---
sourceDocument: Australia IT Service Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/it-service-management

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia IT Service Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itsm

bundleId :

    - itsm

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Get started with software counters for the legacy Software Asset Management plugin

# Get started with software counters for the legacy Software Asset Management plugin {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated March 12, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read  
A good way to see how software counters work is to use the demo data provided with the
legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin.

Load the demo data on a non-production instance.  
Figure 1. Legacy Software Asset Management plugin demo data

Using the demo data, try some of the procedures on this page, such as [Use the Software Counter](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/y_33vgY2edUK~OuYguR79w "Use a software counter for the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin to count the licenses for a specific version of software and receive summary or detailed results.") and
[View a Usage
Counter Result](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/CWfr4ub~3NDvE25cTBRILQ "Usage counters for the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin track licenses based on how often those licenses are actually used either by a workstation or a user.").

To use software counters with your own information, follow the steps in the [Legacy Software Asset Management plugin setup process](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/sVO99TX3jE8kBkOETYJbCA "To get started with the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin, you need to identify and discover software owned, create software models, create license records, and configure software counters."). ServiceNow
Discovery does not populate the Software
Usage (cmdb_sam_sw_usage) table. Use a third party tool such as Microsoft's System Center Configuration
Manager to add information about software assets to the Software Usage table.