Optimize SaaS Spend

From SaaS sprawl to strategic advantage: Master your SaaS spend

The ease of adopting SaaS has led to explosive growth in application usage, but it has also created significant challenges in managing costs, security and compliance. Flexera SaaS Spend Management solutions provide the complete visibility you need to discover all sanctioned and unsanctioned (shadow IT) applications, optimize subscriptions based on actual usage and turn your SaaS portfolio into a well-managed strategic asset.

Optimize SaaS spend and ensure ROI for your organization

Complete SaaS discovery

Complete SaaS Discovery

Gain full visibility into SaaS

Not all SaaS discovery methods are created equal. API connectors and financial records will tell you how much you’ve spent and if licenses are allocated but fail to provide information on what’s most important – verified usage. SaaS application usage is the only way to find allocated but unused licenses, downgrade from expensive premium bundles and identify security risks.

Optimize SaaS usage

Optimize SaaS usage

Optimize SaaS based on actual usage

Reporting on active, inactive, never active users, and cost per user is essential for effective operations. Accurate reporting enables you to buy only what you need and stop paying monthly subscriptions for users who aren’t deriving value from the application.

Uncover shadow IT

Uncover shadow IT

Total visibility into shadow IT

Total visibility of your SaaS applications is necessary regardless of whether they’re licensed, approved or authorized. This insight allows you to see areas of potential cost savings, such as under-consumed licenses, to reduce ongoing software costs.

The Flexera and Snow advantage

A comprehensive view of your hybrid IT

Flexera offers industry-leading solutions for SaaS Spend Management through both Flexera One and Snow Atlas, providing the flexibility to choose the platform that best fits your needs while delivering unparalleled visibility across your entire hybrid IT estate.

Comprehensive discovery engine

Deep optimization and integration

Multi-source approach: We don't rely on a single source of data. Our combination of API connectors, financial integrations, SSO data, and browser extensions provides the most complete picture of your SaaS usage. Vendor-specific dashboards: Deep insights and optimization opportunities for major vendors like Salesforce, Microsoft 365 and Adobe.
Shadow IT identification: Specialized capabilities to discover unsanctioned SaaS applications that other tools miss. Holistic ITAM context: Integrate SaaS management with your broader on-premises software and hardware asset management for a complete view of technology value.
Automated license reclamation: Set up automated workflows to reclaim unused licenses and reduce manual effort.

Whether you choose Flexera One or Snow Atlas, you gain a powerful partner in managing your SaaS spend, reducing risk and optimizing your IT investments.

SasS sprawl

The dangers of SaaS sprawl

Is your SaaS spend out of control?

In the modern enterprise, a significant portion of software spend is on SaaS, and much of it occurs outside of IT's visibility. This shadow IT and general SaaS sprawl leads to redundant applications, wasted spend on unused licenses and significant security and compliance risks.

  • Massive wasted spend: Paying for duplicate subscriptions and thousands of unused or underutilized licenses
  • Shadow IT and security gaps: Unsanctioned applications create significant security vulnerabilities and data governance risks
  • Inefficient renewals: Lack of a centralized renewal calendar leads to missed cancellations and unfavorable auto-renewals
  • Application redundancy: Multiple departments purchasing different tools that perform the same function, leading to wasted spend and inefficiencies
  • Lack of central governance: Inability to enforce security and compliance policies on applications purchased outside of IT

Optimize your SaaS estate

Discover, manage and optimize your entire SaaS estate

Flexera provides a comprehensive SaaS Spend Management solution that tackles these challenges head-on. We go beyond basic financial tracking by combining multiple discovery methods to give you a complete picture of your SaaS landscape and the verified usage data needed to optimize it.

