Oracle Fusion Licensing Risk Hides in Role Design.
I caught this yesterday, reviewing an Oracle Fusion role assignment report for a client ahead of their usage true-up. The numbers on the pag
Microsoft Visio License Optimization: How 15 Minutes Found $15K.
I have spent most of this summer on six-figure problems. AI consumption meters, credit overage letters, renewal commitments that moved after
Azure VMware Solution Retirement Doesn’t Free You.
Your Azure VMware Solution renewal came up this month. It was priced as always: license included, one line, nothing to negotiate. Then a tra
Microsoft Copilot “Co-Work” Consumption Billing Shock.
A feature that used to ship inside the Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription now carries a separate, consumption-based bill. Microsoft gave org
You’re Not Ready for Your Microsoft EA Negotiation.
A large organization was three months from their Microsoft EA negotiation when Microsoft called first. They wanted to come in early. They we
Oracle Java “Security Patch” Call Is a Licensing Audit
I count software for a living. So when a client forwards me an Oracle Java quote, the first thing I do is ask how they got to the number. Th
Microsoft’s AI Bundles Have a Value Problem.
Microsoft’s latest AI bundles revive a familiar enterprise challenge: paying for capabilities that only a subset of employees will use
The EA Renewal Deadline Isn’t Your Deadline.
Last week I sat in on a renewal review with a procurement team. A Microsoft proposal was open on the screen. In the corner sat an expiry dat
Microsoft True-Up: Enterprise FAQs
Understanding Microsoft True-Up, True-Down, and Contract Basics Can I reduce (true down) my Microsoft 365 subscriptions, and when? Yes. On y
Microsoft’s July 1st Pricing Changes Means More Than Higher Costs.
Beginning July 1, 2026 Microsoft will increase pricing across several commercial plans: Office 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E5, f
When Your SAM Lead Is Out, Is Your Team Ready?
Vacation season exposes a SAM risk most enterprises never plan for. A vendor sent a True-Up request on a Tuesday. Moderate ask, tight window
Microsoft Copilot: Why Enterprises Are Backing Out.
Over the past several months, I’ve had the same conversation with multiple large organizations. They adopted Microsoft Copilot with ge
AI Spend Governance Starts With Token Consumption.
Real life scenario: a $500,000 charge landed on an invoice from a single query run without guardrails. The team had no visibility until afte
When “More Licenses” Creates Microsoft Compliance Risk.
A company discovers gaps in its Microsoft licensing position, so the response feels obvious: Buy more CALs. Usually Device CALs. Sometimes U
Microsoft EA Renewal Negotiation: The 30-Year Playbook.
I spent 8 years inside Microsoft selling the Enterprise Agreement before I started helping clients negotiate against it. The Microsoft EA re