Software Audit
What's lurking in your tech stack?
What is a Software Audit?
A software audit is a comprehensive review of a company’s software assets to ensure they are being used legally, securely and efficiently. It involves examining software licences to confirm compliance, identifying outdated or unsupported applications that may pose security risks and evaluating whether the business is paying for tools it no longer uses or needs. A well executed software audit can also uncover overlapping tools that serve the same purpose which can ultimately helping reduce costs.
Who Needs a Software Audit?
Pretty much any business that uses software (unless it's only one or two different systems) could benefit from having their software reviewed. However, it is particularly important for:
Growing businesses - Rapidly scaling their operations and adding new tools regularly
Companies with large or remote teams - Software usage can become decentralised and/or duplicated
IT and finance functions - Departments looking to control costs and eliminate waste
Businesses in regulated industries - Must remain compliant with licensing and data protection rules
Organisations undergoing digital transformation - Company's planning a system overhaul
What Does a Software Audit Involve?
Every company will have their own methodology for undertaking software audits and the size of the software ecosystem will also influence how the audit is performed. However, most audits will include some or all of the following steps (not all of them in order):
Inventory
The first stage is to catalogue all software, tools, platforms and services currently in use across the organisation.
Documentation review
Once the inventory is established, the auditor can then examine software licences, contracts, purchase records, user policies and related documentation to verify proper ownership and usage rights.
Licence compliance check
Next, the auditor should check that all software is being used in accordance with its licence agreements, avoiding overuse or unlicensed deployments.
Usage analysis
It is good practice to evaluate how often each application is used, by whom and whether the results align with business needs.
Redundancy check
For the cost conscious, identifying duplicated or overlapping tools that perform similar functions is a good way to identify areas for potential cost savings.
Security assessment
Another very important step in any software audit is to detect outdated, unsupported or misconfigured software that could present vulnerabilities or non compliance risks.
Technical design review
Moreso for bespoke systems, the architecture should be assessed with technical design reviews of the software systems to ensure they are scalable, maintainable, secure and aligned with business objectives in the present day and also in the future.
Cost evaluation
Another for the cost conscious, a review of the cost of software subscriptions and licences in relation to actual usage and the value delivered. This can help identify areas that are not providing an ROI.
Reporting & recommendations
Finally, the auditor(s) should produce a comprehensive report outlining findings, risks and opportunities, along with clear, actionable recommendations such as consolidating tools, renegotiating licences or decommissioning unused software.
How Can We Help?
As you can imagine, here at Cool Code Company we know a thing or two about software! Whether you're dealing with an out of control tech stack, worried about licence compliance or just curious if you're getting the best value from your tools our experienced development team are here to help.
We take a practical, jargonless approach to all of software audits and will work with you to understand your business, dig into your current systems and uncover where things can be simplified, improved or secured. We will provide you with a detailed and holistic final report that offers clear recommendations and then, if you wish, we can work with you to implement them.
If you would like to understand how a software audit could help you improve your operations and save some cash, we'd love to hear from you!
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0115 772 2751[email protected]