Category: license management software

Software Asset Management

Unveiling the Power of Software Asset Management

Michelle

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses heavily rely on software solutions to drive their operations. However, managing a multitude of software assets can quickly become overwhelming, leading to inefficiencies, financial risks, and compliance challenges. That’s where Software Asset Management (SAM) comes into play. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of Software Asset Management, its benefits, and how it can revolutionize your organization’s software management practices.

Understanding Software Asset Management

Software Asset Management (SAM) refers to the strategic approach and set of processes that help organizations effectively manage, optimize, and maintain their software assets throughout their lifecycle. It encompasses activities such as software inventory management, license compliance, software deployment, and tracking software usage. By implementing SAM practices, businesses can gain better visibility into their software assets, reduce costs, mitigate legal and security risks, and improve overall operational efficiency.

Benefits of Software Asset Management:

  1. Cost Optimization: SAM allows businesses to analyze their software usage and make informed decisions regarding license procurement and renewal. By eliminating unnecessary licenses and negotiating favorable terms with software vendors, organizations can significantly reduce costs.
  2. Compliance and Risk Management: SAM ensures compliance with licensing agreements, minimizing the risk of legal and financial penalties. It also helps identify potential security vulnerabilities by keeping track of software versions and applying necessary patches and updates.
  3. Improved Efficiency: SAM streamlines software deployment and usage, ensuring that the right software is available to the right users at the right time. This eliminates the inefficiencies associated with manual software installation and allows employees to focus on their core tasks.
  4. Enhanced Productivity: With SAM, businesses can optimize software configurations and automate routine tasks, improving productivity and enabling employees to work more efficiently.

Implementing Software Asset Management:

To implement SAM successfully, organizations should follow these key steps:

  1. Conduct a comprehensive software inventory to identify all installed software.
  2. Assess license agreements and track software usage to ensure compliance.
  3. Develop centralized processes and tools to manage software assets effectively.
  4. Regularly review and update SAM policies and procedures to accommodate organizational changes.
  5. Educate employees about software usage policies and their role in SAM.

Software Asset Management is a vital practice for modern businesses aiming to optimize their software investments, reduce costs, and mitigate risks. By implementing SAM, organizations can gain control over their software assets, improve operational efficiency, ensure compliance, and drive overall business success. Embracing SAM as a strategic initiative will not only enhance your organization’s software management practices but also enable you to navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape with confidence.

software asset management made easy

Make Software License Management Easy

Michelle

In today’s technology-driven world, managing software licenses has become a critical aspect of business operations. As organizations grow and adopt various software applications, the task of tracking licenses, ensuring compliance, and optimizing costs can quickly become complicated. Almost hair-pulling complicated!

This is where software license management solutions come into play. In this article, we will explore the significance of software license management and introduce Cubes, an innovative product by Tangent that simplifies the process and maximizes efficiency.

Understanding Software License Management

Software License Management refers to the processes and tools used to track, monitor, and optimize the usage of software licenses within an organization. It involves maintaining an accurate inventory of licenses, ensuring compliance with vendor agreements and regulatory requirements, and optimizing software usage to minimize costs.

The Challenges of Software License Management

Managing software licenses can be a daunting task for organizations of all sizes. Some common challenges include:

  1. License Compliance: Ensuring compliance with licensing agreements and avoiding penalties or legal consequences due to unauthorized or expired licenses.
  2. Cost Optimization: Identifying unused or underutilized licenses to avoid unnecessary expenses and optimizing license allocation based on actual usage.
  3. License Tracking and Reporting: Maintaining an up-to-date inventory of licenses, tracking license usage, generating reports, and ensuring accurate audit trails.
  4. Vendor Management: Managing relationships with multiple software vendors, understanding complex licensing models, and negotiating favorable terms.

Cubes: Simplifying Software License Management

Cubes, developed by Tangent, is a comprehensive software license management solution designed to streamline and simplify the entire license management lifecycle. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, Cubes offers organizations a centralized platform to effectively manage licenses, optimize costs, and ensure compliance.

