Definition
Software register
A single record of every piece of software an organisation uses, with its owner, cost, renewal date, notice period, and contract.
Also known as: Software inventory, Software asset register, Software estate
A software register is a single, maintained record of every piece of software an organisation uses. For each tool it captures the essentials: who owns it, what it costs, when it renews, its notice period, and where the contract lives.
The register is the foundation of renewal tracking and software asset management. Without one, renewals are managed from memory and scattered spreadsheets, which is how deadlines get missed.
Related terms
- Lifecycle statusWhere a tracked contract currently sits in its renewal cycle, from active through the notice window to notice given, expired or cancelled.
- Software asset management (SAM)The practice of tracking an organisation's software licences, subscriptions, costs, and compliance across their whole lifecycle.
- ShelfwareSoftware an organisation has paid for but does not use, whether unused seats or whole subscriptions nobody owns.