ActivePlatform 5.3: renewing annual Google Workspace subscriptions with a new number of licenses

June 10, 2021: ActivePlatform, the market player in automated cloud service brokerage systems, announced a new version of ActivePlatform. The latest version of ActivePlatform brings the ability to upgrade and downgrade the number of licenses when renewing annual Google Workspace subscriptions. Version 5.3 also includes API improvements and a redesigned page for plan configuring.

ActivePlatform works perfectly not only with reselling Microsoft CSP. In addition, there are a dozen of integrated cloud services with automatic provisioning and billing. One of the most popular among them is Google Workspace (formerly G Suite).

The annual monthly and annual yearly pricing options of Google Workspace subscriptions imply a full-year commitment. Once a customer ordered the licenses, it is not possible to reduce their number. Therefore, despite the actual number of active assigned licenses in Google, the customer always pays for their all purchased amount.

The only ability to reduce payments here is to wait until the subscription expiration. Then, while the customer renews the subscription, the number of licenses can be finally reduced. In fact, it can be now increased too — if the team grows. The minimum amount for renewing is equal to the already-in-use number of licenses in Google. The maximum is limited by nothing but the plan configuration of the reseller. The new feature makes using Google services more convenient and saving for customers.

In the previous versions of our cloud brokerage platform, annual Google Workspace subscriptions could be renewed with two options only. One is that a customer might keep using the current number of licenses for the next year. Another option was to reduce it to the actual number of active assigned licenses in Google. The subscription upgrade would require a separate operation in the platform. Any other alternatives required contacting the ActivePlatform support team and performing several manual operations by managers in Google Admin Console. So, the update makes it easier for resellers too.

Within this update, our team implemented one more procedure. Silently for a customer, the platform checks the plan SKU of a renewing subscription. If the SKU in Google corresponds to the archived G Suite edition, the platform commands to recreate the subscription in Google with an actual Google Workspace SKU. During this operation, no actions from a customer are required.

Configuring resources in plans requires much attention. A manager sets the displayed names, ranges, and prices for every plan resource on a single page. So, we collected the feedback and redesigned the plan resources page in the Operator Control Panel.

Now, the plan resources page has the grouped fee fields and more space for long resource names. It also supports displaying the External ID of resources (also referred to as Offer ID or SKU). Managers can now quickly find a resource by External ID using the built-in search of their browsers. It is most relevant for Microsoft Office 365 plans with dozens of add-ons.

Version 5.3 also has some new features in the API service:

• Information about a subscription now includes the individual price attribute.
• The net costs of resources and periods are now available in the delegated plans information.
• Information about reseller charges can now include additional information about the linked plan resources that caused the generation of these charges.

All new features and improvements are available both in the on-premises and SaaS versions of ActivePlatform.

ActivePlatform is a full-service automated cloud brokering solution for cloud service providers and internal IT hubs that makes it easier to manage and control the cloud delivery and profitability. ActivePlatform unites vendors, providers, developers, and resellers into a single ecosystem for buying, selling, and managing cloud services. With its open vendor integration framework, ActivePlatform creates a vibrant catalog of cloud services ultimately helping businesses gain access to the services they need to thrive.

ActivePlatform enables SaaS, PaaS, IaaS aggregation, delivery, and monetization, provides simplified administration through central management, and enables critical visibility into resellers and cloud services consumption and usage. The platform has implementations with distributors, cloud solution providers, and telecom operators. ActivePlatform is headquartered in Europe.