BANT automation qualification process enforces referral completeness
Why this matters: Operational workflow change that alters referral submission requirements but does not directly alter financial terms or discount rates.
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Microsoft introduced automated BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) validation for co-sell referrals, requiring all four fields to be complete before a referral advances. The change is intended to reduce incomplete submissions and speed up deal progression. Partners submitting referrals must now provide qualifying information upfront rather than supplementing it later.
What changed
- Automated validation now checks Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline fields on co-sell referral submission.
- Referrals missing any BANT field are blocked from advancing in the workflow.
- The enforcement applies at the point of referral creation, not during review.
- Change affects all partners submitting co-sell referrals through the Microsoft partner portal.
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