--- 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 --- # Manage software models using the legacy Software Asset Management plugin # Manage software models using the legacy Software Asset Management plugin {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated March 12, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 minutes to read The legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin uses software models to manage licenses, specifically in software counters and license restrictions, and to track upgrade and downgrade licenses. ## Before you begin Role required: sam or model_manager ## About this task Create software models for all of the software your organization wants to monitor. Software models can also be imported from another source such as the Discovery application. Note: Software does not create configuration items. If the discovery tool you use supports and finds ISO information, details such as ISO ID and ISO serial number are added to the Software Model form for compliance purposes. ## Procedure 1. Navigate to AllSoftware AssetSoftware Models. Users with the model_manager role can navigate to Product CatalogProduct ModelSoftware Models, but cannot administer all aspects of software models. 2. Click New. 3. Complete the form. {#t_ManagingSoftwareModels__table_nr2_nd1_y4__entry__2} | Field | Description | |-|-| | Display name | \[Read-only\] Name of the model. A system property called glide.cmdb_model.display_name.shorten controls how software model display names are generated. Administrators can configure the property. | | Manufacturer | The company that built the model. | | Name | The manufacturer-assigned name of the model or an abstract name specified by the model manager, such as Field Agent Laptop. | | Edition | The edition of the software model, such as Professional. | | General || | Short description | A brief description of the model. | | Model categories | \[Read-only\] The category the model is assigned to. The system automatically sets the value to Software License. This field is a glide list. | | Asset tracking strategy | The process the model should be tracked by. Choose from the following: * Leave to Category: model is transparent and the asset class is defined solely by the category. * Create Consumable Asset: model forces the asset class to be consumable, regardless of what the category defines as the asset class. * Don't create assets: model blocks asset instantiation, regardless of what the category defines as the asset class. {#t_ManagingSoftwareModels__ul_uqk_g21_y4} | | Acquisition method | The method for purchasing the model. Options are Both, Buy, and Lease. | | Cost | The cost a single unit of the model. | | Depreciation | The depreciation scheme for the model. | | Model number | The specific model number assigned to the item by the manufacturer. | | Barcode | The barcode number assigned to the model. Barcodes are usually assigned by the manufacturer. | | Owner | The person responsible for the model. | | Status | The current status of the model. Options are In Production, Retired, and Sold. | | Certified | The option that determines whether the model is approved for use. | | Comments | Information about the model that would be helpful for others to know. | | License || | Version | The exact version of the software. For example, Version 2. | | Major | The ISO major version number of the software. | | Minor | The ISO minor version number of the software. | | Build | The build number of the software. | | Software category | A category name for grouping software with similar characteristics. | | Single or multi license | Defines whether this model uses a single license or multiple licenses. | | Maximum socket count | Maximum number of CPU sockets that a computer must have for the software to be installed. | | License type | The tracking type for the license. For example, by number of users, per workstation, per installation with IBM PVU or per Oracle processors. If you select the By number of users option, you can create a software counter and specify the number of installations per license. | | Activation status | The activation state of the software model. Options are None and Activated. | | ISO id | The unique ISO identification number of the software product. | | ISO serial number | The serial number issued by ISO for the software. | | Application model | Application associated with this software. | | Rights | Number of licenses granted to this software. | | Minimum users | Minimum number of user licenses required for this software. | | Maximum users | Maximum number of user licenses required for this software. | | Suite Components || | Inference percent | The percentage of suite components that need to be present on a system to count as a suite. Used for suite management. For example, Suite A consists of 5 products. If the inference percent is set to 60% and a discovery tool finds three of the products on the system, the software is flagged for possible purchase as a suite. | | Components | The child product or products of the suite. For example, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel are child products of Microsoft Office. | | Suite Parents || | Parents | The parent suites to which the software is assigned. For example, the parent suite for several common Microsoft products is a version of Microsoft Office. | | Upgrade || | Upgrades | An alternative version license to which you have rights. For example, if you purchase version 4 of a software product shortly before version 5 is released, your version 4 license may include a free upgrade to version 5 when it is released. | | Downgrade || | Downgrades | An alternative version license to which you have rights. For example, if you purchase version 4 of a software product, your version 4 license may include downgrade rights to version 3. | | Licenses || | Software Licenses | The software licenses that should be created automatically from this model. Note: This embedded list shows all assets created from this model, whether or not they are software licenses, in versions prior to this release. | | Catalog Item || | Product Catalog | The information about the model as it appears in the product catalog and service catalog. Information only appears if the model has been published to the product catalog. | | Description | Description of the software model as it appears in the product catalog. | | Picture | An image of the software logo. | [Table 1. Software model fields] {#t_ManagingSoftwareModels__table_nr2_nd1_y4} Any software licenses you create and assign to the new model are displayed in the Licenses embedded list on the Software Model form. * **[Create and manage software suites using the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/wQW39ThPd0r1XarueIDL9g)** Software uses the concept of suites instead of bundles. **Related concepts** * [Legacy Software Asset Management plugin Overview module](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/QXVLbVrl4XlKJIve9lwakQ "The Overview module for the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin is a homepage that displays various software asset management reports.") * [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.") * [Determine where software is installed using the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/A6~cX8KA2lnXeVzclofIiQ "When using the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin to determine where your software is installed, you must keep the following points in mind.") * [Software licenses in the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/qduUcv2gS_IKiOJ66qX~kA "Software licenses are based on models that are defined through the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin.") * [License calculations with the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/EcghOsl~pnJaFs9XgW6v9w "Software license calculations with the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin count the number of licenses that exist in your network environment.") * [Software discovery models in the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/9jMh~li8q1PwMhap1WHEqg "Software discovery models in the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin can be used to help normalize the software you own by analyzing and classifying models to reduce duplication.") * [Legacy Software License Compliance Checker](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/bbToIS2e9OHU4RjW4XiL1A "The Software License Compliance Checker that is included in the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin is a fast way to see if the software licenses used in your organization are compliant based on number of rights purchased and number of installations.") * [Software license reconciliation counters for the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/A2m5ZzDE0r9kb1pdVvjW5A "Software counters for the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin reconcile software rights with software installations to verify compliance.") * [Legacy IBM PVU Process Pack](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/fTSjAteDYx~E3oXL5g_e4A "Processor Value Unit (PVU) is a unit of measurement defined by IBM to determine software licensing costs based on processor or server model.") * [Software contracts for the legacy Software Asset Management plugin](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/dwxhXQk9LxI3TjTT7K~GTw "A software contract is a binding agreement between the owner of a software product and a buyer. The contract enables the buyer to use the software legally.") * [Legacy Oracle process pack](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/5yZUUJqmIm5GwhXRdEwCPg "The legacy Oracle process pack is an add-on to the legacy Software Asset Management (com.snc.software_asset_management) plugin that provides the ability to manage software licensed under the Oracle licensing model.") *[\>]: and then