Licensing options for Business Processes Outsourcing in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Edition

This post has been triggered by the fact that I have noticed a new App for external accountants, released by Microsoft for Dynamics365:

https://appsource.microsoft.com/en-sg/product/dynamics-365-for-financials/PUBID.microsoftdynsmb%7CAID.7b5bf175-b30e-4dae-9970-c2796f4518fd%7CPAPPID.d51a6209-39b1-4d64-858f-b0653ff9b29f?tab=Overview

This raised few questions on the process of accounting outsourcing services. As I understand it, there would be a nice user interface for those companies who provide outsourced accounting services using D365. If so, how it would be licensed and will there be any changes? In particular, what would be the licensing model for the company who provides outsourced accounting services to other clients using D365, using this app? There has been some info here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/dynamics365/financials/finance-accounting , but it was not completely clear.

I have discussed this with one of Microsoft's product manager in the Microsoft Dynamics Global Product Management team, and here are the results.

Today Microsoft has two GTM models for Accountants:

The outsourcing model. In this model the Outsourcer – the likes of BDO, Deloitte, PWC, KPMG, EY etc. – hold the Dynamics SMB software and invite the client to receive accountant type services and have access to software based on a microprocess business model – (it comes down to what type service the outsourcer choose to offer and how). The Outsourcer is the Microsoft partner and licensee. They get contracted directly to Microsoft through a specific Microsoft BPO partner agreement. In this model the accountant pays a full user type cost and the client has fees based on type of microprocess access – if no access the fee is very minimal. All fees are reported and paid for by the Outsourcer (all up this is more of a consumption type model than a reselling type model).

The client accounting model. (A new model with Dynamics 365 BE). In this model the client is the licensee. The client can invite – from inside the product - an external accountant to get access to their Dynamics 365 tenant as a full user accountant to do accountancy type work – in and outside product. The client can invite one named external accountant for free. The external accountant can manage more clients – they just need to be invited by a client.

The App that has been mentioned is a new app from Microsoft. Its currently in a preview state and should launch later this CY. It is going to continue to evolve over time and is instrumental to executing the Microsoft Accountant strategy. It is built for external accountants. It is free. It allows an external accountant to access client instances and have a view of client instances served, KPIs, workflows, approvals, notifications etc – basically all the things an external accountant needs to manage an effective client engagement process.