keep locally.

3. What to Do If Your Microsoft 365 (Office 365) Services Have Already Expired

If your Microsoft 365 subscription has already expired, please follow the instructions found in the Microsoft article: Resolve subscriptions detached from Microsoft CSP partners.

1. Back Up Your Email Data Immediately
   Please be sure you create your email and data backups immediately to prevent loss.
2. Accept the Ingram Micro Partner Relationship Invitation
   This allows us to work towards re-establishing your subscription as quickly as possible.
3. Recover Admin Access If Needed
   If you cannot access the admin portal due to MCA or GDAP restrictions, use the Microsoft 365 Global Admin Recovery Process to regain control of your tenancy.
4. Alternatively: Purchase a New Subscription with Microsoft Direct
   If you want to continue using Microsoft 365 without accepting the Ingram Micro partner relationship, you will need to purchase a new subscription directly from Microsoft or through an authorized Cloud Service Provider.
5. Restore Your Data
   If you previously backed up your data, import emails, contacts, and calendars you may restore your backed up data into your new Microsoft 365 subscription.

4. Additional Information

Our priority is to support you in transitioning with Ingram Micro to minimize disruption.

To ensure uninterrupted service, Microsoft requires users to review and accept the updated Microsoft Customer Agreement. Click here for more information.

If you face portal login issues due to new Granular Delegated Admin Privileges (GDAP) policies, please refer to Microsoft 365 Global Admin Recovery Process or contact Microsoft for assistance.

Our support team remains available to assist you with this transition to maintain seamless email service.

Additional Resources

• Microsoft 365 Global Admin Access Recovery Process
• Back up your Outlook email | Microsoft
• Microsoft Support Portal
• What happens to my data and access when my Microsoft 365 for business subscription ends? | Microsoft Learn
• Move users to a different subscription | Microsoft Learn

Summary

Moving your Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) service to Microsoft Direct is crucial for maintaining uninterrupted access and protecting your data. By following the step-by-step guide in this article, backing up your information, accepting the new partner relationship, and importing your data, you can help ensure a smooth transition without disruption. If you have questions, please contact us for support. We are happy to assist you during this transition.