Software and SaaS are not easy to manage. In addition, the narrative is in many cases inverted; instead of software publishers worrying about compliance or getting the right revenues, it’s now organisations that carry the accountability of ‘wasted software spend’. So unmanaged software can create huge costs for a business.
As IT resellers are tasked with selling more software and SaaS based applications they have in turn had to look inwards at their own practices and how they can digitally transform.
Appstrato believes that by combining our intelligent software hub with a resellers procurement capability end users can receive the detailed and accurate software renewals, licensing and cost reports they require.
We are living in a period where we are seeing unprecedented changes in the way we do business and operate. Software management is no exception; the technologies and standards that have been in play for over 20 years now need updating to mirror the digital advancements we are experiencing.
The IT reseller community now, more than ever has the opportunity to provision value add software cost, renewal and licensing reports for its client base.
Appstrato works with IT resellers globally to help end users reduce and control their software expenditure.
Assess
The first step in the process is to Assess the current software and SaaS estate; what costs can be immediately taken out and best ‘model’ going forward. Most discovery tools will not clean or categorise audit data; this results in poor data quality.
Appstrato will take a number of different data sets using our inhouse software recognition technology. We take audit data from multiple discovery tools and our team of software auditors will determine and categorise the various types of software you have in your business. In tandem we review your various procurement channels and documentation; and categorise your licence and contract data. We show you what your real software and SaaS portfolio looks like; where there may be overspend, overlap, misaligned contracts or usage.
ADAPT
During the Adapt phase, the Appstrato team will to start recording all procured software at source in the Appstrato procurement platform. Costs, renewal dates, licence models and types are all taken into consideration; along with contract document uploads.
Alongside this activity, pre-existing purchases, licensing and contracts can be uploaded in preparation for licence reporting. This can either be done manually or via an export function.
The core focus of this stage is predominately project based and executing on the various cost reduction opportunities identified in the Assess stage. To keep costs controlled we employ our own technologies and blend with our service resource.
ASSURE
Part of the narrative in our new digital world is assurance. In this case assurance to provide ongoing, accurate and insightful software cost reporting using the Appstrato platform and supporting AI technologies.
Appstrato will provide as much or as little support as your business requires. We can either work as an extension of your Procurement team or simply support your existing SAM operations.
Within our Assurance services we will deliver the traditional cost and licensing reports but we will also focus on more agile and business critical reporting that supports the digital world we live in.
