What is SaaS Operations and Why Do They Matter For Your Business?
What is SaaS Operations and Why Do They Matter For Your Business?
Denis Shatalin
Founder of Saas Camp
Near enough every business uses SaaS. So much so, it’s become difficult to track all the apps we’re using and paying for.
This is a problem. When we don’t know exactly which apps we’re using and who has access, it creates financial weaknesses and security risks in our start-ups.
So, what’s the solution? To tackle these pain points, SaaS operations emerged to enhance the management of our SaaS application stacks.
SaaS operations have become so essential that, by 2026, Gartner says that half of all organizations using multiple SaaS applications will centralize management of these apps using a SaaS management platform.
Here on my site, I share the essentials for start-ups to succeed. At my SaaS Camp, I help them streamline their SaaS operations, build a marketing strategy and generate unbelievable revenue growth. So you’ll be in safe hands as we dive into SaaS operations. So let’s get to it.
This is a problem. When we don’t know exactly which apps we’re using and who has access, it creates financial weaknesses and security risks in our start-ups.
So, what’s the solution? To tackle these pain points, SaaS operations emerged to enhance the management of our SaaS application stacks.
SaaS operations have become so essential that, by 2026, Gartner says that half of all organizations using multiple SaaS applications will centralize management of these apps using a SaaS management platform.
Here on my site, I share the essentials for start-ups to succeed. At my SaaS Camp, I help them streamline their SaaS operations, build a marketing strategy and generate unbelievable revenue growth. So you’ll be in safe hands as we dive into SaaS operations. So let’s get to it.
What is SaaS Operations?
SaaS operations are the monitoring and managing of an organization’s SaaS applications.
Even companies with fewer than 50 employees use an average of 16 SaaS products. Keeping track of these applications can be tricky.
For this reason, it’s crucial for start-ups to effectively manage, operate, and budget plan for all the SaaS products they use. The systems and processes used for this are referred to as SaaS operations.
SaaS operations management activities include:
These processes have become so important that many businesses employ SaaSOps professionals to ensure they get done.
Whether you have a dedicated SaaSOps professional or not, SaaS operations management software is vital to complete these tasks efficiently and effectively.
Let’s talk about what it can do.
SaaS operations are the monitoring and managing of an organization’s SaaS applications.
Even companies with fewer than 50 employees use an average of 16 SaaS products. Keeping track of these applications can be tricky.
For this reason, it’s crucial for start-ups to effectively manage, operate, and budget plan for all the SaaS products they use. The systems and processes used for this are referred to as SaaS operations.
SaaS operations management activities include:
- Ensuring the company procures the best SaaS products
- Managing security across SaaS applications
- Ensuring optimum SaaS budget allocation to deliver the greatest value
- Managing employee access to SaaS applications
- Automation of SaaS admin tasks
- Maintaining a record of all SaaS products in use
These processes have become so important that many businesses employ SaaSOps professionals to ensure they get done.
Whether you have a dedicated SaaSOps professional or not, SaaS operations management software is vital to complete these tasks efficiently and effectively.
Let’s talk about what it can do.
Key Features of SaaS Operations Management Software
SaaS Administration Tools
SaaS operations management software streamlines administrative SaaS operations tasks, including:
As well as making SaaS admin easier and more efficient, SaaS operations management software builds a complete overview of the SaaS products a business uses.
Reporting
SaaS operations management software usually comes with a handy reporting functionality. This provides an overview of tasks that have taken place inside the software – basically, any activity related to your SaaS applications.
SaaS operations software makes it easy to track what SaaS apps are being used and who’s using them, thanks to their centralized databases. These databases can also keep track of any applications that have been added or removed to the stack. They keep things nice and simple for your IT and HR teams.
Security
SaaS applications have been game-changing for start-ups but also pose a potential security risk.
SaaS applications are easy to access from anywhere, thanks to The Cloud. This is great, don’t get me wrong. But they can threaten an organization’s security if employees misuse SaaS applications or use SaaS products without approval.
With this in mind, SaaS operations management software reviews permissions for SaaS products that contain sensitive data. After all, data security is one of the top concerns for stakeholders.
