The Software Portfolio Audit

Most companies don’t have a software problem. They have a visibility problem.

Somewhere between the third internal tool and the fifth “temporary” integration, you lost track of what you actually own. Now you’re paying for systems no one uses, maintaining code no one understands, and hoping the one person who knows how the billing integration works doesn’t quit.

The Software Portfolio Audit fixes that. In 30-45 days, we deliver a complete inventory of your software estate — what exists, what it costs, what depends on it, and what to do next.

What You Get

A Complete Inventory

Every application, script, automation, dashboard, and spreadsheet-with-delusions-of-grandeur. We document:

  • What it does (stated purpose vs. actual usage)
  • Who depends on it (users, downstream systems, business processes)
  • What it costs (hosting, licensing, maintenance hours, opportunity cost)
  • Who maintains it (or doesn’t)

A Dependency Map

Systems don’t exist in isolation. We trace the connections:

  • Data flows between systems
  • Integration points and failure modes
  • Shared credentials and access patterns
  • Single points of failure

A Risk Assessment

Not all technical debt is created equal. We identify:

  • Key-person dependencies — systems that stop working when specific people leave
  • Undocumented logic — business rules buried in code no one reads
  • Security exposure — credentials in repos, outdated dependencies, missing access controls
  • Compliance gaps — what would fail an audit tomorrow

A Prioritized Action Plan

We don’t just hand you a list of problems. We deliver recommendations ranked by ROI and risk:

  • What to keep (it’s working, leave it alone)
  • What to consolidate (three tools doing one job)
  • What to rebuild (the core is rotten)
  • What to retire (no one will miss it)

How It Works

Week 1-2: Discovery

We interview stakeholders, review documentation (what exists of it), and gain access to systems. We’re looking for the full picture — not just what’s in your org chart, but what’s actually running.

Week 2-4: Analysis

We inventory systems, trace dependencies, assess risk, and identify redundancies. This is where the map comes together.

Week 4-6: Synthesis

We develop recommendations, estimate costs, and prioritize by impact. The output is an executive brief you can present to leadership, plus a detailed technical appendix.

Delivery: Executive Readout

We present findings to your leadership team, answer questions, and discuss next steps. You walk away with a clear picture and a concrete plan.

What Happens After

You have options:

Execute internally. Take the audit and run with it. The documentation is yours; we’ve structured it for handoff.

Engage us to execute. We can consolidate systems, build replacements, retire deadweight, and provide ongoing stewardship. Most clients start here after seeing the audit results.

Do nothing. At minimum, you now know what you’re carrying. That’s more than most companies can say.

Who This Is For

The Software Portfolio Audit is designed for organizations that have:

  • Accumulated internal tools over years without a rationalization strategy
  • Experienced turnover that took institutional knowledge with it
  • Inherited systems through acquisitions or reorgs
  • Grown faster than their documentation practices
  • Started asking “what would happen if this person quit?”

If you’re already running lean with full visibility into your systems, you probably don’t need this. But if you’re reading this page, that’s probably not your situation.

Pricing

The audit is a fixed-scope engagement. Pricing depends on the size and complexity of your environment, but most audits fall between $15,000 and $40,000.

We’ll scope it precisely after an initial conversation. No surprises.

Start With Clarity

Or reach out directly: [email protected]