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Why Software Asset Management Solutions Still Aren’t Working for Most Enterprises
Most enterprises recognize the importance of software asset management. Many have invested in SAM solutions and tools, built internal processes, and hired capable teams. Even so, confidence remains uneven.
The issue is not effort or expertise. It is that software has changed faster than the operating models used to manage it.
Software environments are now more complex, more dynamic, and more expensive than they were even a few years ago. Licensing models shift frequently. Audits are more assertive. Renewals carry higher financial and operational stakes. Yet in many organizations, SAM is still structured around periodic activities and point in time reconciliation rather than continuous management. When pressure mounts, teams are forced into reactive cycles, not because of lack of skill, but because the model itself has not kept pace.
That disconnect is costing companies real money and creating risk they often do not see until it is too late.
The Tool Problem That Is Not Really a Tool Problem
Most large enterprises already own one or more SAM platforms. The software asset management solution itself is not the issue. The issue is what it takes to keep those tools accurate, current, and defensible over time.
SAM solutions depend on clean data, consistent configuration, and deep knowledge of how publishers actually apply their licensing rules. Without that, reports lose credibility. Usage numbers get questioned. Entitlements become assumptions. And when a renewal or audit arrives, teams scramble to reconcile gaps that have been building for months or years.
At that point, SAM becomes reactive by default. The insights come too late to shape negotiations or reduce exposure.
Fragmented Ownership Creates Blind Spots
Another common challenge is ownership. SAM rarely lives in one place.
IT focuses on keeping systems running. Procurement engages around renewals. Finance wants predictability. Security has its own priorities. Each group sees part of the picture, but no one is resourced or incentivized to manage the full lifecycle continuously.
Add in limited bandwidth, a shortage of experienced SAM professionals, and constant licensing changes, and it becomes clear why even well-intentioned teams struggle to stay ahead.
The result is not a lack of effort. It is a model that is no longer designed for the way enterprise software works today.
What Changes When SAM Is Treated as an Ongoing Capability
When organizations shift from treating SAM as a periodic activity to an ongoing operating discipline, the outcomes look very different.
Data becomes something teams trust, not debate. Usage and entitlements are validated continuously, not just before a deadline. Renewal planning starts earlier and with more confidence. Audit exposure is addressed proactively instead of under pressure.
Most importantly, SAM becomes positioned to inform decisions earlier in the process. It supports negotiations, budget planning, and risk management at the right moments, rather than being pulled in after decisions are already underway.
That shift requires sustained ownership and expertise, not just better reporting.
Why More Enterprises Are Choosing a Hybrid Approach
Very few organizations want to fully outsource SAM. They want to retain context, control, and accountability internally. At the same time, maintaining deep licensing expertise and constant tool oversight across multiple publishers is not realistic for most internal teams.
That is where a hybrid managed services model comes in.
In a hybrid approach, internal teams stay in the driver’s seat while external specialists provide ongoing support across tooling, data integrity, and publisher specific interpretation. The focus is not one time cleanup. It is continuous readiness.
This model allows organizations to close knowledge and capacity gaps without losing ownership. It also creates a shared, defensible view of the software estate that IT, procurement, and finance can align around.
Rethinking What “Good” SAM Looks Like
SAM has reached the point where it needs to be treated more like accounting or legal. It is a core operating capability that benefits from both internal ownership and external expertise.
As software vendors become more aggressive and licensing models continue to evolve, this layered approach is becoming less optional and more essential.
If your organization is still relying on tools and periodic effort alone, it may be time to rethink the model.
Our latest white paper explores what a hybrid managed services approach to SAM looks like in practice and why it is delivering better outcomes for large enterprises.
If you want to take a deeper look, download the full white paper or reach out to the NPI team to start the conversation.