SaaS Administration Tools
SaaS operations management software streamlines administrative SaaS operations tasks, including:
- Renewing or canceling SaaS subscriptions
- Automating SaaS administration tasks
- Managing user access to applications
- Support users in onboarding new SaaS applications
As well as making SaaS admin easier and more efficient, SaaS operations management software builds a complete overview of the SaaS products a business uses.
Reporting
SaaS operations management software usually comes with a handy reporting functionality. This provides an overview of tasks that have taken place inside the software – basically, any activity related to your SaaS applications.
SaaS operations software makes it easy to track what SaaS apps are being used and who’s using them, thanks to their centralized databases. These databases can also keep track of any applications that have been added or removed to the stack. They keep things nice and simple for your IT and HR teams.
Security
SaaS applications have been game-changing for start-ups but also pose a potential security risk.
SaaS applications are easy to access from anywhere, thanks to The Cloud. This is great, don’t get me wrong. But they can threaten an organization’s security if employees misuse SaaS applications or use SaaS products without approval.
With this in mind, SaaS operations management software reviews permissions for SaaS products that contain sensitive data. After all, data security is one of the top concerns for stakeholders.
BetterCloud is the market leader for SaaS operations – at least according to top analyst firms like Gartner.
BetterCloud’s SaaS operations management software empowers IT departments, centralizes data protection, and improves operational efficiency. That’s why it was named Best Software for 2022 by G2. Reviewers helped the brand get the top spot thanks to the time it helped them save on SaaS admin tasks.
Key Features:
Vendr (formerly Blissfully)
BetterCloud’s SaaS operations management software empowers IT departments, centralizes data protection, and improves operational efficiency. That’s why it was named Best Software for 2022 by G2. Reviewers helped the brand get the top spot thanks to the time it helped them save on SaaS admin tasks.
Key Features:
- Sensitive data discovery
- Risky app elimination
- Access management
- Security compliance
Vendr (formerly Blissfully)
Helping businesses find and buy the right SaaS, Vendr speeds up the SaaS buying process and provides data-guided recommendations to boost savings.
Many top SaaS-using brands like HubSpot, Reddit, and more trust Vendr to handle their SaaS operations. It’s no wonder, since Vendr is the leading software procurement specialist (in other words, it helps businesses find the best products at the best price).
Key Features:
Cledara
Many top SaaS-using brands like HubSpot, Reddit, and more trust Vendr to handle their SaaS operations. It’s no wonder, since Vendr is the leading software procurement specialist (in other words, it helps businesses find the best products at the best price).
Key Features:
- Recommendations for SaaS app acquisition
- Easy renewal management
- Price benchmarking for SaaS expenses
- Automated sending of security questionnaires
- Comprehensive record system
Cledara
You can view all your SaaS apps from one centralized location with Cledara.
As a SaaS purchasing platform to discover, buy and manage SaaS subscriptions, Cledara makes SaaS admin super easy. You can automate tedious SaaS processes like accounting and cancel SaaS app subscriptions instantly. You also get a handy software spending overview.
Thanks to these features and more, Cledara reports lowering businesses’ software costs by 30% and reducing the time spent on SaaS admin tasks by over 20 hours.
Key Features:
Zylo
As a SaaS purchasing platform to discover, buy and manage SaaS subscriptions, Cledara makes SaaS admin super easy. You can automate tedious SaaS processes like accounting and cancel SaaS app subscriptions instantly. You also get a handy software spending overview.
Thanks to these features and more, Cledara reports lowering businesses’ software costs by 30% and reducing the time spent on SaaS admin tasks by over 20 hours.
Key Features:
- Real-time SaaS spend analytics and forecasts
- SaaS usage breakdowns
- Renewal reminders
- One-click cancellation
- Cashback on your software subscriptions
Zylo
As a SaaS management & optimization specialist, Zylo’s SaaS operations management software helps businesses manage their SaaS spending and mitigate security risks.
The software is designed to tackle the evolving risks and rising costs of SaaS products. It does all this while streamlining the experience of SaaSOps professionals using the software.
Zylo is trusted by a host of big names, including Adobe, Salesforce, and Slack – probably because the software is the most data-driven of any SaaSOps software provider.
Key features:
The software is designed to tackle the evolving risks and rising costs of SaaS products. It does all this while streamlining the experience of SaaSOps professionals using the software.
Zylo is trusted by a host of big names, including Adobe, Salesforce, and Slack – probably because the software is the most data-driven of any SaaSOps software provider.
