Step 5: Creating an Ongoing SAM Plan

Create a Baseline

		Animated tutorial Step 5: Creating a SAM Plan requires Flash 6 player

So far you've

• Performed a software inventory
• Matched license documentation to installed software
• And reviewed and updated SAM-related documentation

Before you move forward, it’s important to create a solid baseline for your customer’s SAM plan.

Standardize Software Titles

You can help your customer by making recommendations as to which titles should be standardized. Help your customer take advantage of volume license discounts where possible. Remember to update the software inventory and license documentation spreadsheet or database with any changes.

Retire obsolete workstations and software

• By minimum requirements – the computer must be able to efficiently run a given set of software programs or met specific minimum requirements
• By date - workstations are retired after a given time period (for example, after three years)

If your customer does not have such guidelines, help determine which method will work best for them. Once the guidelines are set, determine which workstations and software titles should be retired.

After retiring workstations, they may be sold to employees at reduced cost or donated to non-profit or charitable organizations.

Software and Hardware Spreadsheet Help your customer get organized by listing where the company's software and hardware assets are located. XLS (16 KB) Software and Hardware Map Create a map to show where your customer's hardware and software is located. VSD (246 KB) Establishing a SAM Plan Discuss an ongoing SAM Plan with your customer — use this script as a guideline for your conversation. DOC (29 KB) | PDF (66 KB) SAM Checklist Use this checklist to mark off each SAM step you and your customer complete. PDF (60 KB)