Like any other valuable resource within a company, software is an asset that needs effective management to avoid waste of investments or even future expenses. To guide IT Executives and other managers, the Brazilian Association of Software Companies (ABES) has just launched the ABES Software Asset Management Manual.

Available for free on the entity's website, the interactive manual shows how a company can maintain compliance with licensing policies, current legislation and also the most common mistakes made by companies.

Using a counterfeit copy of a computer program or improperly using an unauthorized license are some of the practices that configure software piracy.

Therefore, it is essential that companies make a control of the acquired assets to check if the licenses are being used correctly and not to suffer civil and legal penalties. This is because, software piracy and IT theft are crimes and the organization will be exposed to compensation, which can reach up to three thousand times the value of the counterfeit software program, and to prison sentences, which can last for four years.

“Our goal is to alert and help companies to implement a procedural methodology that follows the best practices in the market, helping companies to improve processes and make conscious investments”, comments Jorge Sukarie, president of ABES.

Source: ABES Portal
Collaboration: Microsoft

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