How can I track down some licences?

[laserblazer]

A few years ago, we bought a load of computers from a reseller, including Office 2007 but we installed 2003 at the time. We are now in the process of updating these computers to Windows 7 and put Office 2007 on them. I couldn't find any trace of a licence agreement from the supplier and when I asked, they said it was with the invoice. Now there's as much chance of a camel passing through the eye of a needle as I have of tracking down invoices from that long ago and whilst I could force the issue, I don't want to make myself any more unpopular right now.

 

The reseller has confirmed in writing that we purchased Office Pro Plus but I would really like to see a proper licence agreement. I'm assuming the reseller did it on their volume licence and I have asked them but I'm wondering if there's any other way that I can get the information?

[Millgate]

They should be able to provide you with your agreement number. They would have placed the order with distribution so even if they've "lost" it, they'll be able to get a copy from the disti.

 

Sounds a bit dodgy to me. If they have added it onto their own agreement, then technically you're not covered as it needs to be in your name.

 

If you do manage to get an agreement number, let me know and I'll try and find out some more info for you

[glennda]

You Might be surprised with regards to invoices - i thought that would be the case but within 10 mins of asking I was in the archive store with a copy in my hand.

 

I'm fairly sure its a legal requirement to keep them.

[laserblazer]

I'm fairly sure its a legal requirement to keep them

 

I'm sure we have them it's a question of where!

[TonyJM]

Hi LaserBlazer

 

We get this all the time with our educational clients...

 

Microsoft can produce a consumption report at no cost. Any decent Microsoft AER will do this for you free of charge. This will show up any licences and their respective agreement numbers. Typically the report takes about 24 hours to produce.

 

I would gladly help at no cost if you need someone to do this for you.

 

Feel free to contact me if needed.

 

Regards

 

Tony

[KeithMPhoenix]

Depends how it was purchased, many frameworks and similarly many aggregated routes to purchase out there may not have had individual school names listed, and it will then not show on consumption data. The reseller should be able to provide details, agreement numbers PO numbers or to distributors or MS directly. Hope this helps.

[laserblazer]

It seems the reseller got the licences from Ramesys and has proof of purchase. Ramesys is now owned by Capita and they say they can find no trace of it. The reseller has taken it up a level.

[TonyJM]

I might be mistaken, but I believe Ramesys would buy licences in bulk to get the pricing down then resell them on to schools - I am not sure that they ever registered them in the schools names and so if this is the case it will be almost impossible to track down. Like I said I am not 100% certain of this - but if I am correct then it will be hard proving ownership as by definition to own them they should be registered to the school in which case my earlier comment about running a consumption report is still true.

[KeithMPhoenix]

There were issues there - however that is not how LAR's work - the Select Licences are reported direct to MS and all LAR's will buy at the same cost. There are cases where there are aggregated agreements, or LEA wide agreements where in some cases schools are not individually named, In addition there are situations where schools are affiliated to various frameworks. All are standard ways to procure, and depending on how they were reported to MS will dictate what will show up on a consumption. I would assume that the reseller would have some record somewhere - it would just be a case of then tracking it down.

[laserblazer]

I've not heard back from the reseller yet but would you say that, as both the reseller an us have proof that we purchased the licences then that would suffice if we were ever asked to show them?