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ARTICLE · 14 DECEMBER 2016

Managing Risks In The Software Audit Process

Scott & Scott LLP
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It has been said that software is the new oil. It fuels the information revolution. And in this metaphor, software audits are the meters that measure the flow—and extract maximum revenue for software makers.

United StatesAccounting and Audit
Rob Scott
Rob Scott
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It has been said that software is the new oil. It fuels the information revolution. And in this metaphor, software audits are the meters that measure the flow—and extract maximum revenue for software makers. The auditors arrive on your company doorstep to "true up" your license and make sure you're paying for all the software your employees are using. They probe and flag noncompliance.

Gartner Research Group has estimated that 68% of organizations will have their software assets audited in the next 12 months. This is up from 63% in 2013 and continues the upward trend of the recent past. In fact, every major software maker has embraced a strategy of revenue enhancement via software licensing audits, including IBM, Microsoft and Oracle.

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