ServiceNow's Software Asset Management (SAM) is an enterprise-grade platform designed to optimize software license management through automation and centralized control. It provides tools for cost reduction, compliance assurance, and lifecycle automation across hybrid IT environments.

Key Features

License Management Automation

• Automated entitlement management with playbook guidance
• Publisher-specific compliance packs for complex vendors like Microsoft/SAP
• BYOL (Bring Your Own License) support for cloud migrations

SaaS Optimization

• Usage analytics for SaaS applications
• Shadow IT detection through restricted software lists
• Cost simulation for cloud migration scenarios

Unified Asset Governance

• Integration with HR systems for automated employee onboarding/offboarding
• Executive dashboards tracking hardware/software/cloud assets
• Contract renewal workflows with deadline alerts

Advanced Analytics

• Machine learning-powered software normalization
• Real-time spend analysis by department/vendor/location
• Engineering license utilization monitoring

Benefits

Cost Optimization

• Identifies underutilized licenses and redundant tools
• Reduces audit penalties through compliance automation
• Provides cloud migration cost projections

Risk Mitigation

• Automated license reconciliation processes
• Restricted software enforcement policies
• Centralized audit trail for vendor reporting

Operational Efficiency

• Unified platform combining SAM with hardware/cloud management
• Prebuilt integrations with SCCM, Jamf, Coupa and Okta
• Customizable workflows for procurement and HR teams