Understanding Per Core License Metric Calculation

[Manu143]

Hello Community,

I am trying to understand the licensing calculation for a Per Core license metric.

In my entitlement record I have:

• License Metric: Per Core
• Rights per License Pack: 2
• Number of Packs: 8
• Purchased Rights: 16

  The system appears to calculate:

  Purchased Rights = Rights per License Pack × Number of Packs

  = 2 × 8

  = 16

  I would like to understand:

  1. How is the Rights per License Pack value determined?
  2. Is this value derived from the vendor SKU/part number?
  3. For a product licensed "Per Core", does 1 pack = 2 cores in this example?
  4. How should the Number of Packs be calculated from the Purchase Order?
  5. If the PO quantity is 16 cores, should I enter:
     • Rights per Pack = 2
     • Number of Packs = 8
     • Purchased Rights = 16
  6. What is the correct methodology to determine Purchased Rights and License Pack Quantity for Per Core subscriptions?

  Thanks & Regards,

  Manu

[sachinvic]

@Manu143 

Hi Manu,

You can use the Publisher Part Number (PPN/SKU) as the first reference. When the PPN is available in ServiceNow Content Services, it can populate the software model, license metric, and Rights per License Pack based on the publisher's licensing terms.

For a Per Core entitlement, Purchased Rights = Rights per License Pack × Number of Packs. So, with 2 rights per pack and 8 packs, the Purchased Rights would be 16.

If the PO says 16 cores, don't automatically enter 16 as the Number of Packs. First confirm how the vendor defines the purchased unit. For example, if the product is sold in 2-core packs, 16 cores would represent 8 packs, giving you 16 Purchased Rights.

If the PPN does not populate the pack information, check the vendor's licensing terms/PO and enter the actual pack quantity purchased rather than deriving it only from the total core quantity.

FYR:

https://www.servicenow.com/community/sam-blog/review-software-entitlements/ba-p/3304445

[Manu143]

Hi @sachinvic ,
Thanks for your reply. PO says quantity as 16.qunity we are considering as purchased rights is the understanding is correct?

Thanks,

Manu

[Deėpak Sharma]

hi @Manu143 

Not necessarily, u have to be careful because entering 16 directly could accidentally double your compliance position.

In SAM, "Purchased Rights" is a calculated field and you cannot just type 16 in it bcuz the system calculates it as: Rights per License Pack × Number of Packs = Purchased Rights

Whether your PO quantity of 16 equals your Purchased Rights depends entirely on what the line item unit on your PO represents:

scnerio A: If the PO item is the vendor SKU (which is sold as a 2-core pack) and Quantity = 16, that means you bought 16 packs. In ServiceNow, you would enter Number of Packs = 16 and Rights per pack = 2, which gives you 32 Purchased Rights.

scnerio B: If the PO literally says you bought 16 total cores, and the SKU is a 2-core pack, then those 16 cores equal 8 packs. In ServiceNow, you must enter Number of Packs = 8 and Rights per pack = 2, so that the calculated Purchased Rights ends up as 16.

If you put Number of Packs as 16 when you only own 16 cores total, ServiceNow will calculate 32 rights and your reconciliation will show you having twice the licenses you actually paid for.

Check the PO unit description or line item price against the SKU to confirm whether the quantity of 16 refers to packs or total individual cores

Happy to help! If this resolved your issue, kindly mark it as the correct answer ✅ and Helpful and close the thread 🔒 so it helps other community members too.

Warm Regards,

Deepak Sharma

Community Rising Star 2025

[sachinvic]

Yes, with the assumption that the PO quantity of 16 represents 16 cores, then Purchased Rights = 16.

With 2 rights per license pack, that would mean 8 packs × 2 = 16 Purchased Rights.

The key point is to confirm how the vendor defines the PO quantity—cores/rights vs. license packs. If 16 is the actual core quantity, then your understanding is correct.