Optimizing Microsoft licenses

This is how you save costs and reduce complexity

In the modern workplace, Microsoft licenses are an essential part of many businesses. They provide the tools to be productive, collaborate and stay secure. Yet we often find companies overpaying or getting caught up in the complexity of their license management. Optimizing Microsoft licenses can provide significant savings while simplifying management.

Here are five steps to optimize your Microsoft licenses:

1. Inventory your current licenses.

It is important to know what licenses you currently have. It often happens that companies overlicense, purchasing more licenses than necessary. A thorough inventory will show exactly which licenses are in use and where unnecessary costs are being incurred.

Tip: Be sure to track the usage of each license to get a clear picture of which licenses are really needed.

2. Analyze user needs

Not every employee has the same software needs. Some users need full Microsoft 365 packages, while others can get by just fine with a basic license. By analyzing your employees' actual needs, you can allocate licenses more effectively and save on unnecessary costs.

Tip: Consider the various Microsoft 365 licenses and determine which one best suits the needs of each team member.

3. Consider Microsoft 365 E3 versus E5

Many companies default to the more expensive E5 licenses without taking advantage of all the features. The difference between E3 and E5 is in the more advanced security and compliance features. By carefully evaluating whether you need all those extras, you may be able to save by switching to an E3 license.

Tip: Take advantage of Microsoft's Security & Compliance evaluation to determine if you will really benefit from the E5 features.

4. Consolidate licenses

If your company uses multiple Microsoft products, such as Office, Exchange and SharePoint, it may pay to look at bundling options. Microsoft often offers discounts for companies that purchase multiple products together. This also avoids the complexity of managing separate licenses.

Tip: Discuss with a Microsoft licensing partner which bundling options best suit your needs.

5. Automate license management

By using license management tools, such as Microsoft Endpoint Manager, you can automate the process of assigning and revoking licenses. This eliminates your reliance on manual management and prevents unused licenses from going unused.

Tip: Use software to automatically revoke licenses when employees leave the organization or when roles change.

Get your Microsoft licenses professionally managed

Optimizing Microsoft licensing offers significant opportunities to cut costs and reduce complexity. By taking inventory, analyzing user needs, choosing the right licenses and automating management, you can get more out of your Microsoft investments. 

Want to know how your organization can make the best use of Microsoft licenses? Contact us for a no-obligation consultation!

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