Although many market data, research and SaaS services are delivered via the web, significant numbers of applications are directly installed on PC desktop and laptops. Having visibility of desktop application usage is crucial to give you the complete picture, whether it’s for applications which are only installed, or for SaaS subscriptions where some components are web-delivered but some are installed as desktop applications.
The new Installed Application Monitoring module from TRG Screen extends ResearchMonitor’s existing capabilities to track the usage of web browser-based services, to any installed application on the desktop.
With Installed Application Monitoring, ResearchMonitor can track down to the individual user and application, which applications are being launched, how long they’re being run, how long they’re visible on screen, and how much keyboard and mouse interaction they receive.
This functionality facilitates numerous use cases, examples of which include:
- Track whether specialist research and market data applications are being launched, by whom, and for how long
- Right-size your user subscriptions tiers for subscriptions by checking if desktop applications are being used (e.g. Microsoft Office 365)
- Check you’re in compliance within your licensed user counts
- Detect the presence of “stealth IT” being used out of license
- Identify training needs by detecting under-utilized, or unused, services
- Understand trends of desktop usage where users have a choice of similar applications (eg. Slack vs Skype, Edge vs Chrome, etc)
- Identify non-business software being used out of policy such as Spotify
“ResearchMonitor’s existing web-based usage monitoring is crucial for our clients to ensure their market data, research and software subscriptions are being effectively used”, says Richard Mundell, TRG Screen’s Chief Technology Officer. “Expanding our capabilities to desktop application tracking helps complete the picture and provides huge value-add for the platform”. He adds, “This is part of our strategy of continuing to add usage tracking capabilities for additional types of services and subscriptions across our usage management products”.
TRG Screen’s product line up also includes DART which provides in-depth usage tracking for market data terminals, and the FITS and INFOmatch spend management platforms which allow clients to gain transparency across all types of high-value, high-importance, subscription spend including market data, research, software, expert networks, and more. TRG Screen’s Spend and Usage Management products integrate allowing usage data to drive cost allocations and identify unused, and under-used, subscriptions.
The new Installed Applications Monitoring Module sits alongside core ResearchMonitor functionality, all within the same application, keeping the same lightweight desktop footprint with no additional software to deploy.
The Installed Applications Monitoring Module is available immediately as an optionally licensable feature in ResearchMonitor 9.
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