Facing a Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, or SAP audit? We've reduced audit claims by up to 78%. Deep licensing expertise and aggressive negotiation protect your position.
When a software publisher initiates an audit, most organizations panic. Internal teams lack the licensing expertise to challenge inflated claims, and the vendor's audit team is trained to maximize your liability. Without expert defense, you'll likely pay far more than you actually owe — and the financial impact can be devastating, with unbudgeted payments of millions that can cost people their jobs.
Software publisher audits are a billion-dollar revenue stream for vendors like Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, and Adobe. They're designed to intimidate and extract maximum payment — often far beyond what's actually owed. Without expert representation, organizations routinely overpay by millions. UMS has defended clients against the most aggressive vendor audits for over 25 years. We reduced a major global financial institution's $35M audit exposure to $7.5M. We've taken clients from multi-million dollar settlement letters to zero. Whether you've just received the initial audit letter or you're deep in negotiations, we can help.
We've reduced audit claims by up to 78% — turning $35M exposures into $7.5M settlements, and multi-million dollar claims to zero. We know exactly how vendors inflate their numbers and how to challenge every line item.
Our team has 25+ years of licensing expertise across Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, SAP, Adobe, VMware, and Broadcom. We know the licensing rules better than the vendors' own audit teams.
Whether you just received the initial audit letter, are mid-negotiation, or have already received a settlement demand — we can step in at any stage and improve your outcome.
After resolving the audit, we help you establish ongoing compliance monitoring so you never face an unpleasant surprise again.
We review the audit letter, your current licensing position, and the vendor's claims to identify every area where their numbers are inflated or incorrect.
We build a comprehensive defense: documenting your actual usage, identifying licensing entitlements the vendor missed, and preparing counter-arguments for every inflated claim.
We negotiate directly with the vendor's audit team to achieve the best possible outcome — whether that's a dramatically reduced settlement, a favorable compliance agreement, or complete dismissal.
As a global capital markets platform prepared to virtualize IBM MQ workloads, UMS rebuilt the licensing fact base, cutting the modeled UK gap from 1,170 PVU to 50 PVU and guiding targeted IBM purchases instead of a blanket full-capacity overbuy.
A Canadian municipality faced a potential Oracle Java licensing problem that could have been priced across 1,499 employees. UMS built a defensible fact base, classified 216 Java endpoints, cleared 193 from immediate commercial concern, and narrowed follow-up to 23 endpoints and a 10-server remediation plan.
Multiple mayors, multiple administrations — one constant partner delivering results. UMS has managed NYC's enterprise software portfolio across 80+ agencies for over 25 years, driving $800M+ in cumulative savings through centralized licensing, vendor negotiations, and audit defense. Recently signed a 6-year renewal — their longest commitment yet.
Contact us immediately. The earlier we engage, the better your outcome. We'll review the audit scope, assess your exposure, and develop a defense strategy. Do not provide data to the vendor until you have expert guidance.
Absolutely. We regularly step into audits already in progress. Even after a settlement letter has been issued, we've achieved dramatic reductions — including taking a $35M claim down to $7.5M for a major global financial institution.
We have deep expertise defending against audits from Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, SAP, Adobe, VMware, Broadcom, and other major publishers. These vendors collectively generate billions in audit revenue annually.
Results vary by situation, but we've achieved reductions of 50-100% on audit claims. Our track record includes reducing a $35M exposure to $7.5M and eliminating multi-million dollar claims entirely.
We typically work on a shared savings model — we share in the reduction we achieve compared to the vendor's initial claim. If we don't reduce your exposure, you don't pay. Zero risk.
Book a free 30-minute consultation. We'll show you exactly where your savings are — no obligation, no upfront cost.
