This article explains why the Azure cost or sell price shown in Sync 365 may not match your distributor invoice exactly, and what to check before contacting support.
This is most common for Indirect CSP partners because Sync 365 may need to estimate your Azure cost using Microsoft retail pricing and your configured vendor discount profile.
Use this article when:
Direct CSP partners normally receive billing information directly from Microsoft. Sync 365 can usually compare against Microsoft billing data more directly, depending on the billing period and data availability.
Indirect CSP partners buy through a distributor. Microsoft does not always provide the distributor-specific cost to Sync 365, so Sync 365 may estimate your cost using Microsoft retail pricing and your configured vendor discount profile.
If the vendor discount is wrong or missing, the estimated cost and margin can look wrong.
For Indirect CSP partners, check your Vendor Discount Profile first.
The Vendor Discount Profile represents the discount you receive from your distributor below Microsoft retail pricing.
Example:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Microsoft retail price | £110 |
| Distributor cost | £100 |
| Vendor discount | 9.09% |
Formula:
Discount % = ((RRP - Cost) ÷ RRP) × 100
In this example, the Vendor Discount Profile should be set to 9.09%.
If no vendor discount profile is configured, Sync 365 may assume your cost is the same as Microsoft retail pricing.
This can make your margin appear lower than expected or make the calculated cost look different from your distributor invoice.
Your distributor invoice may include tax, while Sync 365 may be comparing or posting pre-tax values.
Check whether the distributor value you are comparing is tax-inclusive or tax-exclusive.
Distributor invoices may include credits, refunds, corrections, or adjustments from previous periods.
These may not always appear in the same way as the current month consumption line items in Sync 365.
Make sure you are comparing the same billing period in both systems.
Azure billing can be confusing when invoices, usage periods, and approval months do not line up exactly.
Unbilled or estimated consumption may change before Microsoft finalises the billing period.
Use finalised billed consumption where available when reconciling against a distributor invoice.
Currency conversion, decimal rounding, and distributor invoice formatting can cause small differences.
Small rounding differences are normal. Large differences usually mean a setting, discount, tax treatment, or included item needs review.
Reserved Instances and Savings Plans may need separate configuration.
For Indirect CSP partners, check that reserved instances have cost and sell prices configured and that they are included in billing when required.
Software, perpetual software, marketplace, and third-party items may be treated differently depending on your CSP type and Sync 365 settings.
Check whether these item types are included or excluded in the Azure company configuration.
Recalculate the billing period if you changed:
After recalculating, review the billing period again before approving it to the PSA.
Contact support if you have checked the items above and still cannot explain the difference.
Include the following: