Introduction
Software-as-a-service (SaaS) license management is the practice of promoting ownership, agility, visibility, and accountability of SaaS subscriptions used throughout the business. As a discipline within software asset management (SAM), SaaS license management is specific to cloud-based apps and services. These apps and services are often subscribed on a per-user basis. There are two main types of SaaS apps:
- Hybrid SaaS: A combo of on-premise installs and cloud-based subscriptions
- Example: A user has a Microsoft 365 cloud-based subscription, which allows them to install specific apps like Excel directly onto their devices
- ServiceNow supports Hybrid SaaS! For more details, check out:
- Direct SaaS: All relevant data is hosted in the cloud and accessed via internet
- Example: A Miro subscriber logs into the Miro app via web browser
The following blog article will focus on Direct SaaS license management. It will cover how to get started, where to identify opportunities, and how ServiceNow offers solutions and workflows for each step along the way!
SaaS Integrations Overview
Every business procures, deploys, and uses direct SaaS apps differently. This is what makes knowing where to start challenging at times, especially when standing up or maturing a SAM program.
With ServiceNow© Software Asset Management (SAM), direct SaaS license management is included as a dedicated module. You can act in one of three ways:
- Direct: Integrate with SaaS applications
- leverage out of the box direct-to-vendor integrations for deep usage insights
- reclaim and reassign stale, underutilized licenses automatically via workflows
- New integrations released on a quarterly basis
- Configure: SaaS License Connections
- Connect to any SaaS app with a public API to monitor meaningful usage
- low-code framework uses ServiceNow® Integration Hub and Flow Designer
- Single Sign-On (SSO*): Integrate with SSO providers
- Integrate with a SSO provider to view software usage for connected apps
- Download a list of apps and users, tackle SaaS sprawl and reduce costs
- Identify overlapping software and rationalize the apps you own
- *SSO = technology that allows users to log into multiple direct SaaS apps with one set of credentials
Installing ServiceNow© SAM SaaS License Management
See Request SaaS License Management for install directions.
Direct SaaS decision Tree
Knowing where to start can be tough! Use this decision tree to get the ball rolling towards your direct SaaS license management goals. (pdf also attached at bottom of this post)
Direct SaaS integrations List section
SaaS License Management comes with multiple out of the box direct SaaS integrations. Check out the complete list below, with links to integration steps for each!
Adobe Workfront: Web-based work and product management software
- What the integration does: Helps track user activity and when chosen will remove access to Workfront application to reclaim unused subscriptions.
- Integrating with Adobe Workfront steps to…
- generate a Workfront API key
- create a Workfront connection
- create a Workfront integration profile
Aha!: Cloud-based product development software
- What the integration does: Analyzes any activity performed on the portal (i.e.: login, create, modify, strategies, features, roadmaps etc.) and automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with Aha! steps to…
- Create an Aha! OAuth2 application,
- Set up ServiceNow instance for Aha!
- Create an Aha! integration profile
Asana: Work management software
- What the integration does: Helps track subscription activity and when chosen will delete user account to reclaim subscription. Content that was created by the user remains accessible to other users.
- Integrating with Asana steps to…
- register an Asana OAuth 2.0 application
- create an Asana integration profile
Box: Cloud-based content management, collaboration, and file-sharing software
- What the integration does: Examines file activity across multiple actions (e.g. create, download, read and share, preserving files) before reclaiming stale users.
- Integrating with Box steps to…
- Create a Box application
- Create a Box integration profile
Calendly: Online appointment scheduling software
- What the integration does: Analyzes scheduled events to determine last usage activity and initiate reclamation workflow to reclaim stale user subscriptions.
- Integrating with Calendly steps to…
- Create a Calendly OAuth application
- Create a Calendly integration profile
Cisco Webex: Web and video conferencing applications
- What the integration does: Helps track subscription activity and when chosen will remove user access to reclaim subscription. The user can still access all other Cisco Webex products and the free licenses assigned.
- Integrating with Cisco WebEx steps to…
- Create a Webex Meetings OAuth application
- Create a Webex Teams OAuth application
- Create a Webex integration profile
Confluence Cloud: Web-based collaboration tool
- What the integration does: Automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with Confluence Cloud steps to…
- Create a Confluence Cloud OAuth 2.0 (3LO) application
- Obtain the Cloud ID value of Confluence Cloud instance
- Create a Confluence Cloud integration profile
CrowdStrike: Cybersecurity software
- What the integration does: Enables you to view CrowdStrike active host sensors information and check license compliance.
- Integrating with CrowdStrike steps to…
- Register a CrowdStrike OAuth application
- Create a CrowdStrike connection
- Create a CrowdStrike integration profile
DocuSign: Electronic signature and document management software
- What the integration does: Analyzes last login date and current envelope consumption vs. projected use, and automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with DocuSign steps to…
- Register a DocuSign application
- Create a DocuSign integration profile
Dropbox: Cloud-based file sharing and storage software
- What the integration does: Examines file activity across logins and file operations, preserves files before reclaiming stale users through automated reclamation workflow.
- Integrating with Dropbox steps to…
- Create a Dropbox application for user subscriptions
- Create a Dropbox integration profile
GitHub: Developer platform and version control
- What the integration does: Analyzes multiple action types for users (e.g. creating branches, pull requests, making comment), automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users (for server or cloud).
- Integrate with GitHub Enterprise Cloud steps to…
- Generate an API access token for GitHub Enterprise Cloud
- Create a GitHub Enterprise Cloud connection
- Create a GitHub Enterprise Cloud integration profile
- Integrate with GitHub Enterprise Server steps to…
- Generate an API access token for GitHub Enterprise Server
- Create a GitHub Enterprise Server connection
- Create a GitHub Enterprise Server integration profile
Google Workspace: Productivity and collaboration tools
- What the integration does: Analyzes file activity across G-suite apps before reclaiming user subscriptions.
- Integrating with Google Workspace steps to…
- Create a Google Workspace project
- Create a Google Workspace integration profile
GoTo: Remote work and collaboration tools
- What the integration does: Analyzes subscription information across multiple GoTo apps; automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with GoTo steps to…
- Create a GoTo OAuth client
- Create a GoTo connection
- Create a GoTo integration profile
Jira Software: Project management and issue tracking
- What the integration does: Examines issue activities and audit log, automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with Jira Software Cloud steps to…
- Using basic authentication
- Create a Jira account API token
- Configure the connection and credential record
- Using OAuth authentication
- Create an OAuth 2.0 integration in Jira account
- Obtain the Cloud ID value of Jira instance
- Create a Jira Software Cloud integration profile
Looker: Business intelligence and data analytics
- What the integration does: Helps track subscription activity and when chosen removes user access to Looker. Usage history and personal content is retained.
- Integrating with Looker steps to…
- Configure Looker API key settings
- Create a Looker connection
- Create a Looker integration profile
Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Apps: Business and low-code applications
- What the integration does: Analyzes usage based on user activity performed in the sales entities, customer service entities or calendar activities.
- Integrating with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Apps steps to…
- Set up Microsoft Azure Active Directory
- Set up Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Apps
- Set up ServiceNow instance for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Apps
- Optimizing Microsoft Dynamics 365 subscriptions
Miro: Collaboration software
- What the integration does: Analyzes user access or updates to boards, automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with Miro Enterprise steps to…
- Create a Miro Enterprise OAuth 2.0 application
- Enable SCIM on your Miro Enterprise account
- Create a Miro Enterprise connection
- Create a Miro Enterprise SCIM connection
- Create a Miro Enterprise integration profile
monday.com: Work management software
- What the integration does: Examines user activity for updated card content and board activity (e.g. add, change or remove note) with automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with monday.com steps to…
- Create a monday OAuth2 application
- Create a monday.com integration profile
PagerDuty: Incident response and operations software
- What the integration does: Analyzes on-call rotation to highlight users not on schedule, automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with PagerDuty steps to…
- Create a PagerDuty application
- Add OAuth 2.0 functionality to your PagerDuty application
- Create a PagerDuty integration profile
Rally: Enterprise agile management software
- What the integration does: Helps track subscription activity and when chosen removes user access to Rally. Without an active account, the user cannot sign in to the Rally portal.
- Integrating with Rally steps to…
- Register a Rally OAuth application
- Create a Rally connection
- Create a Rally integration profile
Roadmunk: Road-mapping and product management software
- What the integration does: Analyzes usage based on comments added to Ideas and feedback, creating and updating feedback, archiving and restoring the roadmaps, and user last login date. Reclamation is manual.
- Integrating with Roadmunk steps to…
- Generate a Roadmunk API access token
- Create a Roadmunk connection
- Create a Roadmunk integration profile
Salesforce CRM: Customer relationship management software
- What the integration does: Analyzes last login date and time, automated reclamation workflow to reclaim (deactivate) stale users.
- Integrating with Salesforce CRM steps to…
- Register a Salesforce application
- Create a Salesforce CRM integration profile
- Create your first Salesforce CRM integration profile
- Create additional Salesforce CRM integration profiles
Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Marketing software
- What the integration does: Examines contact consumption against entitlement to gain visibility to spend and demand.