Key Features of Cubes

  1. License Inventory and Tracking: Cubes provides a centralized repository to maintain an accurate inventory of software licenses. It enables organizations to track license details, including vendor information, contract terms, renewal dates, and deployment information.
  2. Compliance Monitoring: Cubes automates license compliance monitoring by alerting organizations about license expirations, usage violations, and potential compliance risks. This ensures proactive action to address compliance issues promptly.
  3. License Optimization: By analyzing license usage data, Cubes identifies underutilized licenses and opportunities for license optimization. It provides insights into license usage patterns, allowing organizations to optimize license allocation, reduce costs, and avoid unnecessary purchases.
  4. Reporting and Analytics: Cubes offers robust reporting and analytics capabilities, providing organizations with clear visibility into license utilization, compliance status, and cost-saving opportunities. These insights enable data-driven decision-making and proactive management of software assets.
  5. Vendor Management: Cubes simplifies vendor management by centralizing vendor information, contract details, and licensing agreements. It helps organizations understand complex licensing models, negotiate favorable terms, and maintain strong vendor relationships.
  6. Integration and Scalability: Cubes seamlessly integrates with existing IT infrastructure, such as software deployment tools and IT asset management systems. It supports scalability to accommodate the growing needs of organizations, ensuring long-term effectiveness.

Efficient software license management is crucial for organizations to ensure compliance, optimize costs, and streamline operations. Cubes, offered by Tangent, empowers businesses with a comprehensive solution that simplifies the complexities of software license management. With its robust features, centralized repository, and advanced reporting capabilities, Cubes enables organizations to maintain compliance, optimize costs, and make informed decisions regarding their software assets.

To learn more about Cubes and how it can enhance your software license management processes, visit Tangent’s website at Cubes. Elevate your license management practices with Cubes and unlock greater efficiency and cost savings for your organization.

Software License Management: A Guide to Saving Money

Software License Management: A Guide to Saving Money

Admin

Software license management plays a crucial role in optimizing costs for organizations. By effectively managing software licenses, businesses can identify cost-saving opportunities, avoid unnecessary expenses, and ensure compliance with licensing agreements.

Here are some strategies for software license management that can help achieve cost savings:

Inventory and Assessment:

Start by conducting a comprehensive inventory of all software licenses across your organization. This will help you understand what software is being used, who is using it, and whether it aligns with your business needs. Perform a thorough assessment to identify any unused or underutilized licenses that can be reallocated or canceled.

License Consolidation:

Look for opportunities to consolidate software licenses. Evaluate if multiple software applications with similar functionality can be replaced by a single integrated solution. Consolidating licenses can reduce costs and simplify license management.

License Optimization:

Analyze your software usage patterns to determine if you can optimize licenses further. Some software vendors offer flexible licensing models based on actual usage, such as concurrent or named user licenses. Consider switching to such models if they align better with your organization’s usage patterns, as it can lead to significant cost savings.

License Compliance:

Ensure that your organization remains compliant with software licensing agreements. Unauthorized or unlicensed software can result in financial penalties and legal issues. Implement robust license tracking and monitoring processes to avoid any compliance violations.

Renewal Management:

Stay proactive with software license renewals. Keep track of renewal dates and negotiate with vendors to secure favorable terms and pricing. Sometimes, vendors offer discounts or incentives for early renewals or longer-term agreements. Also, reassess your software needs before renewing licenses to avoid renewing unnecessary licenses.

Vendor Negotiation:

Don’t hesitate to negotiate with software vendors for better pricing and licensing terms. Research alternative vendors and their offerings to have leverage during negotiations. Additionally, consider exploring volume licensing agreements or enterprise agreements, which can provide cost advantages for large-scale deployments.

Cloud and Subscription Models:

Evaluate the feasibility of cloud-based software solutions or subscription models instead of traditional on-premises licenses. These models often offer flexibility, scalability, and cost savings, as you pay only for what you use.

Employee Awareness and Training:

Educate your employees about software license compliance and the importance of adhering to licensing policies. Establish clear guidelines and processes for requesting software, and ensure employees understand the implications of unauthorized software installations.

Software Asset Management Tools:

Consider implementing software asset management (SAM) tools to automate license tracking, software usage monitoring, and compliance management. SAM tools can streamline license management processes, provide accurate data, and facilitate cost-saving decisions.

Regular Audits and Reviews:

Conduct regular audits and reviews of your software license management practices. Periodically reassess your software needs, evaluate license usage, and identify further opportunities for cost optimization.

By implementing these strategies and maintaining a proactive approach to software license management, organizations can achieve significant cost savings while ensuring compliance and maximizing the value of their software investments.

Learn how you can maximize cost savings with Cubes: HERE

Stay on Top of All Your Subscription Payments with a Software License Manager

Michelle

A software license manager helps you manage your subscription payments and stay on top of all your licenses. Learn more about this tool and its benefits.

As businesses and individuals increasingly rely on software for their daily operations, managing software licenses and subscription payments can become a tedious and time-consuming task. Failure to manage licenses properly can result in overspending, compliance issues, and even legal action. That’s where a software license manager comes in. In this article, we will discuss what a software license manager is, how it works, and its benefits.

