After Covid-19, we've seen a sudden rise in Enterprise SaaS adoption by mid-to-large size companies globally. Companies are getting enterprise SaaS to align with the new work-from-home paradigm.

Because of this incredible boom, the SaaS market is expected to reach USD 195 billion by the end of 2023. Though the growth rate of SaaS acceptance is excellent news, experts have concerns about the availability of skilled SaaS managers.

Does the market have enough experienced SaaS managers to meet the requirement? Are SaaS managers capable enough to get 100% of an enterprise SaaS? Getting enterprise software can't help a company without a SaaS management strategy.

Keep reading to learn more about the fundamentals of SaaS management.

A beginner’s guide to SaaS management

SaaS is a subscription software that allows users to access and use the software remotely. It’s a newer model of s/w that has become increasingly popular recently, especially among small businesses.

While SaaS can offer many benefits, it also comes with its own set of challenges – namely, how to manage it effectively. This blog post will explore some tips and tricks for SaaS management for beginners.

From understanding your billing cycles to setting up alerts and monitoring usage, read on to discover more about how you can optimize your SaaS usage.

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A brief overview of SaaS management

SaaS management is the process of managing software as a service. SaaS programs are typically delivered via the internet (cloud) and can be accessed by users from any location.

SaaS management mainly includes on-boarding and off-boarding of varying SaaS programs, monitoring and regulating user access, managing data storage, and ensuring security.

The first and foremost step in SaaS management is to identify which SaaS software programs are being used by your organization. Next, you'll need to determine how these programs are accessed and used.

And lastly, you'll need to implement processes and controls via SaaS management software to ensure that the programs are used safely and securely.

Let's briefly overview the basic tasks and tools of SaaS management.

SaaS management platforms

A SaaS management platform is a cloud-based application that helps organizations manage their SaaS applications. It provides a centralized location to view and manage all your SaaS apps in one place.

The platform includes features such as:

• A unified dashboard to get an overview of all your SaaS apps and usage metrics
• User provisioning and identity management to control who has access to which SaaS apps
• Single sign-on (SSO) to simplify the process of logging into multiple SaaS apps
• App integrations to connect your SaaS apps and other business systems
• Data security and compliance controls to help you meet data privacy regulations

A few of the well-reputed SaaS management platforms are as follows,

• BetterCloud
• AvePoint
• ShareGate
• Zylo
• 365 Command

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SaaS spend management

SaaS spend management is a process for tracking, managing, and optimizing your spending on software as a service (SaaS) products. SaaS products are delivered via the internet and are typically subscription-based, so it's crucial to have a system to monitor and manage your spending on these types of products.

There are a few key things to follow for an ideal SaaS spend management:

• Track your spending – keep track of how much you spend on each SaaS product monthly and annually. It'll let you specify areas where you can cut back or optimize your spending.
• ‍Manage subscriptions – it's also vital to manage different user licenses within your organization, so you're not overspending on unnecessary features or seats.
• ‍Optimize usage – make sure you get the most out of each SaaS product by utilizing its features. If a SaaS product has multiple features irrelevant to your business, consider whether or not they're worth the cost. You can always negotiate for better terms with your SaaS provider based on how much value you're getting from the product.

SaaS user management

When it comes to SaaS user management, there're some crucial points to keep in mind. First and foremost, you need to identify the users and the scope of their needs. Once you've got that info, you can start thinking about how you'll manage their access.

You may find different ways to go about this; however, RBAC (role-based access control) is one of the standard modes. With RBAC, you can assign specific roles to users, which will determine what they can and cannot do within your SaaS application. It is a great way to limit users to only the required functionalities. It can help reduce the risk of data breaches or other security issues.

Another thing to follow regarding SaaS user management is "identity management." It is essential if you use SSO (single sign-on) for your application. With identity management, you can ensure that each user has a unique login and that their credentials are appropriately managed. This way, if one user's account is compromised, the rest of your accounts will remain safe.

Finally, it's also important to consider how you'll handle user provisioning and de-provisioning - the process of adding or removing users from your system as needed. It's significant to have a streamlined process for this so that you can easily add or remove users as necessary.

Also read: IaaS, PaaS & SaaS explained. 10 most important differences

SaaS vendor management

Your business may or may not need SaaS vendors, depending on the nature and size of the business. However, as your organization expands, you will likely need to start working with SaaS vendors to help you manage various aspects of your business. While working with SaaS vendors can be beneficial, it's essential to carefully manage these relationships to get the most out of your investment.

When it comes to SaaS vendor management, there're some crucial points to keep in mind:

• Scope of work – define the scope of work for each vendor clearly. It will ensure everyone is on the same page and avoid surprises down the road.
• Develop communication channels – establish clear communication channels to communicate with your vendors. It will help ensure that any issues are quickly resolved.
• Review contracts – it's critical to review your vendor contracts after certain intervals to ensure they are still meeting your needs.

Following these tips, you can effectively manage your relationships with SaaS vendors and get the most out of your investment.

SaaS license management

SaaS license management is another crucial part of project management SaaS. There're some crucial points to consider when it comes to SaaS license management.

As the administrator, you must determine the number of licenses needed for your company and how you will distribute them among staff. It requires you to decide who will have access to the software and what level of access they'll have.

Avoid purchasing licenses in a hurry; purchase the license from the software provider after determining the number of licenses your company needs. Be sure to keep track of the expiration date for each license so you can renew them as needed.

Arrange meetings with heads or managers of different departments for the appropriate distribution of licenses to users from each department. It's essential to ensure that each user has the appropriate level of access for their job function. For instance, if you have a sales team, they'll likely need different levels of access than your accounting team.

After the license distribution, start tracking the use of different features by each user. It will determine whether everyone gets the most out of their license. If someone isn't using a certain feature, consider reassigning their license to someone else who needs it more.

SaaS license management can seem like a lot of work; however, it's vital for ensuring that your company gets the most out of its investment in SaaS applications. By taking the time to understand the business needs for purchasing the right licenses, you can ensure that your employees have everything they need.

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SaaS security management

When it comes to managing a SaaS platform, security is one of the critical facets to consider. Following the few basic SaaS security management tricks can keep your platform safe and secure. Let's go through the must-follow SaaS security management tips,

• Authentication & authorization – one of the first things to do regarding SaaS security management is to set up proper authentication and authorization model. It will ensure that only authorized users can access your platform and data.
• Enable Encryption – consider implementing encryption for your data in transit and at rest. It will protect your data in case of a breach.
• Monitoring – it's also essential to monitor your SaaS platform for potential security risks. It includes checking out for any suspicious activity and patching discovered vulnerabilities.

By taking these proactive steps, you can help keep your SaaS platform safe and secure.

SaaS management 101 for beginners – the summary

SaaS programs are almost part of every second organization because of their exceptional features to make business operations smart, smooth and fast. However, SaaS management is crucial to keep the business running and getting the max out of SaaS programs.

Going through this post might help you to solve the riddle of SaaS management.

However, feel free to get in touch for consultation or guidance if you need clarification regarding SaaS management or consultancy/assistance in developing/customizing the SaaS management platform. Read more about the full scope of our SaaS services here.