Workflow Manager for Software License Optimization
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The document summarizes Workflow Manager, a software that automates and enforces IT asset management processes to improve efficiency. It integrates with FlexNet Manager Platform to centralize processes, increase data accuracy, and reduce license liability risks. Workflow Manager provides customizable workflows and notifications to standardize requests, approvals, and other asset lifecycle processes. It aims to improve compliance and optimize software spending.
Workflow Manager for Software License Optimization
- 1. Workflow Manager D ATA S H E E T for Enterprise License Optimization Efficiently Administer Best Practice IT Asset Management Processes Automate and Enforce Processes to Workflow Manager is part of the FlexNet Manager Benefits to your organization: Improve Efficiency Suite for Enterprises used by hundreds of enterprises Workflow Manager for Enterprise License to gain control of and optimize spend across • utomate and enforce A their software estate. It is integrated with FlexNet Optimization (Workflow Manager) helps enterprises asset management processes to improve to efficiently administer their IT asset management Manager Platform, the core IT asset management operational efficiency processes and improve performance, control and foundation of the Suite. Real time updates to • Reduce risk by accountability through standardization. It reduces the FlexNet Manager Platform repository allow implementing best costs and maximizes the productivity of IT teams Workflow Manager to increase data accuracy, practice SAM processes by centralizing and automating processes and leading to lower costs and reduced license • Improve overall license procedures tied to asset and contract lifecycles. liability risk. compliance It also provides a means for the IT department to • Ease integration with interact with end users and increase service levels. Workflow Manager is a web application, allowing other systems in the IT Process traceability, prioritization, control, and access from virtually any computer, even from environment optimization allow Workflow Manager to improve remote locations. • Improve IT service levels license compliance across the software estate. – Increase end user satisfaction IT Asset Management Workflow Processes • oftware removal and license reharvesting S Workflow Manager can be used to help automate • uditing: review of contract obligations and A common software asset management processes current compliance such as: • ervice, software, hardware and contract S Two software asset management workflow process requests examples are delivered out-of-the-box: • eceiving of assets / services from vendors R • oftware request S • etirement of assets / contract end of life R • oftware removal and license reharvesting S
- 2. The software request workflow The software removal and license reharvesting workflow
- 3. The software removal and license reharvesting workflow identify and evaluate areas of compliance concern and entails collection of application usage data to expose make informed decisions that reduce license and under-used software and allow licenses to be re-allocated maintenance costs. to other groups in the organization. This process can reduce new license purchases at true-ups and renewals. The tight integration between Workflow Manager and the Platform is accomplished via a Web Service Application A hardware retirement workflow could be defined to Programming Interface (API), allowing reading and writing to reclaim licenses from retired hardware as part of the Platform repository. Workflow Manager and the Platform full life cycle management of both hardware and maintain their own distinct repositories. software assets. FlexNet Manager Platform integrates with many other IT Integration with FlexNet Manager Platform systems to collect the data necessary for software asset Workflow Manager is integrated with FlexNet Manager management and license optimization. This includes out-of- Platform, a scalable solution for software and hardware the-box connectivity to Microsoft SCCM, as well as connectors asset management across more than 11,000 software for other third party inventory and configuration management publishers and 100,000 applications. The Platform provides tools. It also provides connectivity to HR, Active Directory, insight into installed software and application usage while procurement, ERP and other systems for user, computer, delivering purchased versus installed license reconciliation. purchasing and organizational data. Its comprehensive reporting capabilities allow users to
- 4. Efficiently Administer Best Practice IT Asset Management Processes Workflow Manager Features Dashboard and Reports — The Workflow Manager home page Custom Workflow Templates — A workflow process can be includes a dashboard that provides summary information fully customized. Forms can be edited to add properties, about relevant work assignments, issues and reports. The request input or documents from users. Workflow Manager information is unique to each user, based on their permissions. templates can easily be customized to fit the internal Custom reports can also be designed, stored and rerun using processes of the organization. This includes branching on the Report Wizard. The alerts and reports keep organizations conditions, adding tasks of different types, etc. A webpage in control of their workflow processes. in a new browser window can be launched during any workflow step in Workflow Manager. The web user interface itself is also customizable. Dynamic Email Notification — Workflow Manager can send emails dynamically to stakeholders notifying them of work being performed on their requests. It can also use emails as a means for users to answer workflow requests. This makes using Workflow Manager as easy as clicking in an email and results in increased workflow efficiency. Service Level Agreement Management — A Service Level Agreement (SLA) indicator can be added to any workflow template. This allows organizations to easily track, manage and report on service levels to ensure requests stay in compliance with the SLA. The SLA clock can be aligned to business practices and work schedules, so work stoppages are not counted. LDAP Integration — A company directory maintained in a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) database can be the single source of organizational information for Workflow Manager. Organizational hierarchy (titles, approval levels, business units) can be read by Workflow Manager and used as a means to set required approvers or reviewers for a workflow. Workflow Manager for Enterprise License Optimization Security Management — Permissions can be assigned to Workflow Manager is an end-to-end process management users based on roles to ensure they only see data they are solution. It allows organizations to follow standardized IT asset authorized to access. An LDAP database can provide the management processes based on best practices that cut costs information on user roles to support this function. and make IT more efficient. Issue Tracking and Resolution — Critical issues can be easily managed and escalated in Workflow Manager to Next Step: ensure that they get resolved in a timely manner. If necessary, Learn more about Workflow Manager and the other the system can lock down a workflow process until all issues products in the FlexNet Manager Suite for Enterprises— have been resolved. All comments associated with an issue visit www.flexerasoftware.com/ELO or contact a are grouped together in a hierarchy, so that the order of Flexera Software representative. responses is clear. Flexera Software LLC Schaumburg United Kingdom (Europe, Australia (Asia, For more office locations visit: 1000 East Woodfield Road, (Global Headquarters): Middle East Headquarters): Pacific Headquarters): www.flexerasoftware.com Suite 400 +1 800-809-5659 +44 870-871-1111 +61 3-9895-2000 Schaumburg, IL 60173 USA +44 870-873-6300 Copyright © 2012 Flexera Software LLC. All other brand and product names mentioned herein may be the trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. WFM_DS_ELO_Oct11