What Is Software Metering? A Complete Guide to Software Usage and Asset Management

Introduction
What is Software Metering?
How Does Software Metering Work?
What is Software Asset Management (SAM)?
Why is Software Metering Important?
Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Software metering is a critical part of software asset management (SAM) that helps businesses understand, control, and optimize how software applications are used across their organization. Whether you're trying to cut costs, stay audit-ready, or improve software ROI, software metering provides the visibility you need.

Definition: What Is Software Metering?

Software metering is the process of tracking and analyzing software usage on individual devices and across a network. It helps organizations monitor how often software applications are used, by whom, and for how long.

Unlike software inventory tools that simply show what is installed, metering tools provide data on actual usage, allowing IT teams to make smarter decisions about licensing, renewals, and deployment.

Also Read: How to Track Software Usage in Your Network | BrowseReporter

How Does Software Metering Work?

Software metering tools typically run in the background of user devices and servers, logging data such as:

Application launch and close times
User IDs and device names
Frequency of use
Total usage duration

The data is then compiled into reports that show real-world usage patterns, helping teams identify:

Underused or unused software licenses
Unauthorized software installations
Department- or user-specific usage trends

Also Read: What is User Activity Monitoring (UAM)?

What Is Software Asset Management (SAM)?

Software Asset Management is the broader practice of managing and optimizing software licenses, installations, compliance, and costs. It includes:

License tracking
Procurement management
Usage auditing (via software metering)
Compliance and audit readiness

Software metering is one of the key tools within SAM that enables cost-effective and legally compliant software usage.

Also Read: Windows 11 User Activity Monitoring & Cybersecurity Software

Why Is Software Metering Important?

For IT teams and business leaders, software metering offers several major benefits:

Cost Optimization: Identify and eliminate unused or underused licenses. Pay only for what you actually need.
Compliance & Audit Readiness: Track software usage to stay compliant with license agreements and avoid legal or financial penalties.
Smarter IT Planning: Use real data to inform software renewals, upgrades, or replacements based on real-world usage, not assumptions.
Increased Security: Flag unauthorized or unapproved software that may pose a risk to your IT environment.

Key Takeaways

If your organization is investing heavily in digital tools, software metering can help ensure you're not overspending or falling short on compliance. When combined with a robust software asset management strategy, it enables you to streamline your tech stack, reduce waste, and improve operational efficiency.

Looking to implement software metering in your organization? Start by evaluating your current visibility into application usage. Tools like BrowseReporter from CurrentWare offer real-time software usage tracking, detailed reporting, and seamless integration with your existing asset management processes, making it easier to make data-driven decisions about your software investments.

Also Read: Cybersecurity Audit: 7 Key Tips to Pass Your Next Compliance Review

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Frequently Asked Questions:

1What’s the difference between software metering and software inventory?

While they sound similar, software inventory and software metering serve different purposes in IT asset management. Software inventory provides a static list of all applications installed across your organization’s devices. It answers the question: What software do we have installed? Software metering, on the other hand, tracks how often, how long, and by whom each application is actually used. It answers the question: How is our software being used? In short, inventory tells you what exists, while metering tells you what’s actively being used. This insight is essential for optimizing licensing, reducing waste, and planning future software investments.

2Is software metering part of asset management?

Yes, software metering is a key component of software asset management (SAM). While SAM covers the full lifecycle of software — from acquisition to disposal — metering specifically focuses on monitoring usage behavior. By incorporating software metering into your asset management strategy, you gain the insights needed to: Ensure license compliance Identify unused or underused applications Make informed decisions about renewals and reallocations In short, metering turns static asset data into actionable insights, making your asset management program more effective and cost-efficient.

3Do I need software metering if I already track licenses?

Yes, licenses tell you what you should have. Metering tells you what you actually use. Even with proper license tracking, many organizations unknowingly overpay for software they no longer need or underutilize. Without usage data, you may: Renew subscriptions that aren’t being used Miss opportunities to downgrade or consolidate tools Fail to identify compliance risks related to over-deployment By adding software metering to your toolkit, you can move from reactive license management to proactive optimization, ensuring you're always aligned with real-world usage.

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