Software asset management (SAM) is the best way to manage your software. A well-executed program ensures you are only paying for the software you use. When done well, it’s highly effective. And yet, companies still struggle to achieve this. But why?

Well, just because you have an effective SAM program in place does not mean that all software that is seemingly needed is actually needed. You may have a theoretical need for 10 instances of a certain software because the department uses the software. But if the software is really only needed by 5 of those 10 instances, then you have a situation where your wrong-sized. To correct this, or right-size your software subscriptions, you will need to dig deeper into who actually needs software and who has it simply because it was said they should.

In this blog, we are covering two key things to consider when managing your SAM program to make sure you are paying for the right number of licenses and the licenses you are paying for are needed.

Understand your license terms

When you purchase a program or software license, you sign a contract. That contract outlines all the stipulations of use and any regulations placed upon the license. You may have understood all of this when you initially signed the contracts but over time, needs can change, and the contracts could have changed as well.

Right-sizing your software includes reviewing all of your license agreements and making sure they all still work for your company. And by all, we really mean all. Review every license agreement in its entirety for the terms and conditions included in your agreements and understand what their impact is on your current situation. This is a daunting task, especially if you have many subscriptions, but it has to be done to right-size your environment.

Renewals are another critical element to make sure you are on top of. Some contracts renew automatically and if you aren’t sure when, the renewal costs can be a surprise. In addition, if you aren’t sure when the renewal will happen, you may lose your window to adjust the price or negotiate premium subscription inclusions.  

In the process, you will also be able to determine what license instances you actually need.

Determine what your teams actually need

A quick way to determine if software deployed to devices is used or needed is to conduct an employee survey. Employee surveys will tell you who needs what software and how it’s used. By collecting this data, you can determine if the subscriptions the business is paying for are justified – and even if every instance is needed, the product level may not be. Perhaps you can get away with a business level over an executive level subscription for a certain product but need a higher level for another application.  

Reducing unused premium features is another way you can determine what you need. Ultimately, the goal is to determine what subscriptions are necessary and which can be downsized to better suit the business and the tech budget. Remote work can complicate this because some software is harder or more expensive to deploy to remote devices. If this is the case, your team should look into a strategy to use the software in the most cost-effective way.

Connor, your partner for success 

Having an effective SAM process allows you to take corrective action when you do find an issue with your assets as quickly as possible and can help right-size your software.

By partnering with Connor, you have the benefit of working with a partner that is an expert in SAM and prides itself on being able to produce the greatest ROI for your organization. 

With the high frequency of cyber security attacks following the pandemic, as well as cloud adoption and tech transformation, now is the time to embrace a SAM program, or upgrade your SAM program. Schedule a time to meet with one of our SAM experts to learn more about how Connor can help you prepare for the future of business.

To learn more about our SAM services or to speak to an expert, please email us at softwareadvisoryservices@connor-consulting.com

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