Sftware Usage Plicy Template This template is t accmpany the article: The Sftware Usage Plicy - An Indispensible Part f Yu SAM Tlbx The full article can be fund here: http://www.itassetmanagement.net/tag/plicy-template/ If yu have any experiences abut implementing r enfrcing a sftware usage plicy r yu wish t share suggestins fr imprvements t this plicy please cntact me. http://www.itassetmanagement.net/cntact/ Ntes This dcument is intended as a guide and starting pint nly and des nt represent a legal dcument. The aim is t prvide yu a baseline in which t build upn. It is based n surces and infrmatin reasnably believed t be accurate as f the time it was created. Therefre, the cmpleteness and current accuracy f the infrmatin prvided cannt be guaranteed. The end user f this infrmatin shuld therefre use the cntents f this dcument as a general guideline and nt as a legal dcument. Yu indemnify Martin Thmpsn and emplyees and agents frm and against all lsses, claims, damages and liabilities that arise ut f any use f this dcument and/r any applicatin f its cntent. This dcument is published under the Creative Cmmns 'Attributin-ShareAlike' license. This means yu can edit and use this dcument fr yur wn cmpany use. Yu can als cpy, distribute r transmit the wrk if yu attribute the wrk t The ITAM Review www.itassetmanagement.net. Full details f the license can be fund here: http://creativecmmns.rg/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Regards, Martin Thmpsn The ITAM Review August 2011 www.itassetmanagement.net
<Organizatin Name> Sftware Usage Plicy POLICY PURPOSE The purpse f the <Organizatin Name> Sftware Usage Plicy is t ensure that <Organizatin Name> emplyees are prperly trained n apprpriate prcedures surrunding safe and legal use f cmpany-wned sftware. Furthermre, this plicy is intended t discurage inadvertent (r deliberate) vilatins f the terms f ur rganizatin s sftware license agreements and applicable laws when installing and/r using sftware n cmputers wned by <Organizatin Name> r private cmputers used t perfrm wrk related t <Organizatin Name>. BACKGROUND <Organizatin Name> purchases and licenses sftware frm a variety f surces. Any duplicatin f sftware except as permitted by related license agreements is a vilatin f <applicable federal law> and is therefre prhibited. Installing unauthrized sftware n a cmputer system, wrkstatin, r netwrk server within <Organizatin Name> can lead t ptential system failures, system degradatin r viruses. Unauthrized installatins als place <Organizatin Name> and its emplyees at risk fr civil and criminal actin, which can result in punitive measures impsed n all invlved parties. The installatin f unauthrized r illegal sftware carries civil fines f up t $150,000 per cpy f unlicensed sftware and criminal penalties f up t $250,000, r a five-year jail sentence, r bth. <Organizatin Name> emplyees that use cmputer systems fr wrk-related purpses must therefre agree t the fllwing cnditins fr the use f sftware: T purchase, install, and/r use nly sftware that has been authrized fr use n <Organizatin Name> cmputers. T btain prper dcumentatin fr all wrk-related sftware purchases. T abide by the terms f all license agreements as they pertain t the use f sftware n <Organizatin Name>-issued cmputers, as well as n at hme r persnal cmputer systems used fr <Organizatin Name>-related wrk. Nt t reprduce r duplicate sftware, in any way, except as prvided by the license agreement between <Organizatin Name> and the sftware manufacturer.
