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Dusting Off the Shelfware
Waste is
never pretty, and in tough times, it is especially offensive. Yet, a
startling number of businesses allow expensive software systems to languish
unused on the shelf.
Licensing and maintenance fees for this unused or underused software — dubbed
shelfware by IT specialists — cut into the budget at 85 percent of companies
with supply chain management software, according to a recent survey by AMR
Research, a Boston-based firm specializing in information technology issues.
Two-thirds of companies with procurement software don’t use it in its primary
application.
In another study, based on a Morgan Stanley survey of chief information
officers at 300 companies, a third of those responding reported unused
licenses for databases, and a fifth said they had unused enterprise resource
planning licenses.
Shelfware Inventory
To get a handle on how this kind of waste may be affecting your operation,
the first step is to conduct a shelfware inventory. Systematically compare
your company’s licensing documentation with actual usage. In addition to
revealing shelfware, an inventory can help you spot any unlicensed software,
giving you the chance to eliminate the legal risks that come with using
unauthorized programs.
Another advantage of an inventory is finding out if employees have access to
appropriate software and if they are adequately trained to use it for maximum
productivity.
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) offers a number of tools on its Web site
(www.bsa.org) to help conduct such an inventory. No matter what tools you
use, the BSA recommends gathering data showing the product name, version
number, and serial number.
The inventory should cover floppy disks and CDs used in installation, program
manuals and documentation, and invoices or proofs of purchase showing your
right to use the software, according to the BSA.
Savings Opportunities
The information provided in your inventory may lead to savings both in the
short run and over the long haul. A possible immediate advantage might be the
opportunity to put shelfware to use to meet the needs of departments
requesting new software.
Longer-range advantages may come from a reevaluation of your IT function. If
your company leaves software decisions and management up to individual
departments, look into the possibility of centralizing IT.
Companywide technology management can help eliminate duplication and increase
opportunities to use what you already have.
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