What is a Software License Manager?

A software license manager is a tool that helps individuals and organizations manage software licenses and subscriptions. It enables users to monitor, track, and control the licenses and subscriptions they have acquired. With a software license manager, users can determine the number of licenses they own, how they are being used, and when they are due for renewal.

How Does a Software License Manager Work?

A software license manager works by centralizing the management of software licenses and subscriptions. It collects license information from various sources, such as purchase orders, invoices, and contracts, and stores it in a centralized database. Users can access this information through a user interface that provides them with a clear overview of their licenses, including license expiration dates, usage, and renewal costs.

Stay on top of All Your Subscription Payments

A software license manager helps users stay on top of their subscription payments by providing a clear overview of all their licenses and when they are due for renewal. Users can set up notifications and alerts for upcoming renewals, ensuring that they do not miss any payments. By automating the license renewal process, a software license manager removes the need for manual tracking, reducing the risk of missed payments and potential license expiration. This enables users to manage their subscription payments more efficiently, freeing up time for other important tasks. With a software license manager, users can rest assured that they are always up to date with their subscription payments, minimizing the risk of non-compliance and legal issues.

Benefits of Using a Software License Manager

  1. Cost Savings: A software license manager can help users save money by preventing overspending on software licenses and subscriptions. By tracking license usage, users can identify licenses that are not being used and revoke them, eliminating unnecessary costs.
  2. Compliance: Compliance with software licensing agreements is crucial, as non-compliance can lead to legal action and hefty fines. A software license manager ensures that users are aware of their licensing agreements and are using software within the agreed terms.
  3. Better Resource Management: By providing users with an overview of their licenses, a software license manager enables them to allocate resources more effectively. Users can determine which licenses are being used most frequently and allocate resources accordingly.
  4. Improved Efficiency: Manually tracking licenses and subscriptions can be a time-consuming task. A software license manager automates this process, freeing up time for more important tasks.

Choosing the Right Software License Manager

When choosing a software license manager, users should consider the following factors:

  • Compatibility: The software license manager should be compatible with the software and applications being used.
  • Scalability: The software license manager should be scalable to accommodate future growth.
  • User Interface: The user interface should be user-friendly and easy to navigate.
  • Support: The software license manager should have reliable customer support to address any issues that may arise.

Conclusion

Managing software licenses and subscriptions is an essential task for businesses and individuals. A software license manager can help streamline this process, providing users with an overview of their licenses and enabling them to manage them effectively. By preventing overspending, ensuring compliance, and improving resource management and efficiency, a software license manager is an invaluable tool for any organization or individual that relies on software. When choosing a software license manager, users should consider compatibility, scalability, user interface, and support to ensure they select the right tool for their needs.

Cut Business Expenses with a Software License Manager

Michelle

Discover how a software license manager can help your business save money and optimize your software usage. Learn more about its benefits here.

What is a Software License Manager?

A software license manager is a tool that helps businesses track and manage their software licenses. It provides an efficient way of managing licenses and helps businesses stay compliant with licensing regulations.

How Does a Software License Manager Help Cut Business Expenses?

By using a software license manager, businesses can cut their expenses in various ways. Here are some of the benefits of using a software license manager:

Avoid Overbuying Licenses: One of the most significant benefits of using a software license manager is that it helps businesses avoid overbuying licenses. It provides real-time information on license usage, allowing businesses to see which licenses are being used and which ones are not. This information helps businesses make informed decisions about purchasing new licenses, reducing unnecessary expenses.

Eliminate Manual Tracking: Manual tracking of software licenses is time-consuming and error-prone. A software license manager eliminates the need for manual tracking, reducing the risk of errors and saving time. This helps businesses avoid costly penalties for non-compliance with licensing regulations.

Reduce Audit Costs: A software license manager provides businesses with accurate information on software usage, making it easier to prepare for software license audits. This reduces the risk of non-compliance and lowers the costs associated with audits.

Optimize Software Usage: By providing real-time information on software usage, a software license manager helps businesses optimize their software usage. It helps businesses identify which licenses are underutilized, allowing them to reassign licenses to where they are needed. This helps businesses avoid unnecessary expenses while ensuring that they have the right licenses for their needs.

What Features Should You Look for in a Software License Manager?

When choosing a software license manager, there are several features that businesses should look for:

Automated Tracking: The software license manager should provide automated tracking of software licenses, eliminating the need for manual tracking.

