Companies that have purchased an ERP system can, in many cases, participate in a software enhancement plan. You then pay an annual fee for maintaining the software. But what exactly are the benefits of such a software enhancement plan?
Benefits of an active software license
Participation in the software enhancement plan ensures that your software licenses remain active. And that offers some important benefits:
- You are entitled to access the latest version of the product, without having to re-invest in software licenses;
- An active software license can be extended with additional users and objects (e.g., pages, code units, reports, xml ports);
- You are entitled to updates according to the Product Lifecycle Policy of your ERP package;
- You can supplement your license with add-ons available on the market.
Important for support
For top quality support of your ERP system, an active software license is important or in many cases even a requirement. For example, to enter into a support contract, to access a support portal, or to invoke the service level agreement. An up-to-date and well-maintained ERP system also ensures that you encounter fewer bugs and problems, and it reduces the amount of support questions from end users. And some of the problems you experience with an inactive software license could have been avoided by participating in the software enhancement plan, whereas now you have to have them fixed for a fee.
"You are entitled to access the latest version of the product without having to reinvest in software licenses."
Reducing risks
Participating in the software enhancement plan also means avoiding or mitigating some risks.
- First of all, you miss out on all the above benefits if you do not participate in the software enhancement plan.
- You also run the risk of becoming non-compliant with laws and regulations in the short and/or long term due to changed circumstances and new regulations. Consider developments such as SEPA payments, changes in VAT rates and most recently the Brexit (the UK's exit from the EU).
- And you run a higher risk of security breaches the moment the product is no longer supported by the business partner based on the Product Lifecycle Policy.
Companies that regularly upgrade to new versions and need an ERP system that contributes to top performance choose to participate in the software enhancement plan. Discuss well in advance with your ERP partner what the options and conditions are so that you know what agreement you are entering into.
Teun Arts is Service Manager at Dysel and ensures that customers make optimal use of the software's capabilities, now and in the future.
