Glossary

Enterprise License Agreement (ELA)

What is an ELA?


An Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) is a contract between a software vendor and an enterprise customer that sets out the terms and conditions for the licensing of software products across an enterprise. Unlike a Master License Agreement (MLA) which is a more comprehensive business agreement that can cover a range of products and services, an ELA is often used for specific software products.


While the specific terms and conditions of an ELA can vary, it will typically outline the number and type of licenses covered under the agreement, restrictions or limitation on usage, the duration of the agreement, the fees associated with the license, renewal terms and termination clauses.

What is an ELA?


An Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) is a contract between a software vendor and an enterprise customer that sets out the terms and conditions for the licensing of software products across an enterprise. Unlike a Master License Agreement (MLA) which is a more comprehensive business agreement that can cover a range of products and services, an ELA is often used for specific software products.


While the specific terms and conditions of an ELA can vary, it will typically outline the number and type of licenses covered under the agreement, restrictions or limitation on usage, the duration of the agreement, the fees associated with the license, renewal terms and termination clauses.

Related Definitions

SaaS Agreement

What is a SaaS agreement?


A SaaS agreement, or contract, details the terms of your purchase from a SaaS vendor.

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Break Clause

What is a break clause?


A break clause refers to a provision within a SaaS agreement that allows either the customer or the SaaS provider to terminate the contract before the end of the initial term. A break clause will typically set out the conditions or requirements that must be met for either party to exercise their right to terminate an agreement early. For example, a break clause can enable users to cancel their subscription if they are dissatisfied with the service.

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SaaS Stack

What is a SaaS stack?


A SaaS stack is a collection of software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications and tools that are used across an organization. While the specific contents of any SaaS stack will vary depending on the nature of the business, it will typically consist of communication, collaboration, sales, marketing, HR, finance and data analytics software.

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Centralized Procurement

What is centralized procurement in SaaS?


Centralized SaaS procurement is a model in which all software purchasing decisions are made or approved by a single department, often either IT, procurement or finance. By having a streamlined process for purchasing and renewing software solutions, organizations can ensure they have total visibility of their SaaS apps, prevent wasted spend and maximize purchasing power.

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Price Uplifts

What are price uplifts?


In the context of SaaS, price uplifts refer to an increase in the price of a software subscription. While many software providers will implement price uplifts on an annual basis, typically at the point of renewal, others may review and amend their pricing more frequently, for example on a quarterly basis. It is recommended that buyers negotiate a price uplift cap during the initial contract negotiation stage, placing a limit on the maximum amount the subscription can be increased by within a specified time period.

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SaaS Management

What is SaaS management?


SaaS management is the process of identifying, managing, and governing the software applications that exist within an organization’s technology portfolio.


When software goes unmanaged, it not only puts the business at risk of data breaches and security issues, but it can also lead to a substantial amount of wasted spend as a result of redundant and duplicate SaaS apps, not to mention unused licenses.

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