Optimizing Your Costs: Why a Salesforce License Audit Should Be a Regular Habit
Executive Summary
If your Nonprofit is like most, Salesforce licenses are one of your largest technology investments. But are you sure you’re using it efficiently?
Too often, we see organizations pay for more Salesforce licenses than they need, or the wrong types of licenses for their users. Without a regular license cost audit, you may be spending thousands of dollars each year that could be redirected to mission-critical programs.
And here’s the kicker: most Salesforce Managed Services providers don’t include this kind of audit in their regular scope of work. But they should!.
Where License Costs Hide in Nonprofits
Inactive or Dormant Users
Users leave the organization, change roles, or no longer need full access, but their licenses stay active. We’ve seen orgs pay for dozens of seats that haven’t been touched in months (or years).
Over-licensed Staff
Many users don’t need a full Salesforce license. For example, program or case management staff may only require a lower-cost Salesforce Platform license if they don’t need to access fundraising features.Inefficient Use of Add-Ons
Organizations often purchase additional tools or add-ons (like full-copy sandbox or Premier Success packages) but use only a small portion, or none, of those capabilities.Lack of Visibility
Without clear dashboards or governance, it’s hard to tell who’s using what and whether you're getting value from each license.
What a Proper License Audit Should Include
A true Salesforce License Audit goes beyond checking a user list. It should:
Review license assignments vs. actual usage (e.g., login activity, access level needs)
Recommend license downgrades or reallocations based on role
Identify opportunities for platform consolidation or elimination of unused add-ons
Provide a License Optimization report with cost savings estimates
This analysis should be performed at least once a year, ideally ahead of your Salesforce license renewal.
Managed Services Should Include This - But Often Don’t
Most Managed Services providers focus on user support, system fixes, or backlog management, but they rarely touch licensing strategy. That’s a missed opportunity!
License audits aren’t just technical tasks, they’re strategic cost controls. A high-value Managed Services partner should include:
Annual license and usage audits
License optimization reporting
Renewal preparation support
Ongoing monitoring of license usage trends
If your current provider isn’t doing this, it may be time to ask why not?
Audit. Optimize. Save
As budgets tighten and the pressure to “do more with less” increases, technology spend must be justified and optimized. A Salesforce License Audit is one of the easiest, most effective ways to reduce costs and improve ROI.
Don’t let unused licenses drain your mission. Make auditing a habit, and make sure your Managed Services partner helps you do it right.
Have questions or want to explore how Managed Services can support your Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud journey?
