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Software is a vital part of every organization.
No business can exist in the 21st century without digitizing some aspects of its operations.
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Thats why we have software asset management tools to make it easier.
What software do we need for this specific task?
How much do we pay for it?
How often should we renew their subscription?
These are important questions that employees ask frequently.
They may seem trivial but arent.
A software asset management tool prevents this from happening.
We tested different software asset management tools to identify the best ones.
We narrowed our list based on important factors including features, pricing, customer support, performance, etc.
Also check out thebest maintenance management software.
Best software asset management tool for affordability
1.
ManageEngine AssetExplorer
ManageEngine is well-known for offering robust features on a relatively tight budget.
This tool gives you a birds eye view of your software licenses and ensures you renew them on time.
It tracks and monitors every software and hardware resource connected to your enterprise connection.
you might use AssetExplorer to manage your software purchase orders.
ManageEngineoffers a free but limited version of AssetExplorer; it allows you to manage a maximum of 25 assets.
Pricing for the premium plan depends on the number of assets you want to manage.
The licensing fee is one-time, which is cost-effective.
Best software asset management tool for automation
2.
SysAid
SysAid is a popular IT service management platform.
It includes a built-in software asset management tool thats suitable for businesses of all sizes.
SysAid enables you to manage all your software assets from a single dashboard.
SysAid allows you to control devices connected to your internet remotely.
you could also deploy patches to individual or multiple computers remotely.
With SysAid, you could proactively monitor every software tool connected to your web link in real-time.
you’ve got the option to generate reports to present to organizational stakeholders.
Best software asset management tool for enterprises
3.
Atera
Atera is a well-known remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform.
It offers features that enables enterprises to manage their software usage meticulously.
you’re able to monitor all the licenses and ensure that theyre renewed on time.
This platform offers advanced reporting and analytics.
you’re able to schedule these reports to be generated automatically at specific intervals.
Pricing for this tool costs between $149 and $199 monthly per IT technician.
Theres a 30-day free trial period to test the features before making your final decision.
Best software asset management tool for ease of use
4.
Flexera
Flexera is an advanced IT management platform.
Its not as popular as other competitors on this list but is nonetheless a very good tool.
The platform gives you a detailed view of your software usage and allows you to optimize costs.
This platform allows you to easily discover every software tool connected to your organization’s web connection.
you’re free to easily monitor all your software licensing and ensure theyre always renewed.
Flexera tracks software usage at all times and gives you detailed reports.
you’ve got the option to generate the reports automatically when preparing for audits.
Flexera has an intuitive interface and is very customizable.
Best software asset management tool for support
5.
Asset Panda
Asset Panda is a tool designed primarily for asset management.
It includes an IT asset management module that makes it easy to keep track of all your software resources.
Asset Panda compiles all your organization’s software data into a central knowledge base that any staff can access.
For instance, you could give IT staff a full view and other staff a limited view.
A good thing about Asset Panda is that it has a mobile app.
Hence, you could easily track and manage your software on the go.
The app is available on the App Store for iOS users andPlay Storefor Android users.
Pricing for this platform depends on the features you select, so youll get a personal quote.
We’ve also featured the best asset management software.
In the old times, companies used spreadsheets to track this, a process that was prone to mistakes.
Access control
You should be able to control who has access to what software or not.
Business software often contains very sensitive information, which makes security paramount.
Hence, your platform should let you decide who can access software with such sensitive information.
Doing this manually is prone to mistakes that can disrupt your operations if a subscription is allowed to lapse.
Reporting
You should be able to generate automatic, detailed reports about your organizations software use.
These reports should look professional and presentable at a glance.
They should also contain accurate information.
You should pick a software asset management tool that you’re free to afford in the long term.
Pricing usually depends on your organizations size and technical infrastructure.
verify if theres a free trial to test the features before paying.
Hence, you should find a platform thats as easy to set up as possible.
The platform should also have an intuitive interface thats easy to navigate and understand.
Any platform thats difficult to set up and use can frustrate your staff and cause costly mistakes.
Thus, you should go for a software asset management tool that has a good reputation regarding customer support.
You should be able to connect with a knowledgeable human support representative at any time.
You should also have access to extra support resources such as FAQs, user guides, and detailed documentation.
How we tested the best software asset management tool
We test by evaluating numerous factors.
Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.
