AWS Well-Architected

Partner Program
(WAPP)

Services Partner Workflow Guide

June, 2025

©2025, Amazon Web Services Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
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Notices:
This document is provided for informational purposes only and does not create any offer,
contractual commitment, promise, or assurance from AWS. Any benefits described herein are at
AWS’s sole discretion and may be subject to change or termination without notice. This
document is not part of, nor does it modify, any agreement between AWS and its customers
and/or APN Partners.

Change Log:
Date Page # Change Description
Jan 2025 All Updates to program requirements and remediation funding
requirements.
Jan 2025 19 Update to requirements for stacking funding
Jan 2025 6 Added minimum 10 ACE Opportunities in Launched stage
requirement for maintaining WAPP status in 2025.
Feb 2025 7 Removed now irrelevant GovCloud information
Feb 2025 6 Updated Reporting Workload instructions
Feb 2025 13 Remove Workload Share details
Feb 2025 15 Replaced detail on creating an Opportunity with link to ACE
Opportunity Guide
May 2025 7,11 Added 30 days SLA for fund requests and are processed on
Wednesdays and Fridays
Jun 2025 11 Updated Partner Central link to WAPP APFP Guide

Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Well-Architected Framework Review Process ........................................................................................ 3
Program Entry Requirements .................................................................................................................. 3
AWS Well-Architected Partner Program Requirements 2025 ............................................................. 4
WAFR Reporting Methods ....................................................................................................................... 5
Well-Architected Framework Review (WAFR) Troubleshooting Guide ................................................ 6
Key Requirements for Opportunities: ..................................................................................................... 7
Requirements for Automatic Review Counting:..................................................................................... 8
How to Update Organization Contacts .................................................................................................. 9
WA Remediation Funding Program as of January 2025: ................................................................... 11

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Overview
This document guides Amazon Web Services (AWS) Well-Architected Partner Program
participants on reporting framework reviews, funding requests, and organizational changes.

Well-Architected Framework Review Process

Partners must conduct AWS Well-Architected Framework Reviews (WAFRs) using the AWS Well-
Architected tool in either the customer's or partner's AWS account. The review process includes:

• Presenting findings to customers

• Identifying improvement opportunities, focusing on High-Risk Issues (HRIs)
• Collaborating with AWS account teams
• Creating Statements of Work (SOW) with Technical Account Managers (TAMs) for
customers with Business or Enterprise support

Program Entry Requirements

1. Partner Status
• AWS Advanced or Premier Tier Partner status

2. Leadership Requirements
• Executive Sponsor at Senior Vice President level or higher
• Two Well-Architected Leads per geographic region

3. Certification Requirements
• Leads must hold valid AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional certificates

4. Training Requirements
• Complete Executive Conversation with Well-Architected Business Development (WA BD)
Manager
• Two Solution Architect Professionals must complete:
o AWS Well-Architected Foundations self-paced training
o AWS Partner: Advanced AWS Well-Architected Best Practices (Technical) training

5. Business Integration
• Complete Business Integration Checklist
• Submit improvement report to assigned BD
• Develop integration project plan
• Include Well-Architected in go-to-market materials

6. Performance Requirements
• Conduct 4 minimum workload reviews (production or pre-production)
• Resolve 12 minimum HRIs

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Timeline
1. Initial Phase (First 3 months)

• Complete program application

• Complete section 1-5 in the Program Entry Requirements above to Achieve Pending
program status
• Complete required training

2. Confirmation Phase (Next 4 months)

• Complete section 6 in the Program Entry Requirements above to demonstrate HRI

resolution capabilities
• Achieve Confirmed program status

3. Automation Phase (By December 2025)

Examples of different types of automation:

• Implement automated WAFRs

• Integrate APIs/3rd party solutions
• Deploy automated discovery/remediation
• Implement conformance packs

Note: Requirements may be adjusted for partners joining mid-year.

