Software licenses and subscriptions: making the right choice
Knowing which one to choose can often take time. Making the wrong decision will cost you both productivity and money.
Which licensing model?
There are generally two model software licensing options:
Dedicated licenses with each person having their own (also known as a one-to-one license)
Shared/open licensing when you share a small number of licenses between several staff
In some cases, the only option is a one-to-one license, Office 365 being a prime example of the dedicated licensing model.
If there is the option for shared or dedicated licensing then you might be able to run a hybrid where some team members get dedicated licenses and others can “dip” in and out of the software using shared licensing.
I’m sure we have all asked the question “does everyone need a license?”, “how do I know someone is always using the software?” and “is the software over the top for their needs?”.
Being pro-active saves time and reduces the cost
Without proactively managing your software use, you won’t immediately know the answers to these questions, which can lead to decisions that have the potential to cause employees to hang around twiddling their thumbs, waiting for an available license.
When it comes to choosing the right licensing model we looked at the losses resulting from employees not having access to the correct software or not having a license and the time it takes to micromanage software deployments.
The time spent needs to be cost-effective. There’s no point in a lengthy discussion over whether you can purchase another license when the time spent has exceeded the cost of the very thing you are discussing.
To achieve this, we have implemented tools and working methods, including:
Strategic reviews of software usage statistics
3rd party tools if the vendor has not provided one for tracking usage
Review of those who don’t always need dedicated access and whether shared licenses would be suitable
In conclusion, proactively managing your software licenses will save you time and money.