To address these issues, some vendors are offering subscription licensing models, and they are becoming more popular as a way to buy CAD packages.
For example, Autodesk’s Desktop Subscription offers plans with term-based access to the software, and its typically available in monthly, quarterly or annual packages. That flexibility allows design teams to add or subtract licenses on a project-by-project basis, thereby matching their costs with their revenues. What’s more, the upfront costs of adopting Autodesk’s Desktop Subscription service are dramatically lower than the older, standalone model. So the question is, “Why pay for empty CAD seats if you don’t have to?”
Desktop Subscription gives design teams greater ability to manage how they deploy and pay for software, saving money on every project.
Subscription services also provide access to the latest software release. Autodesk’s Desktop subscription service, for example, gives customers the opportunity to continuously update their software and gain access to support 24/7. This shifts the burden of maintenance from the customer to the vendor, which is a good thing for you as an engineer.
Subscription does not necessarily mean Cloud
That said, no product development team can design in a vacuum. They need input from multiple disciplines including industrial design, manufacturing and marketing. The Cloud offers the promise of collaborative input from these sources.
Subscription does not necessarily mean Cloud
While virtually all cloud based services are sold as subscriptions, not all subscriptions require you to store your data on the cloud. Many companies are happy to have their CRM data and lots of other services hosted in a software-as-a-service accessible over the Internet.
Subscriptions offer the same software on your desktop
Autodesk is now offering subscription services to its suite of industry-standard software. The Autodesk’s Desktop Subscription gives you access to the same full-versions of desktop-based software that you’ve relied on for years. The subscription benefits that accompany the product access are very similar to the benefits of the Maintenance Subscription program that many Autodesk users are familiar with. Most Autodesk products are available through Desktop Subscription, including:
· AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT
· Product Design Suite, featuring Autodesk Inventor
· Building Design Suite, featuring Revit
· 3DS Max Entertainment Creation Suite
· Inventor LT Suite
· Revit LT Suite
· Alias Surface
· And many more
Autodesk has advised that they intend to add new software titles to the Desktop Subscription model over time so that virtually all packages will be available this way.
Desktop Subscriptions let you extend your team
Another major advantage of CAD subscriptions is the way they can help you expand your team to bring in designers on a project-to-project basis. Larger enterprises appreciate the financial predictability that comes from having only as many software licenses as people on a project. They don’t have to worry about paying for licenses when a major project comes to a close, or footing a big bill when a new project gets started.
Just ask yourself, do you have a big project coming up? Does the year ahead look busy? If so, subscription-based licensing allows you to scale up your workforce in an instant and scale it back whenever you need. Whether you’re a contract engineer that’s just landed a 6 month job or a large design firm bringing in a few summer interns, adding seats via subscription might make the most sense.
Subscribing to software makes business sense
CAD subscriptions are becoming increasingly popular with businesses of all sizes. They can even open up new business possibilities, allowing users to acquire new software as they need it to meet customer demands, while custom-fitting their budgets.
With pay-as-you-go access to scalable tools that are tuned to today’s design market, subscription-based CAD solutions can help forge a better path for business.
Autodesk has sponsored promotion of their software solutions on ENGINEERING.com. They have no editorial input to this post - all opinions are mine. Kyle Maxey