AWS Well-Architected Partner Program Requirements 2025

Confirmation Status Requirements
To maintain program status, partners must meet these criteria:

• Maintain Advanced or Premier Tier Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner status
• Complete Business Integration Checklist and provide integration project plan
• Include AWS Well-Architected Framework in marketing materials
• Complete 10 Well-Architected Framework Reviews (WAFRs) on production or pre-
production workloads
• Submit 10 AWS Sales Opportunities tagged as 'Well-Architected' in Launched/Completed
stage
• Implement automated WAFR and/or High-Risk Issue (HRI) remediation by December
2025, including:
o API/third-party integrations
o Automated discovery and remediation
o Conformance packs

Note: Well-Architected Business Development team will validate these implementations

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WAFR Reporting Methods
Choose one of these reporting methods:

Method 1: Direct WA-Tool Entry (Recommended)

1. Create an ACE Opportunity for the WAFR (see ACE Opportunity Submission Quick Guide)

2. Enter partner_id in the Review Owner field when creating the workload

Note: Find your partner_id on the Partner Scorecard in ACE/Partner Central. This method requires
less time and effort than Method 1.

Method 2: ARN Upload Tool

1. Create an AWS Customer Engagement (ACE) Opportunity for the WAFR, (see ACE
Opportunity Submission Quick Guide

2. Upload the Amazon Resource Name (ARN) via Partner Central's ARN Upload tool

Access Requirements:
• User must have Alliance Lead, Alliance Team Member, or Technical Staff role
• Partner profile must be on Software or Services Path with Validated or Differentiated
status

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WAFR Reporting Troubleshooting for ARN Upload Tool Method
Common Issues and Resolutions – Important Guidelines
• Dashboard displays only current calendar year's High-Risk Issues (HRIs) and workloads
• Allow 24-48 hours for imported ARNs to appear on partner dashboard
• Create an Opportunity for all customer reviews

Contact: AWS-Well-Architected-Partner@[Link] for additional support

Issue Encountered Root-Cause(s) Resolution(s)

“ARN not found, try 1. The WAFR was created within 1. Re-upload ARN(s) after 48
uploading after 48 the last 24hours, and its record is hours.
hours” yet to exist in the WA-Tool's data
warehouse (Internal batch jobs 2. Double-check the ARN string for
runs once daily to process an incorrect character (e.g. "l"
actions/updates made in the WA- instead of a "1" in the ARN string).
Tool) The ARN is located on page 4 of
the generated Well-Architected
2. The ARN does not exist. report.
"ARN upload failed. The ARN has been uploaded by a
Please contact the WA different partner via the ARN If the WAFR is co-owned with
Partner Team at aws- Import Tool another Partner, the WAFR is
well-architected- attributed to the Partner that first
partner@[Link];” performs the upload.

"Invalid ARN format. If The workload id is less than the

error persists, contact 32-character alphanumeric string The workload id is less than the
the WA partner team at 32-character alphanumeric string.
aws-well-architected- The correct ARN is located on page
partner@[Link]" 4 of the generated Well-
Architected report.

Uploaded ARN with “Not 1. Partner is not associated with

Approved” status in the the host AWS Account for the Associate with the host AWS
ARN Upload view WAFR Account by submitting an ACE
Opportunity. Input the AWS
2. The WAFR has been deleted Account ID that the WAFR resides
from the WA-Tool in the AWS Account ID field and
also select Well-Architected in the
3. Uploaded WAFR was not APN Programs field.
created or has not been modified
in current calendar year

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Key Requirements for Opportunities:
1. Solution Linking (New Requirement):

• Starting December 31st, 2024, all opportunities must be linked to solution(s) in AWS
Partner Central
• Required for progressing to 'committed' or 'launched' stage
• AWS Foundational Technical Review not required for linked solutions
• Partner Solutions Overview Guide, Partner Solutions FAQs, How to create a solution (Partner
Solution)

2. Mandatory Fields for Well-Architected Opportunities:

• Partner Project Title: Format "WAFR-<CustomerName>"

• Project Description (including new services and issues resolved)
• APN Programs: Well-Architected
• AWS Account ID (where WAFR is created)
• Estimated AWS Monthly Recurring Revenue
• Additional Comments (include ARN of Workload)
o If the opportunity is for multiple workloads, please list each ARN separated by a
comma. To locate an ARN, navigate to the Well-Architected Tool in the AWS Console
and select the workload you are reporting, then click on Properties. This will display
the ARN for that specific workload.
o All ARNs must be in this format: arn:aws:wellarchitected:us-east-
.1:123456789:workload/a012b34567891011c1213d14151617eg
• Review the AWS ACE Opportunity Guide for complete details on how to create an ACE
Opportunity.

