Software License Management, Activation and Compliance

Elise Williams

2024-04-18 14:00:40 • Filed to: Software for Business • Proven solutions

It might surprise you that a large portion of enterprise software often goes unused. What this boils down to is a waste of resources for a company, which is why Software License Management is extremely important. If you aren’t already familiar with the concept, Software License Management (SLM) is a maintenance plan used to manage all of your software licenses. The main focus of SLM is to reduce and control the overall IT costs associated with your business. It’s obvious why this is an important process, but what might be overlooked is the major impact it can have on enterprises. Enterprises can enjoy significant benefits, like a more strategic and proactive approach to license optimization, and therefore higher engagement and deeper savings in the long run. If done on a regular basis, software license management reduces the unnecessary expenses and headache involved with taking inventory of software assets and tracking licenses.

Types of software licensing

Every type of software needs to have a license attached to it, and this means that there are many different types of software licensing out there. Some of the most common ones include per device, used on a single machine, per user, which is restricted to one specific user, and network which covers all machines within a particular network, including WAN and LAN connections. There is also subscription licensing, which can be a user or device license that has an expiry date. A capacity-based license is based on the capacity of the CPU or other hardware configuration elements, and freeware refers to a free license, but the creator holds the copyright. As well there is the Client-Access License (CAL) meaning users can connect to a certain software license server to use installed software, and then there is the General Public License (GPL) which means the license and software are free, and can be used, copied, and modified free of charge.

Best practices for software license management

Being audited can be a stressful experience, and one you want to avoid. This is where Software License Management can save you time and money, by helping you perform regular internal audits with management, and ensuring you are aware of the best practices for managing your licenses. Even though you purchase software, you don’t own it. You still have to use it under the terms and conditions of the license. You have to ensure you don’t disregard these terms, because you could face serious penalties in the form of hefty fines for noncompliance and software violation. Some best practices include implementing a software management policy, setting clear guidelines for installation, auditing every type of software you have, cancelling or reassigning unused licenses, uninstalling redundant applications, using a third party software license manager tool, and making sure that you are deploying the latest OS updates regularly.

Software license compliance

To avoid audits, it’s important for enterprises to be diligent about their licensing management to ensure compliance with company policy in terms of renewal and expiry dates. You also need to ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date. Non compliance effects important areas of your business, like budgeting, and can even lead to penalties such as harsh fines for your organization. If you get audited, you will spend a lot of time taking inventory of all usage of software to prove compliance, which could cause overtime or project delays. If you are found to be non-compliant, you’ll have to true up your licenses and face fees or penalties. Your company reputation is also affected, which could result in the loss of sales or qualified candidates. This is why software compliance should be a main priority for your organization, not only to avoid repercussions, but to ensure that you don’t waste precious time and resources.

PDFelement is here to assist you with your software license tracking needs. It can work alongside your software license management tool to help you edit, protect, and archive your PDF documents to ease the stress of the tracking and auditing process. If you want to learn more, visit the website of PDFelement.

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