An Effective License Position (ELP) is a Microsoft creation to help businesses examine their software usage in regard to licensing. Because software is licensed to businesses, you can receive it at much more affordable rates. However, you need to show that you’re adhering to all of the requirements of using your software and that you’re using them on a necessary basis, including staying as up to date as you need to be. If you have an ELP, here are three things you must take care of.

Prepare for an Audit

Should you be facing an audit, an ELP can help you to be better organized. Microsoft will perform audits on companies to evaluate their software usage in relation to licensure. While it may seem redundant to some, Emerset points out that it’s important to remember that we don’t “buy” software — instead, we buy licenses to use software, and those licenses come with terms and conditions. As you prepare, pull information such as which software you’re licensing, how long you’ve licensed each one, and the frequency of use. They’ll appreciate your organization and be able to provide you with a finished report far sooner. After going over your ELP, compile information regarding what can change and what can stay the same. A color-coded spreadsheet is a good way to organize this data. Be sure to update and back it up frequently in the event of another ELP.

Adjust Licensing as Needed

You can use your ELP as a means of recalibrating your budget. Anglepoint explains that a proper examination of an ELP can identify what licensing may be unnecessary and thereby save a company money. You can maximize entitlements this way. Go over the results of your ELP with your accounting department. If you’re facing any sort of spending deficit, this could be a lifeline. Licensing software should be something that helps keep your business running, not something that ends up sucking up your finances.

Update Business Plans

Affordable American Insurance points out that your business planning can be aided by your ELP. There might be certain plans you had that were contingent on whether or not you were able to secure a certain software license. Instead of being held back by limited programs, you’ll have the chance to explore new terrain. You can’t just rely on software to solve your problems, but you can definitely consider it as a way to improve your abilities as a business owner. An ELP is an ordinary report, but it could help lead to extraordinary results.

Examining your software usage isn’t done just so Microsoft can give you a hard time. It’s also very beneficial for your business, as it allows you to deduce whether you’re using the right software in the correct manner. See your ELP as an opportunity for tightening up your business methodology and finding new solutions.

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