What is software licence management and how does it save organisations time and money?

What is Software Licence Management?

At its core, software licence management involves tracking and controlling software licences within an organisation. This process encompasses everything from procurement and deployment to compliance and renewal. The primary goal of SLM is to ensure that your organisation uses software in accordance with licensing agreements. By keeping an eye on your software licences, you’ll prevent legal issues, reduce unnecessary expenses, and enhance your overall software asset management strategy.

Challenges in software licence management

Despite its importance, software licence management can be quite complex for many organisations. Several challenges can hinder effective management, leading to unnecessary costs and compliance risks. Here are the key challenges that companies often face:

• Over-licensing: organisations frequently purchase more licences than necessary. This leads to wasted resources and complicates software asset management
• Under-licensing: insufficient licences can expose companies to compliance risks. Under-licensing may also result in potential fines during audits
• Complex audits: software vendor audits can be stressful and time-consuming. Without proper licence management, organisations may struggle to provide necessary documentation
• Lack of visibility: difficulty in tracking who is using what software can lead to inefficiencies. This lack of clarity may result in missed opportunities for optimisation and resource allocation

By recognising these challenges, organisations can take proactive steps to improve their software licence management strategies, ultimately leading to better compliance and cost savings.

Cost benefits of effective licence management

By keeping a close watch on software usage, organisations avoid over-purchasing, ensuring they only pay for what they actually use. This approach not only frees up funds for other critical areas of the organisation but also improves resource allocation.

Understanding which software is in high demand versus which tools go unused can help streamline operations, allowing for smarter investments in software that truly benefits the organisation. Ultimately, effective software licence cost management translates to substantial savings for organisations.

Time savings and automation

Let’s face it – managing software licences can be tedious and time-consuming. Fortunately, automation tools like License Dashboard License Manager significantly reduce the manual tasks associated with licence management. With automated tracking, organisations can monitor software usage and licence allocation in real time, eliminating the need for cumbersome manual entries and decreasing the chances of human error.

Furthermore, generating compliance reports becomes a breeze with automated tools. Instead of spending hours compiling data, reports are ready at the click of a button, allowing IT Teams to redirect their focus to more strategic projects. Automation streamlines the entire SLM process, enabling teams to manage software licences more effectively while spending less time on administrative tasks.

Ready to take control of your software license cost management?

Start optimising your software assets today with effective licence management strategies. Get in touch with our specialists to discover how to simplify your licence tracking, ensure compliance, and save both time and money.

Alternatively, please email us at [email protected] or call 01904 562200, and one of our specialists will be in touch to discuss your requirements.