- Integrate Salesforce Marketing Cloud using basic authentication steps to…
- Create a user for accessing the Salesforce Marketing Cloud SOAP API
- Create a Contacts Counts report in Salesforce Marketing Cloud
- Create a data extension for your Contacts Counts report
- Build an automation to import Contacts Counts report data in your data extension
- Retrieve Contacts Counts report data manually
- Create a Salesforce Marketing Cloud integration profile using basic authentication
- Integrate Salesforce Marketing Cloud using OAuth 2.0 seps to…
- Create Salesforce Marketing Cloud OAuth 2.0 credentials
- Create a Contacts Counts report in Salesforce Marketing Cloud
- Create a data extension for your Contacts Counts report
- Build an automation to import Contacts Counts report data in your data extension
- Retrieve Contacts Counts report data manually
- Create a Salesforce Marketing Cloud integration profile using OAuth 2.0
- Create additional Salesforce Marketing Cloud integration profiles
SAP Ariba: Procurement and supply chain management software
- What the integration does: Retrieves user subscription details, tracks last login date, and identifies low usage for multiple SAP Ariba apps.
- Integrating with SAP Ariba steps to…
- Download reports for SAP Ariba users consuming licenses
- Create an SAP Ariba integration profile
SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud: Enterprise resource planning
- What the integration does: Helps track and optimize subscriptions.
- Integrating with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition steps to…
- Create a communication system and user for SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud
- Create a communication arrangement for SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud
- Create a basic authentication credential record for the OData API
- Create a basic authentication connection record for the OData API
- Create an SAP S/4HANA integration profile
SAP SuccessFactors: Human capital management
- What the integration does: Analyzes last login date, automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with SAP SuccessFactors steps to…
- Set up basic authentication for SAP SuccessFactors
- Create an SAP SuccessFactors connection
- Register OAuth application in SuccessFactors
- Upload the JKS certificate in your ServiceNow instance
- Register SuccessFactors as an OAuth provider
- Create the SAML2 assertion producer record
- Create credential record for the OData API
- Create connection record for the OData API
- Create an SAP SuccessFactors integration profile
Slack: Messaging software
- What the integration does: Analyzes last active session users had on web, desktop or mobile, or changed status from away to active; automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with Slack steps to…
- Create a Slack Enterprise Grid application
- Create a Slack workspace application
- Create a Slack Enterprise connection
- Create a Slack workspace connection
- Create a Slack integration profile
SmartRecruiters: Talent acquisition and hiring software
- What the integration does: Examines user activity across multiple actions (e.g. job created, candidate added, job ad created), automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with SmartRecruiters steps to…
- Generate a SmartRecruiters API key
- Create a SmartRecruiters connection
- Create a SmartRecruiters integration profile
Smartsheet: Work management software
- What the integration does: Analyzes paid user actions for creating sheets and editing columns, automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with Smartsheet steps to…
- Create a Smartsheet API access token
- Create a Smartsheet integration profile
SurveyMonkey: Surveys and forms software
- What the integration does: Examines multiple action types for users such as creating surveys, managing respondents, or editing surveys. Automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with SurveyMonkey steps to…
- Create a private SurveyMonkey application
- Create a SurveyMonkey integration profile
Tableau Cloud: Business intelligence and data visualization software
- What the integration does: Track subscriptions and reclaim stale licenses.
- Integrating with Tableau Cloud steps to…
- Register a Tableau Cloud application
- Create a Tableau Cloud integration profile
Trello: Project management and team collaboration software
- What the integration does: Analyzes last login date, downgrading stale users from an Enterprise license to a Standard license via automated reclamation workflow.
- Integrating with Trello steps to…
- Generate Trello API key and token
- Create a Trello connection
- Create a Trello integration profile
Workday: Human resource and financial management software
- What the integration does: Provided ability to track software subscriptions.
- Integrating with Workday (Human Capital Mgmt. / Financial Mgmt.) steps to…
- Configure permissions in Workday
- Create a Workday integration profile
Workplace from Facebook: Business collaboration and communication software
- What the integration does: Track software subscriptions and if chosen remove user access to Workplace. Prior posts, comments, and messages the user made will still be available.
- Integrating with Workplace from Facebook steps to…
- Create a Workplace from Facebook integration profile
Zendesk: Customer service software
- What the integration does: Analyzes last login date, automated reclamation workflow to reclaim stale users.
- Integrating with Zendesk steps to…
- Create a Zendesk OAuth client
- Create a Zendesk connection
- Create a Zendesk integration profile
Zoom: Videoconferencing and communications software
- What the integration does: Analyzes last hosted meeting date across event logs, automated reclamation workflow downgrading Corp or Pro licenses to free Zoom basic license.
- Integrating with Zoom steps to…
- Create a Zoom application
- Create a Zoom integration profile
Conclusion
With ServiceNow Software Asset Management©, there are multiple ways to get started on Direct SaaS License Management. Leverage the above guide to:
- Understand what direct SaaS is
- How to determine what direct SaaS apps to prioritize
- Know where to start in ServiceNow on your direct SaaS journey
Please leverage ServiceNow Community for additional insights, and post any questions you have to the forum!
