Summary
Whether it’s a Microsoft SPLA audit or an Enterprise Agreement renewal, one truth holds: these projects can quickly turn into a high-pressure juggling act.
The deadlines are strict. The vendor’s team is coordinated.
And inside your organisation? Procurement is looking at budgets, IT is chasing data, compliance is worrying about the risks, and the clock is ticking.
A PM keeps licensing projects on time, on scope, and on budget under intense vendor pressure.
Without strong project management, things go wrong fast:
Critical remediation work does not get done before the submission deadline.
Evidence is incomplete or inconsistent, giving the vendor the upper hand.
Scope expands because no one is controlling what the vendor sees.
Savings identified by licensing experts are left on the table because they weren’t actioned in time.
We have seen it happen, and the cost is measured in millions, not thousands.
That’s why SAMexpert delivers every Microsoft licensing engagement with a dedicated Project Manager at the helm.
🖐 Defend your organisation against costly Microsoft audits. Learn more: Microsoft Audit Defense.
The PM is the Conductor
At SAMexpert, we have seasoned licensing analysts and Consultants who know the Microsoft rulebook inside out and an expert negotiator who can turn a vendor conversation into a commercial win. But how much of that expertise matters if it is not delivered on time, with the right evidence, to the right people?
That’s where the Project Manager comes in:
Keeping the pace: breaking the work into achievable steps and making sure nothing slips through the cracks.
Aligning stakeholders: from IT and licensing to procurement, finance, and legal.
Guiding data collection: ensuring evidence is accurate, defensible, and audit/negotiation ready.
Driving remediation: making sure technical fixes and entitlement reviews happen before the submission or renewal deadline.
Controlling scope: ensuring the vendor only sees what they are entitled to see.
Results Driven by PM Leadership
Our results speak for themselves. In each case, PM oversight was the difference between a good outcome and a great one:
$5.6M SPLA audit exposure cut to zero: by sequencing evidence challenges and a three-year license transition, the PM ensured technical teams, licensing analysts, and negotiators worked in lockstep to deliver the outcome.
EA renewal completed on budget: With Microsoft pushing for costly E5 and Copilot upgrades, the PM managed a multi-phase negotiation strategy that met all commercial targets and preserved future leverage.
SPLA audits closed without escalation: PM-led scope control, Active Directory clean-up, and scan refinements allowed two separate clients to settle on favourable terms without the need for drawn-out commercial disputes.
🖐 Achieve better commercial outcomes in EA renewals. Learn more: Microsoft Enterprise Agreement Negotiation.
What You Get with a PM-Led Engagement
When SAMexpert runs your Microsoft licensing project, you’re not just getting technical and commercial expertise, you are getting the structure that makes it work under pressure:
A clear, milestone-driven plan from kick-off to closure.
Stakeholder alignment from day one.
Weekly progress tracking, risk logs, and action management.
Evidence and data that is clean, consistent, and defensible.
Savings identified and realised before deadlines close.
Why It Matters
Microsoft audits and renewals are designed to run to the vendor’s advantage. Without a PM, you’re always reacting, chasing deadlines, cleaning up last-minute data issues, and trying to negotiate from the back foot.
With a PM, you are in control, you know the plan, you know the deadlines, and you’re making the right moves at the right time. That difference can mean millions in avoided costs and the confidence to face the vendor challenges head-on.
Want to know more? Speak to our Head of Operations.
We’ll show you how a PM-led Microsoft licensing project can protect your organisation, cut costs, and give you the confidence to face any audit or renewal on your terms.