Audit Readiness: Building a License Position Before the Vendor Asks
How to become audit-ready: a readiness scorecard by publisher, the evidence to keep, and a routine that lets you produce a defensible license position in days.
By the MI Solutions SAM team9 min read2 exhibits
The best time to prepare for a software audit is before the letter arrives. An organization that can produce an accurate license position in days negotiates from strength. One that needs months to assemble its data negotiates from weakness, under deadline, often at list price.
A readiness scorecard
Exhibit 1
The readiness checklist
For each priority publisher
Prioritize by risk
Start with the publishers most likely to audit you. Flexera's 2025 survey found the highest audit rates for Microsoft (50% of organizations in three years), IBM (37%) and SAP (32%). Then add any publisher with high spend or complex licensing.
Exhibit 2
Make it routine
01Quarterly
Refresh positions for priority publishers.
02Before renewals
Confirm the position before negotiating.
03After changes
Mergers, data-center moves and cloud migrations all change positions.
How MI One helps
Frequently asked questions
How long should it take to produce a license position?
For a priority publisher, aim for under five working days.
Do we need a full inventory to be audit-ready?
You need accurate data for the publishers in scope, not a perfect inventory of everything.
Who should own audit readiness?
The SAM manager, with infrastructure owners responsible for accurate deployment data.
Bring your five largest vendors to a 30-minute call. Our SAM experts will show you where the savings usually hide, and how fast MI One can surface them.
