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managing freeware applications : best practices

Hi all,
I'd really appreciate some insights into how you deal with the unlicensed applications when applications are classified as "freeware " by Flexera.
I know that we can filtering this view to focus on commercial applications only, but I was wondering why freeware application appears in this view ? I mean if we focus on web browsers for instance, we can see Google Chrome, MS Edge, and Firefox applications. If we set for these applications the status to "Authorized", these applications will still appears as unlicensed even if tagged as freeware.
So :
- Do we just need to change the application status from "Unmanaged" to "Ignored", theses applications will then no more appears as unlicensed, this way the pie chart between Unlicensed/Licensed installations in the IT asset management dashboard will be more realistic ?
- Or do we just have to change the status from "Unmanaged" to "Authorized" and then use filter in the unlicensed applications view to focus only on commercial applications ?
Thanks for sharing your experience on this topic.

(1) Solution

Hi @ChrisG , thanks for this valuable other solution.
I 'm going to get this one and I will create "Freeware licenses" dedicated to main Publishers (MS, Oracle, Adobe ...), license with a Device licence type (and not custom) just to be able to have some data in the license consumption tab.
Thanks again. Regards.

View solution in original post

(2) Replies
ChrisG
By Community Manager Community Manager
Community Manager

The approaches you've described here are both quite valid, and will suit different types of use - depending on exactly how you are using the application statuses in your workflow.

Another approach may be to create a license record for these freeware applications, and link the relevant application records to it. That would then mean the applications are then considered "licensed", and so get them out of any analysis that looks at applications and associated installations which are not covered by any license record (that is, are "unlicensed").

(Did my reply solve the question? Click "ACCEPT AS SOLUTION" to help others find answers faster. Liked something? Click "KUDO". Anything expressed here is my own view and not necessarily that of my employer, Flexera.)

Hi @ChrisG , thanks for this valuable other solution.
I 'm going to get this one and I will create "Freeware licenses" dedicated to main Publishers (MS, Oracle, Adobe ...), license with a Device licence type (and not custom) just to be able to have some data in the license consumption tab.
Thanks again. Regards.