Software Asset Management (SAM) Review with Microsoft

Out of blue, I got a letter from Microsoft Canada a few months back asking me to conduct this SAM program with their SAM team, a software license auditing to me indeed actually. Then two weeks later, a consultant contacted me by phone, followed by an email a couple of days later with two documents attached, one of which is an Excel spreadsheet including numerous questions needed me to fill out.

Not very enjoyed, but I managed to finish it up within the extended deadline and sent it off. No surprise, SAM team replied back with a number of questions that need to be clarified. And then, I communicated with them back and force a few time, and finally finished the review only a few weeks back in a manner that both of the sides are satisfied. And I just received a nice Thank-You card with Tim Horton gift card from Canadian SAM team today. Pretty nice.

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The overall experience is quite valuable. I was kind worried in the beginning but felt quite comfortable working with these guys later on. They are fair and understand the importance of having a right software asset management in place in a corporate environment. The most important, I have a better understanding how MS licensing program works and now exactly know where I am in terms of the software license coverage. And as a bonus, I now have the licensing advisor as the personal contact right from inside Microsoft. Words from their mouth would be more authorized than other places. 🙂

So hopefully, this will help you if you somehow are going to this same route, either now or later on. And you can always throw questions to me if you have any concerns taking participate in this program, either leaving a comment here or contact me privately here.

4 thoughts on “Software Asset Management (SAM) Review with Microsoft

  1. Hi Kent,

    I just got the same phone call and email … just wondering if they actually asked to confirm all licenses or did an actual on-site audit or they simply accepted the self audit and information provided by you ?

    Please let me know.

    Thanks,

    Herbert

  2. I believe there should be a formal letter introducing themselves with the sheet for you to fill in before the actual call and email follow-up a few weeks later. Once you fill up all license info in the excel spreadsheet they provided to you, they will review it and send back with any comments they may have.

    All communications I did with SAM team were all through emails. Usually they don’t do an actual on-site audit but you will need to provide all proofs to support the numbers you put into the excel sheet.

    Cheers.

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