Adjusting Licenses and Subscriptions

Table of Contents

Introduction

Subscription Management Update

Managing Subscriptions

Optimizing Subscription Management

Tips and Best Practices

Troubleshooting

FAQs

Takeaways

Introduction

This article will guide you through the process of adjusting licenses and subscriptions on the AppDirect platform. Proper management and adjustments of licenses and subscriptions help control costs and ensure that resources are allocated efficiently.

Subscription Management Update

The new Subscription Management Dashboard gives End Customers and Advisors who are Company Admins greater visibility and control over their own organization’s subscriptions, including:

1. Real-time insights into active, pending, and suspended subscriptions
2. Renewal and change alerts
3. Unified detail pages for orders, invoices, and payments
4. Streamlined user management workflows

Overview

The Applications page (previously Manage → Cloud → Account → Subscriptions) will be replaced by a new experience: Subscriptions. This update introduces a completely new UI redesign and enhanced functionality to help users more easily manage and understand their company subscriptions.

Key Features and Improvements

1. New View:
   • The Manage Apps section is now called Subscriptions.
   • It consolidates all active, canceled, and failed subscription orders, along with related billing operations, into a single, comprehensive page.
2. Target Audience:
   • This new experience is available to Company Admins, regardless of whether they are advisors, customers, or internal employees, provided they have company admin access.
3. Unified Subscriptions View: 
   • All active, canceled, failed, and pending subscriptions in one place.
4. Enhanced Navigation and Filtering:
   • Status Banners: There are five prominent banners at the top allow quick filtering for:
     • Active Subscriptions
     • Pending Fulfillment (quote finalized, order not yet active)
     • Suspended Subscriptions (due to unpaid invoices)
     • Renewing in the Next 30 Days
     • Scheduled Changes (e.g., future seat additions)
   • Advanced Search & Filters: Users can search by keyword, product, edition, owner, subscription ID, external subscription ID, renewal date, and other properties.
5. Detailed Subscription Information:
   • Clicking on an individual subscription opens a new overview page, displaying:
     • Total users vs. available users
     • Total yearly cost and cost per user
     • Timeline (creation, service start, cancellation/renewal dates)
     • Product, owner, and billing duration details
6. Comprehensive History & Billing:
   • A dedicated history section provides a unified view of:
     • Order History: All orders related to the subscription, including new orders upon renewal, credits, and migrations.
     • Invoices: All invoices (paid, voided, unpaid) linked to the subscription, with direct links to pay overdue invoices.
     • Credit Memos: Details on any credits applied, including amount, date, and applicator.
     • Payments: Information on payment success or failure, with links to details.
7. User Management:
   • A "Users" page shows all users assigned to the subscription, indicating license utilization (e.g., 5 of 10 licenses assigned).
   • It also provides redirection to assign apps or add more seats.

Benefits

• Improved Visibility: Users no longer need to navigate to different sections to find order, invoice, or payment history.
• Self-Service Empowerment: Direct access to manage subscriptions, view billing, and track renewals without needing to contact support.
• Cleaner UI: A more intuitive and modern user interface enhances the overall experience.

Here's how you can view detailed subscription information

1. Access the Subscriptions Dashboard:
   • Log in to AppDirect Catalog Marketplace with a Company Admin credentials.
   • From the app switcher, click Cloud from the left navigation location and click on Subscriptions (formerly "Manage Apps").. The main Subscriptions dashboard will load, displaying an overview of all your company's subscriptions.
2. Locate a Subscription:
   • Use the search bar and filter options on the Subscriptions page to find the specific subscription you're interested in. You can filter by status (e.g., Active, Suspended, Renewing), owner, product name, edition or even search by a specific Subscription ID.
3. Click on the Subscription Entry:
   • Once you've identified the subscription in the list, click on its row. This action will open a dedicated overview page for that particular subscription.

What you will find on the detailed subscription overview page

• Summary Information:
  • Usage: How many total users/licenses you have, and how many are currently assigned vs. available.
  • Cost Breakdown: Total yearly cost and cost per user.
  • Timeline: Key dates like when it was created, when the service started, and its scheduled cancellation or renewal date.
• Core Details:
  • Product information.
  • The designated owner of the subscription.
  • Billing duration.
• Historical Data:
  • Subscription History: A chronological record of all related orders (initial purchase, renewals, migrations, credit applications, updates).
  • Invoices: Access to all invoices associated with this subscription, showing their status (paid, unpaid, voided) and providing direct links to view or pay outstanding invoices.
  • Credit Memos: Details on any credit applications for this subscription, including when and by whom they were applied.
  • Payments: A log of all payment transactions for the subscription, indicating success or failure.
• Assigned Users:
  • A list showing all individual users who have been assigned a license from this subscription.
  • Functionality to assign more seats to other users directly from this view.

This centralized page provides a comprehensive snapshot of everything related to a single subscription, making it easier to manage and track its status and history.

Process steps

This process applies to all personnel with Company Admin access to the Cloud Account portal. It covers the functionalities available within the Subscriptions page, including overview, detailed subscription views, invoice management, payment history, and user assignment.

Accessing the New Subscriptions Page

1. Log in to AppDirect Catalog Marketplace with your Company Admin credentials.

2. From the app switcher, click Cloud from the left navigation location and click on Subscriptions. The main Subscriptions dashboard will load, displaying an overview of all your company's subscriptions. 

   

Understanding the Main Subscriptions Dashboard

The dashboard provides a high-level overview and filtering capabilities.

1. Review Status Banners: At the top of the dashboard, observe the five banners representing different subscription statuses:
   • Active Subscriptions: All active subscriptions.
   • Pending Fulfillment: Quotes finalized, but orders not yet active.
   • Suspended Subscriptions: Services suspended, often due to unpaid invoices.
   • Renewing in the Next 30 Days: Subscriptions scheduled for renewal within a month.

