The Ultimate SaaS Management Playbook

Need to better manage your portfolio of Software as a Service (SaaS) applications? Use this roadmap to get a handle on both Shadow IT and SaaS spending.

3 Root Causes of SaaS Overspending

SaaS is both a security risk and a threat to the budget. Here’s why.

Shadow IT:

More than 50% of apps in use are unknown to IT departments

Dark Billing:

Contract auto-renewals and continuous app subscriptions go unnoticed

Data Silos:

App usage data and financial data are scattered and disconnected

3 Ways FinOps Strengthens Your Security Posture

Stage 1

Discovery & Mapping

The first step is discovering not only applications and users but also all corresponding licenses, financial transactions, vendor contracts, and SaaS subscriptions set to auto-renew. Vast integrations and multiple sources of information offer the clearest view into Shadow IT.

Stage 2

SaaS Insights

The second step applies advanced AI analytics to reveal unused resources, costs, and security insights, including unsanctioned and high-risk apps, usage patterns, user habits, license distribution, spending trends, redundant apps, recommendations, and cost-saving alternatives.

Stage 3

Tech Stack Rightsizing

The third step takes action, making changes to remove apps of high risk, consolidate redundant apps, reallocate unused licenses, and correct any over-provisioning and under-utilization. Tracking, monitoring and managing contracts and renewals are also a key part of cost optimization.

Stage 4

Automate IT Management

The fourth step streamlines workflows supporting SaaS management, helping IT teams eliminate manual tasks related to managing the SaaS inventory, procuring new apps, and managing licenses in response to usage and security insights but also as employees enter and exit the company.

Stage 5

Automate Financial Management

The fifth step streamlines financial workflows necessary for effective SaaS management, including AI and robotic process automation to accelerate invoice processing, increase the accuracy of cost allocations, monitor spending against the budget as well as govern contracts and costs.

Stage 6

Expand Your Savings

The sixth step uses the established system for repeatable success across other technology services, applying this system of best practices to cloud service providers or infrastructure as a service, as well as mobile device management and telecom management.