A 60-minute agenda for a quarterly software portfolio review: inputs, KPIs, renewals, decisions and follow-ups that keep software spend under control.
By the MI Solutions SAM team9 min read2 exhibits
A quarterly software portfolio review is where SAM meets leadership. In an hour, the people who own software spend look at the numbers, decide what to do about upcoming renewals and overlaps, and confirm the savings achieved. Done consistently, it is the single routine that keeps a SAM program alive.
A 60-minute agenda
Exhibit 1
Scorecard (10 min)
Savings, utilization and renewals on time. See SAM KPIs.
Upcoming renewals (20 min)
Next two quarters: a recommendation and a decision for each.
Overlaps and risks (15 min)
Consolidation candidates and audit exposure.
Budget (10 min)
Planned vs actual and the forecast update.
Actions (5 min)
Owners and dates, read back before the meeting ends.
Who attends
The executive sponsor, the SAM lead, procurement, finance, and the owners of vendors with decisions due.
Inputs to prepare
Sent two working days before the meeting
After the meeting
Send decisions and actions within a day. Track them to completion, and report progress at the next review.
Exhibit 2
How MI One helps
Frequently asked questions
Is quarterly often enough?
For leadership, yes. Monthly operational reviews handle the detail.
What if decisions are deferred?
Record the deferral, the reason and the deadline, especially for renewals approaching their notice dates.
Who chairs the review?
The executive sponsor, so decisions carry authority. The SAM lead prepares and runs the agenda.
See where your software budget goes
Bring your five largest vendors to a 30-minute call. Our SAM experts will show you where the savings usually hide, and how fast MI One can surface them.
