Software Asset Management (SAM)
Manage your software costs, providers, and ensure compliance
Software licenses, SaaS subscriptions, and cloud usage are among the largest and least transparent cost items in IT today. Contracts are managed historically, usage changes faster than licensing models, and vendors are increasingly aggressive in responding to audits and vendor lock-in.
PACT Association helps organizations to approach Software Asset Management in a structured, controllable and cost-efficient manner.
Software Asset Management: more than just licenses
Microsoft, SaaS platforms, cloud services, and on-premises software are indispensable. Yet, the following are often missing:
A central inventory of software and subscriptions.
Insight into rights versus effective use.
Good management of compliance and audit risks.
Coherence between IT, procurement, finance, and security.
When SAM is not set up maturely, this leads to:
Structural overlicensing and waste.
Unexpected costs during renewals or audits.
Contracts that are entirely vendor-driven.
Shadow IT and uncontrolled SaaS growth.
Increased compliance and security risks.
PACT brings structure, governance and financial control to complex software and cloud environments.
What is Software Asset Management (SAM)?
Software Asset Management is the set of processes, governance, and tools for managing software licenses, SaaS subscriptions, and cloud usage throughout their entire lifecycle.
SAM includes:
Software asset inventory and normalization.
License and contract management (on-premises, SaaS, cloud).
Compliance analysis and audit readiness.
Optimization of license models and usage.
Integration with procurement, finance, ITAM/CMDB.
Vendor management and contract negotiations.
Cost optimization for cloud and hybrid environments.
Why is it essential?
Organizations overspend on software by an average of 20–30% due to a lack of insight, fragmented management, and complex contract structures.
In addition, vendor audits are increasing, and licensing models are becoming increasingly less transparent.
A mature SAM approach ensures:
Predictable and manageable software costs.
Demonstrable compliance and audit readiness.
Better negotiating power during renewals.
Reduced vendor lock-in.
A more efficient and transparent IT environment.
The PACT approach to Software Asset Management
PACT Association uses a pragmatic and results-oriented SAM approach, based on practical experience in complex IT environments.
Our approach combines:
SAM maturity analysis and baseline measurement.
Detailed inventory (tooling + data validation).
License and contract analysis (including downgrade rights, HUP, BYOL, reserved instances).
FinOps-driven cloud optimization.
SaaS rationalization based on actual usage.
Renegotiation of license and cloud contracts.
Establishment of governance, processes, and reporting.
No theoretical models, but measurable savings and structural control.
Who benefits from it?
Our SAM services are aimed at organizations with:
Complex software and cloud environments.
Significant Microsoft, SaaS, or cloud spend.
Increased audit or compliance risks.
A need for cost control and transparency.
Typical stakeholders:
CIOs and IT managers.
Procurement and sourcing professionals.
Software asset and contract managers.
Finance, risk, and compliance officers.
Public and private organizations.
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Want to learn more about Software Asset Management?
Do you want to control your software costs, minimize audit risks, and strengthen your negotiating position with suppliers?
Contact PACT Association and discover how we can professionalize your Software Asset Management system.