3. Funding Requirements:
• ACE Opportunity must be in Launched stage
• AWS Sales Opportunity must be in Launched stage

Important Notes:

• "Well Architected" must be tagged in the APN Programs field on every Opportunity where
you plan to apply a WAFR, and then add the ARN in the additional comments
• For further details on ACE Opportunities, see the ACE Opportunity Submission Quick
Guide
• After improvements have been made to the workload, the responses to the questions in
the AWS Well-Architected tool, must be updated to reflect HRIs remediated
• After updating the responses, a milestone must be saved
• Well-Architected Fund Requests have a 30-day SLA, and Fund Requests are processed on
Wednesdays and Fridays

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Requirements for WAFR to be automatically assigned in partner
dashboard:
1. Create an ACE Opportunity in Partner Central

2. Include customer account ID

3. Complete all required fields

Key Points:
1. If partner influence is already recorded for the account, no additional steps needed
2. ALL Well-Architected Opportunities must be entered in Partner Central's ACE Pipeline
Manager, regardless of revenue outcome
3. Coordination with AWS Account Manager is necessary to maintain current Opportunity
status in AWS Salesforce

Best Practices:
1. Create the ACE Opportunity before starting the Well-Architected review

2. Ensure accurate customer account ID documentation

3. Maintain regular communication and gain approval from the AWS Account Manager

4. Update Opportunity status promptly as changes occur

5. Document both revenue-generating and non-revenue-generating reviews

Note: The key is maintaining accurate, up-to-date information in both Partner Central and
through your AWS Account Manager.

When no new revenue is generated:

1. The ACE validation team will categorize it as a "Partner Record" in Salesforce

2. No revenue amount needs to be entered
3. This is specifically for WAFRs that don't result in immediate AWS spending increases

Purpose:
1. Allows Well-Architected partners to document their WAFR activities
2. Maintains visibility for AWS Sales teams
3. Eliminates the need to fill in revenue-related fields when there's no direct revenue impact

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How to Update Organization Contacts
1. Access APN Partner Central
• Login to APN Partner Central
• Navigate to "Programs"
• Click on "Program Applications"

2. Access Well-Architected Partner Program

• Select the "Programs" tab
• Choose either:
o "Update" button to modify contacts
o "View" button to see existing contacts

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3. Select Form Type
• Short Form - Use for required contacts only
o Includes:
o Executive Sponsor
o 2 SA Professionals

Long Form
• Use to add additional contacts beyond the required roles

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WA Funding Program as of January 2025:
Key Funding Details:
• Please review the AWS Well-Architected Partner Program Funding Process 2025 Guide
• Credit amount: Up to 10% of AWS Sales Opportunity ARR
• Maximum credit: USD$100,000 per customer, for credit requests >USD$100,000, please
consult with your WAPP BD for further discussion
• Well-Architected MUST be tagged in the Opportunity
• Well-Architected Fund Requests have a 30 day SLA, and are processed on Wednesdays
and Fridays.
• Credit validity: 6 months from credit generation

Core Requirements:
1. Must be a production workload
2. Minimum 45% of HRIs must be remediated per workload
3. Minimum 20 questions answered (across any WA pillars)
4. Only resolved HRIs count (not "Not Applicable" ones)
5. WA Lenses HRIs don't count toward requirements
Important Process Notes:
1. Funding is tied to ARR in AWS Sales Opportunity at "Launched" status
2. Partners must get AWS account team approval before discussing credits
3. Credits apply only to the approved AWS account in APFP
4. MSPs/Resellers/Distributors can receive credits if applied to customer's AWS account
5. Credit sharing in the master payer account must be disabled
Key Restrictions:
1. WAPP funding program will allow the stacking of credits as long as the other APN
program will allow. Please note that other AWS funding incentives i.e. MAP may not
permit their funding program to be stacked with Well-Architected funding. AWS requires
that AWS partners work with the AWS Sales teams to understand the availability and/or
restrictions of any AWS funding incentives before commiting WA funding to customers
2. Not intended to cover full remediation costs
3. Subject to random quality reviews
4. Funding is discretionary, not guaranteed
5. Complex environments may require additional documentation

Compliance Consequences:
1. Poor quality of WAFR can result in funding rejection
2. Possible removal from Well-Architected Partner Program
3. Subject to AWS Promotional Credit Terms & Conditions

Requesting Funding
Review the AWS Well-Architected Partner Program APFP Guide for details on how to submit
funding requests.

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