Salesforce contracts tend to grow in layers: core clouds, editions, platform licenses, add-ons and feature licenses, each bought for a reason at a point in time. Years later, many organizations pay for users who have left, editions more advanced than needed, and add-ons few people use. In Flexera's 2025 survey, 20% of organizations had been audited by Salesforce in the previous three years, so accurate assignments matter for compliance as well as cost.
Where Salesforce cost accumulates
Each layer was usually bought for a reason, by a different project, at a different time. Nobody owns the whole stack, so nobody notices that the reasons have changed.
Who actually needs a full license
The most valuable question in a Salesforce review is not "who is inactive?" but "what does each active user actually do?". Many active users only view dashboards, approve quotes or use a custom app.
Work opportunities, cases or campaigns every day. They need the full license and the edition features they use.
Log in monthly to check a record or update a field. Often candidates for a lower-cost license, depending on what they touch.
Read dashboards and approve requests. Check whether a platform or read-oriented license covers them.
Use applications built on the platform rather than standard CRM objects. Platform licenses may fit.
Five optimization steps
- Find inactive users
Use last-login data to deactivate or reassign licenses. See license reclamation.
- Right-size license types
Users who only view data or use custom apps may fit a cheaper platform license rather than a full CRM license.
- Review editions
Check which edition-specific features are actually used.
- Audit add-ons
Compare add-on and feature licenses with active use.
- Prepare the renewal
With utilization per product, 120 days ahead. See usage data as leverage.
Salesforce renewal evidence pack
How MI One helps
Frequently asked questions
Can we reduce Salesforce licenses mid-term?
Usually not; reductions typically take effect at renewal. Reassign inactive licenses to new users in the meantime.
What is a good Salesforce utilization rate?
Above 85% active users is healthy for core licenses.
Should we deactivate or freeze inactive users?
Deactivating releases the license; freezing only blocks login. To reduce cost, deactivate after checking record ownership.
Sources
- Flexera, 2025 State of ITAM Report press release, June 18, 2025. https://www.flexera.com/about-us/press-center/it-teams-losing-visibility-according-to-flexera-2025-state-of-itam-report