By Olivia Dubois
·
March 18, 2026
SaaS Management refers to the set of processes, tools, and practices that enable an organization to discover, manage, secure, and optimize its portfolio of SaaS (Software as a Service) applications.
With the proliferation of cloud tools — the average company uses between 100 and 400 SaaS applications — SaaS Management has become a discipline in its own right, often driven by a dedicated role: the SaaS Manager.
Without centralized governance, companies only have a partial view of their SaaS portfolio. Shadow IT — applications used without IT approval — accounts for an average of 65% of the tools actually in use within an organization.
SaaS spending is often suboptimal: unused licenses, functional overlaps, and contracts that haven't been renegotiated. A systematic approach to SaaS spend optimization can generate significant savings within the first few months.
Every SaaS application is a potential access point to corporate data. NIS2 and DORA regulations require systematic mapping and assessment of digital suppliers.
With the rise of Shadow AI, SaaS Management must now bring artificial intelligence tools within its governance scope.
Identify all SaaS applications used across the organization, including unapproved ones. Detection sources include identity providers (SSO), network traffic analysis, browser extensions, and billing data.
Track each application from adoption to retirement: evaluation, approval, deployment, usage monitoring, renewal, or decommissioning.
Analyze spending by application, team, and user. Identify unused licenses, functional overlaps, and opportunities for contract renegotiation.
Assess each application's risk profile (data processed, hosting location, privacy policy). Ensure compliance with applicable regulations (GDPR, NIS2, DORA, EU AI Act).
Bridge the gap between IT, procurement, finance, and business units for cross-functional governance. Shared dashboards and alerts keep decisions aligned.
The SaaS Manager is responsible for governing the SaaS portfolio. Their responsibilities include:
For more details, see our in-depth article on SaaS Manager responsibilities.
A SaaS Management platform like Avanoo centralizes:
Shadow AI Expert & Chief AI Officer
Olivia Dubois is Shadow AI Expert and Chief AI Officer at Avanoo. An HEC Paris graduate and former BCG consultant, she helps enterprises detect and govern Shadow AI and Shadow IT.
See how Avanoo can map your SaaS and AI landscape, reduce risk, and optimize costs. A reliable platform with dedicated human support.