SOFTWARE USAGE POLICY 1.0 Authrized Sftware Only sftware authrized by <Organizatin Name> may be purchased, installed, r used n <Organizatin Name>-issued cmputers. Persnal sftware, r sftware that an emplyee has acquired fr nn-business purpses, may nt be installed n <Organizatin Name>-issued cmputers. The nly sftware permitted fr installatin n <Organizatin Name> cmputers is authrized sftware fr which <Organizatin Name> has been granted a license. * Nte: Yu will find an updated list f bth authrized and unauthrized applicatins by clicking n the links belw: Authrized applicatins Unauthrized applicatins 2.0 Sftware Purchases Only sftware n the authrized applicatins list may be purchased by <Organizatin Name> emplyees. If yu wish t purchase an authrized applicatin, the fllwing prcedures must be adhered t: 1. A cpy f the sftware license must be prvided t <department name> fr cmpletin f registratin and inventry requirements. 2. Licenses must be registered in the name f <Organizatin Name> and nt in the name f an individual end-user. * Nte: If yu wish t purchase sftware that is nt n either the authrized r unauthrized list, yu must fill ut a sftware request frm, lcated here: <file path>. If apprved by <department name>, the sftware will subsequently be placed n the authrized list. 3.0 Duplicatin f Licenses Sftware shall nt be duplicated, reprduced, r installed n mre than ne machine withut prir written authrizatin by <individual r department>.* If a sftware license states it is eligible and apprved fr hme use**, the fllwing cnditins must be adhered t: Use f the sftware is limited t <Organizatin Name> business. The sftware must be remved frm the cmputer if the individual is n lnger emplyed by <Organizatin Name>.
* Mst sftware is licensed fr use n ne cmputer at a time with a prvisin fr making a single backup cpy f the sftware, but in rder t prtect individual emplyees and <Organizatin Name>, written cnsent t d s must be btained by <department name>. ** Mst sftware licensed t <Organizatin Name> cannt be run n hme and wrk cmputers simultaneusly. Sme sftware vendrs, hwever, permit emplyees, wh are licensed t use the prduct at n wrk-issued cmputers and n a hme cmputer under certain limited cnditins. <Organizatin Name> has n specific plicies prhibiting such use, assuming it is permitted under the terms f the license agreement. 4.0 Retirement r Transfer f Licenses The fllwing rules apply when a license r licenses are replaced by newer versins r are being transferred frm ne user t anther: Licenses may nt be uninstalled frm ne user s machine and re-installed n anther user s machine withut written permissin frm <individual r department>.* All sftware and dcumentatin fr releases r versins that have been replaced by newer versins are t be returned prmptly t <individual r department>. All sftware and dcumentatin fr thse prducts n lnger required shuld be returned prmptly t <individual r department> and the sftware must be uninstalled prmptly frm the cmputer. * In mst cases, sftware licenses are nt transferable withut prir authrizatin frm the vendr. This is especially imprtant as it relates t the dispsitin f previus releases and the dispsitin f sftware licenses that have been upgraded. Fr example, it is almst always a vilatin f the license agreement t give anyne an lder versin f Micrsft Windws after receiving a Micrsft Windws upgrade. Even if a new license (nt an upgrade) has been btained, it may be still be a vilatin f the license agreement t give the ld cpy t anther persn. Under sme cnditins, <Organizatin Name> may have rights t transfer sftware frm ne user t anther. <Individual r department name> will review license agreements and limitatins fr each sftware prduct, and if apprpriate, authrize acceptable transfers f licenses. 5.0 Cmputer Reassignment The fllwing rules apply when a cmputer is being transferred frm ne user t anther: The cmputer reassignment must be authrized by the <apprpriate individual r department> The intentin t transfer the cmputer must be reprted t <apprpriate individual r department> at least 72 hurs in advance t allw fr prper dcumentatin.
If, after the transfer, bth users are using the sftware, an additinal license must be btained accrding t the guidelines specified abve. MONITORING T ensure adherence t the sftware usage plicy and related federal laws and statutes, <Organizatin Name> reserves the right t mnitr sftware installatins and usage all cmputers wned by <Organizatin Name>, as well as any privately-wned cmputers when used t cnduct <Organizatin Name>-related business. FAILURE TO COMPLY There are n exceptins t this plicy. Any emplyee fund vilating this Sftware Usage plicy in any manner is subject t disciplinary actin (in cnfrmance with <Organizatin Name> disciplinary plicies) including pssible terminatin f emplyment, and/r legal actin. SIGNED AGREEMENT There are n exceptins t this plicy. Any emplyee fund vilating this Sftware Usage plicy in any manner is subject t disciplinary actin (in cnfrmance with <Organizatin Name> disciplinary plicies) including pssible terminatin f emplyment, and/r legal actin. I, (print name) have read the <Organizatin Name> Sftware Usage plicy, dated (print date). I understand it and agree t abide by it. Signed, (signature)