From Workshop to Workflow: Building Effective Licensing Models
Integrating CodeMeter into software and business processes is never a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Every company operates in its own environment, shaped by unique requirements and workflows. Successful licensing models emerge when these differences are acknowledged, mapped, and translated into a coherent strategy. Drawing on our experience from countless workshops with customers and prospects, we outline how to bring the right stakeholders together, ask the right questions, and turn insights into
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robust, future-ready licensing solutions.
Kick-Off
Based on our experience, initial workshops are most successful when participants from all relevant departments are present. In the context of developing licensing models, the following representatives should be included:
■ Developers, to integrate CodeMeter into the software
■ Product owners and sales teams, to define the desired licensing models
■ Technical administrators of the CRM / ERP system, to configure the necessary interfaces to CodeMeter License Central
■ Support staff, to assist end customers with potential issues.
The goal of this initial session is to establish a common language, ensuring that later discussions do not miss the mark. At the same time, each participant gains insight into the different workstreams, preventing the creation of concepts at one end that turn out to be technically unfeasible at the other.
Software
The starting point in this process is always the assessment of the software into which CodeMeter will be integrated. Typical questions at this stage include:
■ Are there modules and / or functions that should be licensed or protected individually?
■ Are there different editions with varying feature sets?
■ Is pay-per-use a desired licensing model?
Whether the technical implementation is then carried out through simple encryption of finished artifacts using AxProtector or via deeper integration of the CodeMeter API directly into the software is, at this point, of secondary importance in this discussion.
Sales
On one hand, this stage is about defining licensing models. On the other, existing sales processes directly impact how these models are realized. This phase includes questions such as:
■ Which licensing models should be implemented?
■ Is there a configurator to define the exact specifications of the required license?
■ How are license upgrades handled?
■ Does the CRM / ERP system always know the complete configuration of the new license?
■ Can a customer purchase add-ons independently of an existing license?
■ In the case of subscription models, does the CRM / ERP system include a dedicated module for their management?
■ In the case of pay-per-use, how and when should billing take place?
■ What do upgrade processes look like?
■ Are there different channels through which licenses are distributed?
22 WIBU-SYSTEMS AG