The best known benefit to Software Assurance is new version rights. These rights allow a company to upgrade to the latest and greatest version of the Microsoft product that was purchased at no additional cost. For example, Microsoft releases a new version of the Office Suite every 2.5 to 3 years. If you purchase software assurance with your Microsoft Office licenses, and if Microsoft releases a new version while your benefits are in good standing, you are eligible for a free upgrade to the new version.

A helpful but less known benefit of Software Assurance is the ability to spread out payments for the software. Purchasing SA allows you to spread your payments into equal annual payments for the life of the agreement, rather than making one large up front payment.

Another benefit of purchasing Software Assurance is the training and eLearning offered. When purchasing Microsoft applications (e.g. Microsoft Office) your company is provided a limited number of vouchers for training courses on the product from Microsoft Certified Partners for Learning Solutions. Your company is also given access to Microsoft eLearning online courses. These courses allow users to learn applications at their own pace, anywhere and anytime. These training options provide opportunities to build and maintain expertise and increase productivity.

Another less known benefit to purchasing Software Assurance is the Employee Purchase Program and home-use rights. When your company purchases SA, Microsoft sets an account for your company which allows you to purchase Microsoft products for your employees at a significant discount of the suggested retail pricing. Also, your employees receive home-use rights on the original product purchased under the license agreement.