   • Scheduled Changes: Active subscriptions with pending modifications (e.g., seat changes at contract end). 

     

2. Filter by Status: Click on any of the Status Banners to instantly filter the list below and view only subscriptions matching that status.
3. Utilize Search and Advanced Filters:
   • Use the search bar to find subscriptions by keywords (customer name, advisor, product, Subscription ID, External Subscription ID).
   • Click on Advanced Filters to refine your search by:
     • Renewal period (e.g., Next 7 days)
     • Specific properties (e.g., Contract Add-on)

     • Owner (e.g., Only those where you are listed as owner). 

       

Viewing Detailed Subscription Information

To access comprehensive details for a single subscription:

1. On the main Subscriptions dashboard, locate the desired subscription using search or filters (if necessary).
2. Click anywhere on the subscription's row in the list. A new dedicated overview page for that specific subscription will open.
3. Review Overview Section: At the top of the detailed page, observe key summary information:
   • Total users vs. available users.
   • Total yearly cost and cost per user.
   • Timeline: Creation date, service start date, and scheduled cancellation/renewal date.
4. Review Core Details: Below the summary, view product information, subscription owner, and billing duration.

Updating a Subscription

Updating Subscription involves changing the quantity of user licenses or adding additional products to current subscriptions. This is essential to match your organization’s changing needs and avoid paying for unused licenses.

1. Select the subscription you wish to update.
2. Click the Update Subscription button to change edition, change contract, and add add-ons.
3. Click the Add Seats button to add more licenses.

4. Click Continue to confirm and save the changes. 

   

Managing Billing, Invoices and Payments

You no longer need to go to a separate Billing module. Within the detailed subscription overview, you can access all billing-related information.

1. On the subscription's detailed overview page, scroll down to the Subscription History section.
2. Select the Invoices tab: A list of all invoices (Paid, Unpaid, Voided) associated with this subscription will be displayed.
   • To Pay an Unpaid Invoice:
     • Identify the invoice with an Unpaid status.
     • Click the Three Dots (⋮) action menu next to the invoice.
     • Select Pay Invoice.
     • You will be redirected to a secure payment portal to complete the transaction.
3. To View Invoice Details:
   • Click on the Invoice ID or the invoice row.
   • The full invoice record will open, showing all line items and billing details.
4. To Review Payment History:
   • From the Subscription History section, select the Payments tab.
   • A log of all payment attempts (Succeeded, Failed) for this subscription will appear.
   • Click on a specific payment entry to view detailed transaction information, including reasons for failure (e.g., expired card).
5. To Check Credit Memos:
   • From the Subscription History section, select the Credit Memos tab.
   • Any credits applied to the subscription, including the amount, date, and who applied it, will be listed.

Viewing Subscription Order History

1. On the subscription's detailed overview page, scroll down to the Subscription History section.
2. Select the Order History tab.
   • A chronological list of all orders related to this subscription will be displayed. This includes initial purchases, renewals (which generate new order IDs), credits, and migrations.

Managing Users on a Subscription

Scroll to the bottom of the Subscription Overview page to access the Users section.

1. Review Assigned Users: A list of all individual users assigned a license from this specific subscription will be displayed, along with the total vs. assigned seat count (e.g., 5 of 10 licenses assigned).
2. Assign/Manage Users: Ability to modify user assignments and license distribution.
   • Click the Manage Assignments button within this section to assign more seats. It will redirect to the dedicated Assign Apps page for the subscription to allocate remaining seats to users.

Managing Subscriptions

Effective subscription management ensures that your organization is only paying for what it needs and that all resources are utilized efficiently.

Steps for Managing Subscriptions:

1. Centralized View: Use the central dashboard to view all your subscriptions in one place.

2. Monitor Renewals: Keep track of upcoming subscription renewals to avoid lapses in service or unnecessary renewals.

3. Adjust as Needed: Make adjustments to your subscriptions based on actual usage data to ensure alignment with business needs.

Optimizing Subscription Management

Optimizing your subscription management can lead to significant cost savings and improved resource allocation.

Steps for Optimization:

1. Analyze Usage Data: Regularly review usage data to identify underutilized applications and adjust subscriptions accordingly.

2. Consolidate Subscriptions: Consolidate similar applications to reduce redundancy and streamline management.

3. Leverage Reporting Tools: Use reporting tools to gain insights into spend and usage patterns, and make data-driven decisions to optimize subscriptions.

Tips and Best Practices

Regularly review and adjust your subscriptions to align with changing business requirements and usage patterns.

Engage with AppDirect advisors for expert recommendations and strategies to optimize your subscription portfolio.

Keep track of all invoices and ensure they are paid on time to facilitate smooth subscription updates.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with updating licenses or managing subscriptions, consult the AppDirect support documentation or reach out to your advisor for assistance.

Ensure that all contract terms are reviewed and understood as they may impact the ability to make certain updates to subscriptions.

FAQs

Q: How can I add more licenses for an application?

A: Navigate to the subscription under Manage > Cloud > Account > Subscription, adjust the quantity of licenses, and save the changes.

Q: What steps can I take to optimize my subscription costs?

A: Regularly analyze usage data to identify underutilized applications, consolidate similar subscriptions, and adjust your subscriptions based on actual usage.

Takeaways

Adjusting licenses and subscriptions on the AppDirect procurement platform helps you control costs and ensure resources are used efficiently. By leveraging the platform’s robust management tools and making informed adjustments, you can optimize your IT spend and align it with your organization’s strategic goals.