Business Subscription Management Best Practices

The average company wastes 30% of its SaaS budget on unused or duplicate subscriptions. Here's how to fix that.

The SaaS Sprawl Problem

• Departments buy tools independently
• No central visibility into spending
• Employees leave, licenses stay
• Multiple tools for the same purpose

Best Practices

1. Centralize Tracking

One person or team should own subscription visibility. Use a dedicated tool, not spreadsheets.

2. Regular Audits

Quarterly reviews of all subscriptions. Check usage data when available.

3. Approval Workflows

New subscriptions should require approval above a threshold amount.

4. Vendor Consolidation

Use fewer tools that do more. Negotiate volume discounts.

5. Offboarding Checklists

When employees leave, immediately revoke access and cancel personal licenses.

Cost Savings Potential

• Unused licenses: 20-30% of seats
• Duplicate tools: 15-25% overlap
• Optimization potential: $50-500/employee/year