Key Points to Prioritize Vendor

Most of the organization has huge spent on Software purchase. Now, question comes, which publisher do I need to put focus more? Normally, organization spend 80% of total software spend on only 20% application/ software's. But then how do you prioritize these 20% software vendors. Below are key points which one can consider:

1-  Way to manage SAM: You need to list down if SAM management for particular application is proactive or reactive. It's been seen, if an organization is managing SAM for particular application proactively, it is important.

2-  License Analysis: License is managed thru SAM tool or only SAM tool in conjunction with other other tools or on excel or as required

3- Entitlement information: Do you have always entitlement data or only collect as and when required 

4- Correctness of data required : High , low or as needed 

5- %Software Spend: % on software Spend vs Total spend 

6- Business Critical: Check if an application goes down for few hours then what is impact on business? Obviously, Those software where business dependency is high are critical and must be managed on priority. 

7- Audit nature of vendor: Few vendor are very aggressive and frequent for audit so companies should focus these vendors

8- Time for true-up / renewal: If any true-up or renewal is coming up that is again a factor for you to consider while prioritizing software because you can achieve a great saving out there.

9- Easy wins: Target vendors where cost optimization is easy. This will help you to build confidence in your top management.\

So, considering above factor may help you to prioritize software vendor which end of day will help you to save some cost.

Name Changes to Some Office 365 and Microsoft 365 Plans

Microsoft announced to change the name of some Office 365 and Microsoft 365 effective from 21st, April, 2020. Changes will automatically be reflected on each relevant portal. Here is the quick summary:

For business plans: 

Office 365 Business Essential is now Office 365 Business Basic

Office 365 Business Premium is now Office 365 Business Standard

Office 365 Business is now Office 365 Business Premium

For office plans: 

Office 365 Business is now Microsoft 365 Apps for Business

Office 365 Pro Plus is now Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise

For Home plans:

Office 365 Personal is now Microsoft 365 Personal
Office 365 Home is now Microsoft 365 Family

Microsoft 365 E3 ( unattended)

Interesting  to see a new addition in office 365 family  which is probably a step ahead towards most hot topic now a days how to licenses RPA for Office. More clarity yet to come from #Microsoft

Autodesk Transition to Named User Program

On May 7, 2020, Autodesk is launching new subscription-based plan that is based on people in place of serial numbers. This new change will lead to retire Maintenance plan and Subscription with multi-user access. 

Key points:

·         Maintenance plans will retire on May 7, 2021 and cannot be further renewed.

·         Subscriptions with multi-user access will retire on August 7, 2021 and cannot be further renewed.

·         As part of retiring maintenance, the last version of the Design & Creation Suites will be released in April 2020 for customers to download, and the last date to renew Suites will be April 16, 2020.

·         Starting February 29, 2020, we will no longer sell new 2 or 3-year subscriptions with multi-user access or allow renewals. Starting August 7, 2020, we will no longer sell new annual subscriptions with multi-user access.

What do I need to do to transition to named user?

For customers who own a subscription with multi-user access or maintenance, at your first renewal after May 7, 2020, we’ll help you transition to a plan for named users through trade-in offers that keep your costs consistent today and predictable to 2028*

Please refer below link for key dates. 

https://www.autodesk.com/campaigns/transition-to-named-user/terms-and-conditions