Glossary What is a Software Audit?
By / 2 Jan 2023 / Topics: Software Asset Management (SAM) Software Procurement
A software audit is when a publisher reviews an organization’s software usage and entitlements to discover contract violations. If the audit discovers a violation, the business will be charged fees and penalties and may even face legal action.
Common contract violations include:
- Buying a single license and installing it multiple times
- Making copies of the software
- Using virtualization on the wrong license type
Depending on the organization’s size and software consumption, audits can occur annually or after recent growth. It’s rare for a company to go more than two years without an audit. Software Asset Management (SAM) strategies help businesses prepare for audits by providing a clear picture of what licenses it owns and what it uses.
