Less SaaS Costs With Automated Metering

The company’s previous solution could track license inventory but lacked automation and insights into actual usage. This meant no way to accurately measure software consumption, manage renewals proactively, or avoid over-licensing.

Manual processes also made vendor audits time-consuming and stressful. With increasing pressure from stakeholders to cut unnecessary spend, Axel Springer needed more than a basic license tracking tool—it needed a strategic solution to manage the full software lifecycle and deliver measurable savings.

Axel Springer chose USU Software Asset Management after a successful proof-of-concept.

The goal was clear: reduce unused licenses, especially from major SaaS providers like Adobe and Microsoft, without compromising performance. The team started by implementing automated software metering to identify inactive accounts—based solely on the last login date—to ensure both compliance and user privacy.

Unused licenses were automatically returned to a central license pool, where they could be reassigned as needed. This avoided costly renewals for unused software and ensured license availability for new users. A reactivation process allowed employees to instantly regain access if needed—making the system flexible and user-friendly.

Critical to the project’s success was open communication. Teams in high-impact departments like “Bild” and “Die Welt” were involved early on. The SAM team held direct conversations with staff, explaining the data, validating results through interviews, and ensuring everyone understood the purpose and benefits of the project. Thanks to this effort, the license reactivation rate was just 4% across nearly 2,000 optimized licenses—proof of accurate targeting and broad acceptance.

The technical foundation was equally strong. USU was integrated into Axel Springer’s complex infrastructure, including Active Directory, Intune, SAP, and the central ITSM system. These connections supported full automation—from inventory updates to usage reporting and compliance tracking. The team even built a license ordering solution using Microsoft PowerPlatform, linked directly to USU. Internal customers could request licenses via a digital form that also fed into cost allocation workflows.

The results came fast and exceeded expectations. Within months, Axel Springer saved a six-figure sum by eliminating unused SaaS licenses from Adobe and Microsoft.

Today, the USU solution provides a clear, real-time view of the entire software environment—cloud and on-premises. Automated reporting and streamlined license management have replaced manual processes, increasing efficiency across IT and finance departments. Internal trust in the SAM process has grown significantly, making it easier to expand license optimization to other key vendors.

The success of the software metering project not only exceeded the original business case—it laid the foundation for a more strategic, cost-effective approach to software asset management. Axel Springer now sees USU not just as a tool, but as a trusted partner in driving value through automation, transparency, and smart software use.