Key features:
- Ongoing monitoring of SaaS applications
- SaaS License optimization
- Catalog of approved applications
- Comprehensive visibility into SaaS applications, usage, and spending
- Actionable recommendations
Why SaaS Operations Management Tools are Essential
Enhances efficiency
SaaSOps management tools make SaaS management tasks more efficient – from auditing your SaaS stack, to eliminating unused apps.
Managing your SaaS portfolio without a SaaS operations management tool is time-consuming and ineffective. This is a huge drain on your finances and human resources. Why make your employees spend hours completing SaaS admin tasks that could be done in minutes?
In contrast, implementing SaaSOps software maximizes the efficiency of your SaaS management processes' efficiency and ensures your stack's transparency.
Improves employee experience
Using SaaS operations management software makes life easier for your employees.
By automating tedious, time-consuming SaaS admin tasks, SaaS operations management systems give your employees more time to do more valuable – and, let’s face it – more interesting work in other parts of your start-up.
SaaS operations management software also supports your SaaSOps team when organizing and managing SaaS apps, so they can perform the tasks that aren’t automated more effectively.
All in all, this helps to improve employee morale by minimizing frustration and reducing the time they spend on menial SaaS admin tasks.
Boosts transparency
It’s challenging to keep track of every SaaS application used by your start-up and all your employees.
With a SaaS operations management system, all info about your SaaS applications is centralized in one location, in a record that keeps tabs on all your active SaaS products.
This makes it quick and easy to see precisely which SaaS products are in use, including information relating to cost, renewal dates, users, and more.
SaaSOps management tools make SaaS management tasks more efficient – from auditing your SaaS stack, to eliminating unused apps.
Managing your SaaS portfolio without a SaaS operations management tool is time-consuming and ineffective. This is a huge drain on your finances and human resources. Why make your employees spend hours completing SaaS admin tasks that could be done in minutes?
In contrast, implementing SaaSOps software maximizes the efficiency of your SaaS management processes' efficiency and ensures your stack's transparency.
Improves employee experience
Using SaaS operations management software makes life easier for your employees.
By automating tedious, time-consuming SaaS admin tasks, SaaS operations management systems give your employees more time to do more valuable – and, let’s face it – more interesting work in other parts of your start-up.
SaaS operations management software also supports your SaaSOps team when organizing and managing SaaS apps, so they can perform the tasks that aren’t automated more effectively.
All in all, this helps to improve employee morale by minimizing frustration and reducing the time they spend on menial SaaS admin tasks.
Boosts transparency
It’s challenging to keep track of every SaaS application used by your start-up and all your employees.
With a SaaS operations management system, all info about your SaaS applications is centralized in one location, in a record that keeps tabs on all your active SaaS products.
This makes it quick and easy to see precisely which SaaS products are in use, including information relating to cost, renewal dates, users, and more.
How to Scale SaaS Operations – SaaS Operations Best Practices.
1. Build a SaaS Operations Team
Depending on the size of your SaaS startup, you’ll want to choose an individual or create a team to manage your SaaS applications.
They’ll need to have knowledge of different SaaS apps on the market, alongside some technical know-how. After all, they’ll be responsible for onboarding new employees and getting them familiar with the SaaS tools.
This can help your business ensure SaaS applications run effectively to provide the most value for your start-up.
If you don’t know where to start, why not join my SaaS camp to streamline everything from your SaaS operations to boosting product revenue? Maybe even by 400%+ in 2 months, like this SaaS Camp graduate.
2. Record SaaS Applications
If your start-up uses multiple SaaS apps, you need to create a record.
This allows you to get an overview of all the SaaS apps you’re using and paying for – so you can
easily see which subscriptions you should renew or terminate.
A record is also essential to gauge your total SaaS spending. SaaSOps management software allows you to quickly find billing, invoicing, and licensing information, all in one location.
3. Automate Your Workflows
As much as possible, you should automate SaaS task sequences. Your team has better things to do
than repeat tedious admin tasks that your SaaS operations management software can automate.
This includes:
4. Manage User Access
As you scale, you’ll be responsible for keeping a greater volume of data secure – and keeping this safe across more SaaS applications.
Using your SaaS operations management software, you can manage employee access. You should monitor who has access to which applications and remove permissions when necessary.