Real-Time Reporting: The software license manager should provide real-time reporting on license usage, making it easy to identify underutilized licenses.

License Optimization: The software license manager should provide license optimization features, allowing businesses to reassign licenses to where they are needed.

License Compliance: The software license manager should help businesses stay compliant with licensing regulations, reducing the risk of costly penalties.

A software license manager is an essential tool for businesses that want to cut their expenses and optimize their software usage. By providing real-time information on license usage, eliminating manual tracking, and helping businesses stay compliant with licensing regulations, a software license manager can help businesses save money and improve their operations. When choosing a software license manager, businesses should look for features such as automated tracking, real-time reporting, license optimization, and license compliance.

Request a free demo: https://softwarelicensemanagement.tangent.com/solutions/workplace-solutions/cubes

software license manager and subscription manager

The Difference between a Subscription Manager and a Full Software License Manager

Michelle

Do you know what truly sets a software license manager apart from a subscription manager?”

A software license manager and a subscription manager may seem like similar entities, but in reality, they serve distinct purposes. A quote from Michael Feiner, a renowned management expert, puts it perfectly: 

“Good managers know how to delegate; great managers know when to delegate.” 

The same applies to software license and subscription managers – understanding the difference between them can make the difference between effective software management and costly software chaos.

So, what is a software license manager? Simply put, it is a tool that helps organizations manage and track the use of software licenses they have purchased. It ensures that only the authorized number of users can access the software and that the licenses are used in compliance with the terms and conditions set by the software vendor.

On the other hand, a subscription manager is a tool that helps organizations manage their software subscriptions. It allows organizations to keep track of the subscriptions they have taken and their renewal dates, as well as manage the subscription costs effectively.

Difference between a software license manager and a subscription manager

The difference between a software license manager and a subscription manager lies in their focus. While a software license manager focuses on the use of the licenses, a subscription manager focuses on the management of the subscriptions. A software license manager ensures that the licenses are used within the bounds set by the vendor, while a subscription manager ensures that the subscriptions are managed efficiently and cost-effectively.

The role of a software license manager is to monitor and enforce the use of software licenses within an organization. It ensures that only the authorized number of users can access the software and that the licenses are used in compliance with the terms and conditions set by the software vendor. A software license manager also helps organizations track the usage of the licenses, which can be useful in making informed decisions about purchasing additional licenses or upgrading existing ones.

The role of a subscription manager is to manage software subscriptions effectively. It helps organizations keep track of the subscriptions they have taken and their renewal dates, as well as manage the subscription costs effectively. A subscription manager also helps organizations make informed decisions about renewing or cancelling subscriptions based on usage patterns and costs.

Conclusions

In conclusion, a software license manager and a subscription manager serve distinct but complementary purposes. While a software license manager focuses on the use of the licenses, a subscription manager focuses on the management of the subscriptions. Understanding the difference between them can help organizations make informed decisions about software management and avoid costly software chaos.

“Are you ready to take your software management to the next level by understanding the difference between a software license manager and a subscription manager?”

Benefits of Software License Management Across Different Departments

Nina

With so many new technologies emerging on an almost daily basis, it’s important for organizations large and small, to understand exactly what software is being used. Managing software licenses has always been a challenge, and in today’s technologically advanced world, it has become increasingly difficult. However, saving money by avoiding duplicate software licenses, over-licensing, and over- or under-spending should be at the top of every organization’s list.

For those in information technology (IT), the necessity of a software asset management (SAM) program is obvious, but for other departments, it might not be as clear as to how they benefit from license management. Understanding what is and isn’t being used across all departments helps an organization make informed decisions, especially when it comes to rolling out new technologies to drive the business and increase productivity.

IT Department: Smoother Software Deployments

When we think of software installations and deployments, we automatically think of IT. However, not all IT teams actually manage the organization’s licenses. Keeping track of license count, expiration and renewal dates, license spend, etc. usually falls on the lap of a License Manager or SAM team. When working together, IT can better understand exactly what software is being used, allowing them to plan and execute software rollouts or uninstall unused software – thereby optimizing software license budgets.

Many license management tools, like Tangent’s CUBES License Manager, also have reporting capabilities that give deeper insight into an organization’s licenses, such as:

  • Number of licenses that are coming due or expired
  • Amount broken down by company, product, department, and type of license
  • Length of license or subscription agreement
Cubes License Record View

Furthermore, CUBES has a document repository that allows users to upload documents related to each license record, so important files such as quotes, contracts, and license details can all be digitized and easily accessibly within the record.

