Linked Membership is an optional feature of the Adobe Value Incentive Plan (VIP). Affiliated organizations may aggregate purchases across linked VIPs in order to achieve a higher discount level, while still purchasing and managing licenses separately.

Linked Membership is designed for the following types of organizations:

  • Commercial affiliates
  • Government agencies
  • Primary and secondary education institutions (for example, school districts and state schools)
  • Departments with separate budgets and license administration needs

 

Linked Membership benefits

The ideal Linked Membership candidate has a license investment across multiple VIP agreements, and has the potential to earn VIP Select status in the near future.

Organizations benefit from a Linked Membership when their aggregated license quantity reaches or exceeds 10, thus making them eligible for VIP Select, a loyalty rewards level with an automatic, assured discount level and other optional benefits. For more information about VIP Select, see the VIP Program Guide.

Linked Membership is not designed for affiliated VIP members unlikely to achieve VIP Select status in the near term — even with aggregated purchases under a Linked Membership.

 

Eligible affiliates

Affiliates are entities that are directly or indirectly under common ownership or control. VIP entities electing to participate must meet the following VIP Linked Membership requirements. All affiliate entities must:

  • Have the same VIP member type (Business, Education or Government)
  • Have an existing VIP agreement with the initial order processed

 

Here is how Adobe defines affiliates bases on the three VIP member types:

Business

An entity that is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a second entity, where the second entity controls 49% or more of the outstanding shares, securities or interests of the owned entity.

Education

Education entities that have different campuses, departments or schools within the same university or school system and are under the same ownership or control. Nonprofit Members under an Education VIP Membership must each qualify as a nonprofit organization as defined by Adobe and must meet the Business definition of Affiliate above.

Government

Any government agency subject to the same organizational, political and regulatory schemes as the requesting government agency. Private “for profit” companies, nonprofit organizations, trade or industry associations, labor unions and private organizations that conduct work on behalf of or with government agencies are not included.  

 

Managing Linked Membership

 

Linked Membership Admin

The organizational VIP Admin that requests a Linked Membership accepts administrative responsibility for managing and maintaining the Linked Membership for all linked affiliate VIPs. The Linked Membership Admin will ensure all VIP members under the Linked Membership stay informed of membership status and continue to meet the VIP and Linked Membership affiliate requirements. In the event that one of the linked organizations is no longer a qualified affiliate — as per the Adobe definitions — or no longer wishes to participate in the Linked Membership, it is the Linked Membership Admin’s responsibility to promptly inform Adobe and remove the entity from the Linked Membership.

 

Linked Membership anniversary and look-back process

The Linked Membership has its own anniversary date, which is established at the time the Linked Membership is created. It serves as the date to determine VIP Select eligibility through the Linked Membership look-back process, which is as follows: Thirty-one days before the Linked Membership anniversary date, Adobe initiates a look-back to determine the license quantity across all linked VIPs for the current subscription term. The total license quantity determines qualification for VIP Select status, which provides all affiliated VIPs an assured discount level until the next Linked Membership look-back.

 

Individual VIP members

Each individual VIP keeps their existing anniversary date (established when signing the VIP terms and conditions) and continues to purchase and manage licenses and renewals on their own behalf. Upon joining a Linked Membership, each individual VIP forfeits the ability to qualify for VIP Select on their own accord. Linked Membership benefits are realized when the Linked Membership achieves VIP Select status, which may occur when the Linked Membership is created or through the annual look back process.

 

Adding and removing affiliates

To add or remove an affiliate from an existing Linked Membership, the Linked Membership Admin must complete and submit a new Linked Membership request letter and provide the VIP Agreement Number(s) associated with each VIP to be added or removed. Adobe will review the request and, if approved, add or remove the requested VIP agreements from the Linked Membership. 

 

Terminating a Linked Membership

In the event that an organization with a Linked Membership no longer wants to participate, or organizational changes require a discontinuation of the Linked Membership for all affiliated VIPs, the Linked Membership Admin must complete and submit a Linked Membership request letter requesting termination and provide the VIP Agreement Number(s) associated with all VIPs under the Linked Membership. At its sole discretion, Adobe may at any time terminate any Linked Membership or revise or do away with the Linked Membership feature.

 

Requesting a Linked Membership

After discussing Linked Membership with an Adobe Authorized Reseller or Adobe Advisor, the Linked Membership Admin must submit a Linked Membership request letter that includes the VIP Agreement Number of all potential linked VIPs (only one request letter required per Linked Membership). Adobe will review the request and, if approved, create a Linked Membership and link all approved VIP agreements. All linked VIPs and their reseller(s) will receive a VIP Linked Membership confirmation email.

 

Linked Membership process

  1. Discuss VIP Linked Membership with an Adobe Authorized Reseller or Adobe Advisor.
  2. Ensure that Linked Membership makes sense for the organization and its affiliates.
  3. VIP Admin gets approval from affiliates to include their VIP in a Linked Membership.
  4. VIP Admin reviews Linked Membership details, and then completes and submits a Linked Membership request letter.
  5. Adobe reviews the request and, on approval, creates the Linked Membership, linking all qualified affiliate VIPs.
  6. All linked VIPs and their reseller or Adobe Advisor receive a Linked Membership confirmation email.
  7. Linked VIPs may qualify for VIP Select and the assured discount level when the Linked Membership is created or at the Linked Membership’s look-back date (31 days before the Linked Membership anniversary date).

To request a Linked Membership, download the Linked Membership Request Form now.