5. Prioritize Governance
To keep your security up to scratch, minimize financial loss, and put stakeholders at ease, it’s crucial to establish a comprehensive SaaS governance plan as you scale.
SaaS governance comprises the practices used to control and manage the use of SaaS applications. It also provides guidelines to employees about SaaS purchasing so they know to keep the company informed about any purchases they make.
Your governance plan should include the monitoring of all your SaaS applications. This allows you to track down any shadow SaaS apps that the IT department hasn’t approved, which could present a potential security risk and financial drain.
Your governance framework should also include guidelines for SaaS acquisition. This’ll help you control which SaaS apps are entering the system.
6. Optimize your SaaS spending.
Tracking and analyzing your SaaS spending is vital to get the most value from your SaaS stack.
Using SaaS operations management software makes it simple to optimize your SaaS spending. For
example – by showing you duplicate SaaS purchases or SaaS apps not being used. From here, you
can easily terminate your unneeded SaaS subscriptions.
All in all, this will help you reduce your monthly SaaS-related costs and maximize profit margins.
Depending on the size of your SaaS startup, you’ll want to choose an individual or create a team to manage your SaaS applications.
They’ll need to have knowledge of different SaaS apps on the market, alongside some technical know-how. After all, they’ll be responsible for onboarding new employees and getting them familiar with the SaaS tools.
This can help your business ensure SaaS applications run effectively to provide the most value for your start-up.
If you don’t know where to start, why not join my SaaS camp to streamline everything from your SaaS operations to boosting product revenue? Maybe even by 400%+ in 2 months, like this SaaS Camp graduate.
2. Record SaaS Applications
If your start-up uses multiple SaaS apps, you need to create a record.
This allows you to get an overview of all the SaaS apps you’re using and paying for – so you can
easily see which subscriptions you should renew or terminate.
A record is also essential to gauge your total SaaS spending. SaaSOps management software allows you to quickly find billing, invoicing, and licensing information, all in one location.
3. Automate Your Workflows
As much as possible, you should automate SaaS task sequences. Your team has better things to do
than repeat tedious admin tasks that your SaaS operations management software can automate.
This includes:
- Facilitating vendor approval
- Tracking when new SaaS apps are added or removed to your SaaS stack
- Onboarding employees onto SaaS apps
4. Manage User Access
As you scale, you’ll be responsible for keeping a greater volume of data secure – and keeping this safe across more SaaS applications.
Using your SaaS operations management software, you can manage employee access. You should monitor who has access to which applications and remove permissions when necessary.
5. Prioritize Governance
To keep your security up to scratch, minimize financial loss, and put stakeholders at ease, it’s crucial to establish a comprehensive SaaS governance plan as you scale.
SaaS governance comprises the practices used to control and manage the use of SaaS applications. It also provides guidelines to employees about SaaS purchasing so they know to keep the company informed about any purchases they make.
Your governance plan should include the monitoring of all your SaaS applications. This allows you to track down any shadow SaaS apps that the IT department hasn’t approved, which could present a potential security risk and financial drain.
Your governance framework should also include guidelines for SaaS acquisition. This’ll help you control which SaaS apps are entering the system.
6. Optimize your SaaS spending.
Tracking and analyzing your SaaS spending is vital to get the most value from your SaaS stack.
Using SaaS operations management software makes it simple to optimize your SaaS spending. For
example – by showing you duplicate SaaS purchases or SaaS apps not being used. From here, you
can easily terminate your unneeded SaaS subscriptions.
All in all, this will help you reduce your monthly SaaS-related costs and maximize profit margins.
Conclusion
Managing your SaaS operations is essential to improving your start-up’s efficiency and mitigating security and financial risks.
As you scale your SaaS start-up, this becomes even more important as your customer base expands and the number of SaaS applications your company uses grows.
To skyrocket the revenue of your SaaS start-up and learn how to scale your SaaS start-up, book a consultation with me or join my SaaS camp to streamline your scaling process and make your SaaS start-up profitable.
As you scale your SaaS start-up, this becomes even more important as your customer base expands and the number of SaaS applications your company uses grows.
To skyrocket the revenue of your SaaS start-up and learn how to scale your SaaS start-up, book a consultation with me or join my SaaS camp to streamline your scaling process and make your SaaS start-up profitable.
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