In an article published in CIO.com, 75% of enterprises are found to be out of compliance, with the biggest vendor normally being Microsoft. Every enterprise should be prepared if a software vendor audit were to occur. These are four majors steps an organization can take in performing a self-audit to prepare for a real audit:

1. Take a baseline inventory of all installed software, as well as related usage. Don’t forget off-network devices, virtualized applications, and IT assets for which ASNs have been received (if they are due to arrive soon). By adding detailed usage to the inventory process, you can identify shelf ware and license compliance risk issues.
2. Identify all entitlements and related documentation. Be sure to prepare documentation that addresses disparate usage terms, such as applications that are licensed by the core, by seat, by the device.
3. Analyze the results of the software inventory and license information. Identify asymmetries among purchase orders, ASNs, and invoices for further research.
4. Evaluate your compliance position and prepare for negotiations. Note whether additional licenses may be required, and whether your organization has overbought licenses and can recycle or cut spending.

Due to the increasing frequency of software vendor audits from the likes of Microsoft amongst others, performing a self-audit at least twice a year will reduce the risks of paying huge fees for true-ups. By using ITAM and SAM in the Cloud, the time it takes to accurately conduct a self-audit is greatly reduced, making what had been a painful time-sink a new, easier best practice.

If you are interested in learning more about how Asset Vision from Scalable can help properly prepare your organization for an upcoming Microsoft audit, request a demo and consultation.