Finance Department: Better Opportunity to Manage Departmental Budgets

When it’s not clear where or on what money is being spent, overseeing and managing an organization’s budgets can become overwhelming, especially if that leads to over-spending. Understanding what software is being used gives the finance team the opportunity to cut necessary costs on unused or duplicate software.

Additionally, having the visibility that comes with a license manager prepares the finance department for renewals, so they’ll know exactly when to expect large payments. Ultimately, this instills confidence into the team when going into budget discussions with the administration team.

Administration Department: Greater Visibility into Software License Budgets

Engaging and persuading administration departments to invest in any software product has always been a difficult task across multiple industries. Once on board, though, stakeholders will find that the benefits of a license manager greatly outweigh the cost.

Having a license manager will show directors, administrators, managers, etc. exactly how much is being spent on software and help them identify areas for cost savings. The goal is to generate savings for the entire organization year over year.

Additionally, a license manager allows the admin team to see all of the organization’s software at a glance, which can be helpful in identifying outdated technologies. Ensuring that employees have the latest software enables them to be more productive, work efficiently, and communicate and collaborate effectively across the entire organization.

Whether your organization is large or small, a license manager brings peace of mind. Being able to gain full visibility of software deployments, licenses, and cost is essential in managing budgets while enabling your organization with the latest technologies. CUBES can take you there. Sign up for a free trial to just how easy it is to start managing your licenses.

Introducing CUBES: A New Standard in Software Asset Management

Nina

Many organizations don’t know where to even begin when it comes to managing their software licenses. Some utilize spreadsheets, others stitch together notes from different platforms. This often leads to outdated, messy, and unreportable data across users and departments.

An effective, proactive Software Asset Management (SAM) program is proven to help organizations reign in all of their license and subscription data, while saving them time and money. That’s why we developed CUBES, a powerful, yet easy-to-use, license manager.

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In just a few minutes, users can set up CUBES and start managing their licenses with features such as:

  • Renewal and expiration alerts
  • Reporting dashboards
  • Tiered account security


Managing software licenses no longer needs to be an arduous task. With CUBES, organizations of all sizes can save by money by avoiding duplicate software deployments, over-licensing, and expired invoices. This allows organizations to make informed decisions when rolling out new technologies.Sign up for a free trial of CUBES to see just how easy it can be to manage all of your licenses and subscriptions in a central platform.

software license management

License Management Software: Is CUBES The Right Fit for Your Business?

Admin

Between the plethora of options among subscriptions, SaaS, short-term software, and other licensing, businesses of all shapes and sizes have experienced an exponential change in how software is licensed. While perhaps a decade ago yearly service fees were the norm, managing licenses has become incredibly complex. With these complexities, issues such as unwanted renewal fees, late fees, and license management delegation have arisen, forcing businesses to reevaluate and adapt. 

When prompted with these issues, the natural step businesses take is to search for license management software. What they find is an array of options just as complex as the issues they are trying to solve. The world of Software Asset Management (SAM), Enterprise Asset Management, and IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) provides megalithic tools, packed with features to address every use-case imaginable. However, not all businesses need such an option and can’t afford to tie up an IT department for weeks during implementation. Quite simply, many businesses just need an easy way to manage their licenses. Enter the “Goldilocks” solution: CUBES License Management Software from Tangent. 

To decide whether CUBES is the right fit for your business, it is important to look at these three categories of software license management:

1. In-house:

In-house software license management offers rudimentary control through tools such as Excel or Google Sheets. If historical costs or efficiency tradeoffs aren’t a priority and there are only 4-12 items to track, this is a perfectly functional solution. However, as businesses grow, a system that might have taken minutes to keep track of 10 licenses can become inconvenient at 20. Reminders can slip through the cracks. In general, the business outgrows this solution. Conveniently, CUBES makes our Excel template freely available as a starting point for keeping track of software licenses, SaaS subscriptions, and warranties. 

2. Professional:

Professional management comes into play when businesses want more. To track more, see more, and clean up the mess caused by different departments doing their own data entry. At this point, businesses need to consider what they can afford, as well as what level of complexity they are ready for. For organizations needing feature-rich options, but that do not have the IT manpower to dedicate to onboarding and maintaining enterprise software, CUBES is the right fit. 

3. Enterprise:

For businesses needing ITIL processes in place, software utilization information, compliance tracking and procurement management, that also have robust IT departments in place, enterprise management is where they should be looking. See our decision checklist below and white paper to help understand where your business falls and if CUBES is the right fit for your license management software needs.

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For more information, visit https://www.tangent.com/solutions/cubes/