SaaS estate

  • Complete SaaS discovery: Identify known, unknown and shadow SaaS applications using a combination of methods, including API connectors, browser extensions and CASB integrations, to get a full inventory
  • Usage-based optimization: Go beyond allocation and see actual usage data to reclaim unused licenses, downgrade subscriptions and eliminate waste
  • Renewal management: Centralize all SaaS subscription renewal dates and automate alerts to make informed, timely decisions
  • Cost reduction and ROI: Identify redundant applications and consolidate contracts to reduce your overall SaaS spend and maximize ROI
  • Shadow IT governance: Bring unsanctioned applications into the fold, ensuring they meet your security and compliance standards

SaaS management

SaaS Management Platform

The core capabilities you need to succeed

A powerful SaaS Management Platform provides end-to-end capabilities to help you manage the full lifecycle of your SaaS investments.

  • Multi-source discovery: Integration with financial systems, SSO, CASB and direct API connectors for the most complete view
  • Usage and adoption analytics: Detailed metrics on active, inactive and never-active users to drive optimization
  • License and subscription management: Tracking of all subscription types, renewal dates and costs
  • Automated workflows: Automating processes for employee onboarding, offboarding and license reclamation
  • Security and compliance insights: Identifying risky applications and ensuring data governance

SaaS Spend Management

From tactical expense to strategic enabler

Effective SaaS Spend Management is about more than just cutting costs; it's about ensuring your SaaS investments are secure, efficient and aligned with your overall business strategy.

SaaS spend

  • Significant cost savings: Free up budget by eliminating redundant applications and unused licenses
  • Reduced security risk: Mitigate threats from unsanctioned and insecure shadow IT applications
  • Improved employee experience: Standardize on the best tools and provide seamless, automated access for employees
  • Enhanced vendor negotiations: Use comprehensive usage and spend data to secure the best possible terms
  • Data-driven IT strategy: Make informed decisions about your application portfolio and technology roadmap

SaaS Spend Optimization

Maximize the value of SaaS applications

ServiceNow, Salesforce, Workday, Microsoft. What if you could shave percentage points from your SaaS costs for all? SaaS Management provides a complete picture of SaaS usage to support stakeholders and optimize SaaS spend across vendors. You can optimize spend by discovering shadow SaaS, removing redundant applications and optimizing subscriptions automatically based on actual usage.

Real-world results: How PG&E achieved comprehensive visibility

Flexera SaaS Manager...upgraded to reflect the data and attributes at the roles and profiles level. This dashboard gives a comprehensive view of Salesforce users and licenses. This is critical for leadership to assess application adoption, provide opportunities for clean-up of unused licenses, and achieve cost efficiencies. Thank you very much, Flexera!

NEERAJ SAXENA, SOFTWARE ASSET MANAGEMENT PRODUCT OWNER - PRINCIPAL PG&E

Flexera integrates with your top technology vendors

Frequently asked questions

Your SaaS management questions answered

Flexera uses a multi-source discovery approach (combining financial data, API connectors, SSO, and browser extensions) to provide the most complete picture of SaaS usage, including verified usage data, which is essential for true optimization.

Shadow IT refers to software and services used by employees without approval or oversight from the IT department. It poses significant security risks (data leakage, insecure applications) and often leads to redundant spending.

Flexera's platforms can automate employee onboarding/offboarding workflows, such as automatically reclaiming licenses from inactive users, which saves time and reduces costs.

Learn more about workflow automation

Yes, a key advantage of Flexera is the ability to manage your entire hybrid IT estate—including SaaS, on-premises software, and cloud infrastructure—from a single platform, providing a complete view of your technology spend and risk.

Flexera leverages direct API integrations with hundreds of major SaaS vendors and a browser extension to capture detailed usage metrics for a long tail of thousands of other applications, giving you broad visibility.

Master your SaaS portfolio: Expert insights and best practices

INFORMING IT, TRANSFORMING IT

Ready to take control of your SaaS spend?

Stop reacting to SaaS sprawl and start managing your SaaS portfolio strategically. Discover how you can maximize the value of your SaaS investments with Flexera's comprehensive discovery, management and optimization solutions.