Discover more about the G2 Track App Catalog and how it brings transparency to your software tools.
No matter the size of your organization, you are likely struggling to get your arms wrapped around the extensive list of tools within your software stack.
G2 Track has helped numerous companies gain unprecedented visibility into their SaaS applications and take the appropriate measures to reign in their SaaS sprawl. But how can you actually prevent Shadow IT from occurring in the first place? How can you prevent access from being granted to the wrong employees? And how do you balance these critical objectives while still enabling employees to get the tools they need to be most productive?
Easy. Utilize the G2 Track App Catalog.
The G2 Track App Catalog is your all-in-one dashboard where all of your organization's approved software solutions live. As one centralized location, the App Catalog is a self-service environment where all employees can take the steps needed to request a license from the product owner without having to interrupt the IT team’s workflow. The only way the IT team would be notified is if they’re the software owner and it’s on them to grant licenses.
Best of all, the App Catalog also makes it easier for employees and end-users to collaborate and work cross-functionally. Once all teams across varying departments have access to the same SaaS tools, working together on projects and assignments becomes seamless and hassle-free.
G2 Track customers enjoy many benefits that the App Catalog brings to the SaaS management experience.
For starters, it offers consistency and transparency about which software is being used across the company. Because the App Catalog provides employees an easy way to search G2 Track for all IT-authorized tools that are available to be used, everyone enjoys one common workflow to standardize which tools are used by the entire organization. It also ensures teams use the same tools and can collaborate more effectively for greater success.
Additionally, the App Catalog serves as a single source of truth, documenting software access requests in real-time, all in one place, while it automatically communicates any license requests to software admins.
Doing so not only strengthens an organization's ability to follow compliance and security rules but also reduces the likelihood of shadow IT as companies grow and scale. Employees can first see if their company already uses a tool that meets their needs and can gain access quickly. This will minimize the likelihood of multiple products procured with the same functionality, and likely save employees significant time researching and demoing tools.
of workers admit to using SaaS applications at work without getting approval from IT.
Source: G2 Track
If you’re new to a SaaS system of record like G2 Track, you may be unsure how the App Catalog works. Thankfully, it’s simple and easy to use.
Once users have logged into G2 Track, the App Catalog is accessible to anyone within an organization, and it allows users to see the entire list of applications available to others within their organization.
From the IT side, they are able to create different levels of visibility into the App Catalog, so that basic members can only see applications and data that the admins want them to see within the feature and its various dashboards. For instance, IT admins can customize which apps get published to the app catalog for employee visibility and for those visible apps, IT admins can hide financial data and other confidential information.
When an employee requests access to a SaaS application, it will trigger a specific and customizable workflow that seeks approval from the relevant stakeholders. Once it’s approved, the App Catalog will immediately alert the employee that they now have access so they can get started using their software and collaborating with the right people right away.
As your organization grows and scales, the right people must have the right kind of access to your SaaS applications. The App Catalog helps all teams – not just the IT team – to better manage the way all departments request access to specific software products, and how the product owners grant employee permission.
This will not only save time for the employees requesting access but also for the individuals who may or may not have the ability to provide access and assign a license. Best of all, it removes the burden from solely the shoulders of the IT team.
The App Catalog was designed with the customers in mind, and all it takes is a few clicks to get access to the right software.
For starters, from the App Catalog’s My Requests menu, employees can see all of their requests that have been approved, which ones are still pending access, and which requests have been denied with any attached comments from the admins. Navigating to All Apps will allow employees to see and search every SaaS application within their company’s tech stack. Of course, IT has full control over which apps will be visible in the App Catalog
When requesting access, employees choose from a list of licenses they’re requesting access to and have the opportunity to provide additional details as to why they need access to a particular tool. They can also share the type of license they need, like a basic license or a pro license. Additionally, employees can submit a request if they’re having trouble accessing a certain app, need a different kind of license, or have questions for their teammates who manage the app.
Once requests are sent, they can see the status of their requests, who their request was assigned to, and what the next steps are. Once the app approvers see the request, they can approve or deny, as well as include a note if more information is necessary.
If a request was sent to the wrong employee, that person can simply send along the request to the correct application owner to get it approved, expediting the process.
In regards to the pricing plans associated with the App Catalog, customers of G2 Track Essential, the freemium of G2 Track, are allotted up to 100 application access requests. G2 Track Enterprise customers enjoy the App Catalog as a free add-on with unlimited requests.
You’ve been asking for it and our engineering team has listened. From 360-degree transparency regarding your business tools and faster employee onboarding, to clear lines of communication, the App Catalog is sure to bring more efficiency to your business.
Interested in learning more about what the App Catalog can do? Sign up for a demo to discover how to create a manageable process for provisioning new licenses that will streamline your company’s ability to collaborate more effectively.
Already a G2 Track Enterprise customer? Sign in now to start using App Catalog.
Discover more about the G2 Track App Catalog and how it brings transparency to your software tools.
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