IT Asset Management (ITAM) has become a recurring theme both personally and in the business world. Almost everyone starts with a few tools: an email service to stay connected, a system to manage personnel, and maybe a couple of applications for tasks and projects. Everything seems simple at first, like assembling an IKEA piece of furniture... until you realize there are leftover pieces.
As we grow, our needs multiply. If you work with a remote team, you’ll need tools to manage calls and facilitate collaboration. And if you’re in the software sector, things get even more complicated, like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube blindfolded.
No one dreams of developing and maintaining their own tools anymore, so naturally, we turn to cloud solutions. We start small and scale gradually. But this is where the problems arise. What begins as a couple of tools can quickly transform into a "bag" that weighs down finances, and often, we don’t know how much we’re using.
Pero aquí es donde surgen los problemas. Lo que empieza como un par de herramientas se puede transformar rápidamente en un un "saco de herramientas" que pesa en las finanzas y que a menudo no sabemos cuánto usamos.
The consumption of cloud services is similar to those impulsive purchases: at first, we start testing to solve a problem, but soon it becomes a significant expense, rarely measured or controlled. Small incidents begin to occur, such as licenses we don’t renew, surprise expenses, or underutilized services. It's like a black hole that swallows money!
It becomes evident that managing software assets is undoubtedly a matter that cannot be ignored. It’s not a recent problem; since 2015, ISO/IEC 19770-2 made its debut, like the colleague who always carries the to-do list. It addressed software license management, helping companies stop being "surprise, here’s a bill" and start being more proactive. Then came ISO/IEC 19770-1:2017, which expanded the focus to general software asset management, followed by ISO/IEC 19770-3:2016, which focused on cloud assets.
Standards are like the instruction manual that many organizations need to avoid getting lost in the software maze. However, understanding and applying standards in small businesses can be more complicated than assembling furniture without instructions..
The good news? We can start applying simpler, practical strategies in our daily lives. For example, keeping basic control of licenses and tracking expenses can be a good first step.
Here are three practical ideas to manage your software assets efficiently and sustainably, without losing your sanity!
Inventory of Software Assets
Conduct a thorough inventory of the tools the organization uses. Creating a detailed list of what you have is fundamental. You cannot manage what you do not know. This inventory will allow the company to identify active assets and those that might be occupying space and resources unnecessarily.To Optimize Costs, Know How We Use What We Have
It’s not just about knowing what you have but also how it’s being used. Evaluate the usage and benefits of each software. Which programs are actually used, and which are just an expense? If software feels more like furniture than a useful tool, it’s time to reconsider its value. This will help the company optimize costs and retain only the tools that provide real value.Regular Reviews and Adjustments
Software needs can change quickly. Schedule periodic reviews of assets, whether local licenses or in the cloud. This will ensure that the tools the organization uses continue to meet its needs and allow for necessary adjustments. Remember: change is the only constant.
By implementing these steps, the company can keep its software assets under control while adopting a more sustainable approach to tool consumption. With each investment that truly adds value, the organization not only saves itself a headache but also moves towards smarter and more rational management.