Firms will learn of their fate this week after a long drawn-out process

Microsoft’s Authorised Distribution line-up will be announced this week, the vendor has claimed.

The software giant began its distribution assessment in July, but the process has been dogged by delays.

Steve Haddock, partner group manager at Microsoft, blamed the delays on “his hectic schedule”. But he said Microsoft executives have now decided which distributors have secured Authorised status.

“It is my intention to let all those who have made the grade know by about Friday,” he said. “This process will help VARs working in specific markets to find distributors that best understand their specific Microsoft needs.”

A source close to the vendor said that the shake-up may open up its channel and create differentiation between Microsoft’s distributors based on licence types and products.

Roger Mather, managing director of current Microsoft Authorised distributor Actebis, said: “There are various things that could be done by way of changing what distributors there are and what each carries, but it will be good to get clarity.”

However, a source that requested anonymity said: “This process has taken too long and distributors are being kept in the dark. If we are offered more to distribute for Microsoft then that is great, but some big changes are definitely coming.”