3 Signs You Need a SaaS Management Platform

SaaS chaos. It’s a thing. Every team seems to have their favorite app. Licenses everywhere; some just collecting digital dust.

If that chaos sounds familiar, you’re not alone. But do you really have a SaaS sprawl problem? If you’ve thought about any of the three things below, it might be time to consider a SaaS management platform.

SaaS has democratized access to technology. In simple terms, users can now sign up and start using enterprise apps without formal approval - most SaaS vendors are practically banking on this happening. The consequence is broad and unmanaged SaaS adoption across departments and users. Or, if you prefer, “Shadow IT”. Whatever label you use, the situation not only creates financial opacity but can also introduce potential security risks.

1. I don’t have an accurate list of apps in use

Users can now pick their own SaaS tools, but the IT team is still left with responsibility for IT strategy, support, and security. The basic need here is a simple inventory: what apps are in use, why are we using them, who is using them, and who is responsible for them?

A spreadsheet’s not a bad starting point, but it won’t address the fundamental issue, i.e., how do you know what to put in the spreadsheet?

SaaS management platforms like Trelica automate app discovery, providing a complete and continuously updated app inventory.

Leon Weavers, Head of IT at Flipdish had this concern - he deployed Trelica and, within a matter of minutes, got a complete view of over 1,000 apps in use “We were a bit shocked to see how many apps people were using, but achieving this comprehensive view of the environment was a critical first step in our quest to manage our software better.”

2. SOC2 audits are harder than they should be

Compliance automation tools like Vanta and Drata will automate security scans and orchestrate the audit process. Still, the operational details around tracking your SaaS inventory and managing user on/offboarding will belong elsewhere. That ‘elsewhere’ will be spreadsheets and your email inbox, or it could be a SaaS management platform. Trust us, we know, we’re SOC2 compliant and use Vanta (which is great, by the way!) in combination with Trelica.

A SaaS management platform is your operational tool for SaaS discovery and user management whilst simultaneously providing your system of record for all things SaaS. Auditors can access your Trelica account (with a dedicated read-only profile) to view your app inventory and access clear audit logs of employee on/offboarding workflows and access requests. Check out our playbook for Google Workspace offboarding for a classic example of transforming a messy manual process into something automated and auditable.

Oleg Lekuchev, Vice President of IT at ElectroNeek deployed Trelica to ease his SOC2 auditing pains “Instead of presenting auditors lots of confusing, interrelated spreadsheets, we now use Trelica to quickly show exactly which people and roles have access to which systems and applications”

3. I’m pretty confident we’re wasting money on SaaS

Unchecked SaaS adoption is guaranteed to result in redundancy. That could be overlapping app usage (think multiple project management tools - you will definitely have them!) or simply licenses assigned to users who aren’t using them. Intuitively, you may know this is happening, but without a true inventory and reliable usage data, you have no way to identify and address the wastage.

Trelica’s SaaS management platform enriches your app inventory with user license assignments and activity. App connectors will combine usage data from your Identity Provider and directly from the biz apps so you can instantly see, for example, which Zoom users aren’t hosting any meetings over 40 minutes - so why are they assigned a billable license?

A good SaaS management platform will do more than just identify the wastage. Trelica’s workflows will automate the process of identifying underutilized licenses, engaging directly with the users to get consent, then deprovisioning or delicensing the account.

Zuora achieved a 10x Return on Investment with Trelica by automating their SaaS license optimization.

In Summary

While the modern business landscape is punctuated with numerous SaaS tools designed to streamline operations and drive productivity, navigating this ecosystem requires clarity, control, and assurance. If any of the signs above resonate with you, consider the strategic investment in a SaaS Management Platform. And if you're keen to experience the benefits firsthand, start a 14-day free trial with us — full access and no credit card required. Remember, it's not just about adding another tool; it's about gaining the visibility and control to master your SaaS ecosystem.