Challenge: A manual license procurement process that could not keep pace
A mid-sized life sciences therapeutics company faced a critical bottleneck in its software asset (SW) license procurement process. Whenever a license was purchased from vendors such as CDW, employees had to manually input license and entitlement data into their ServiceNow system. The fully manual approach was inefficient, error-prone, and increasingly unsustainable as the company grew.
The key issues included:
- Time-consuming processes: Data entry was slow and required significant human effort.
- High error rates: Manual input increased the likelihood of data inconsistencies and inaccuracies.
- Compliance risks: Inefficient tracking of licenses created exposure against software agreements, the kind of gap a continuous compliance posture is designed to close.
- Lack of scalability: As the company grew, managing licenses manually became unsustainable.
Seeking a robust automation solution, the therapeutics company partnered with USDM to streamline and automate the procurement process.
Approach: Automation built on a secure, bi-directional integration
The company engaged USDM for its expertise in ServiceNow automation. USDM approached the project with a structured methodology and a clearly defined scope.
Project scope
- Automating SW license procurement: Eliminating the need for manual input.
- Bi-directional REST integration: Establishing automated data synchronization between AWS, ServiceNow, and Intune.
- Compliance policy verification: Ensuring software entitlement policies were consistently met.
- Error tracking and monitoring: Implementing an automated system to handle and report errors efficiently.
The solution
- System integration: A secure, bi-directional REST integration was built between ServiceNow and AWS, ensuring real-time data updates. Reliable system-to-system data flow is the foundation of data integrity in life sciences.
- Automation of procurement workflow: The system was configured to automatically update software license records upon purchase. Validating automated workflows like this aligns with a risk-based Computer Software Assurance (CSA) approach.
- Error handling mechanism: A robust tracking system was embedded to detect and rectify data anomalies.
- Regulatory compliance measures: Built-in policy verification ensured compliance with licensing agreements. Because the integration spans cloud platforms, it also reinforces good third-party risk management across vendors and connected systems.
Results: Faster, more accurate, and ready to scale
The automation initiative delivered significant improvements:
- 30% ROI increase: Due to reduced manual labor and improved data accuracy.
- Streamlined procurement process: The entire workflow was automated, reducing turnaround time.
- Error reduction and compliance assurance: Automated compliance checks minimized non-compliance risks.
- Scalability: The new system can accommodate the company's growth without additional administrative burden.
Key takeaways
The successful automation of this therapeutics company's software license procurement process has set a precedent for digital transformation within the company. By eliminating manual inefficiencies, ensuring compliance, and improving scalability, the initiative delivered lasting value. It exemplifies how validated process automation can enhance efficiency, accuracy, and compliance in software procurement operations while sustaining a continuously assured cloud environment. To explore the same approach for your systems, contact USDM.