The Great Logout: Why Concurrent ERP Licences Aren’t Always the Bargain They Seem
Ever heard someone shout across the office: ‘Can someone PLEASE log out?!’
If your ERP system uses concurrent user licensing, odds are you heard it more than once. On the surface, concurrent licences seem like a smart way to save money. Only pay for a limited number of users to access the system at the same time. But in reality, it can feel more like trying to board a rush-hour train with someone else’s ticket. Technically, you’re allowed in – but whether you actually get on is a different matter.
The Daily Login Lottery
It’s 3:45pm. You’ve finally got ten minutes to approve a few urgent orders before the courier cut-off… ‘Maximum users logged in.’
And so begins the ritual:
- Is anyone even still using it?
- Steve, are you still in or did you just leave it open again?
- Can someone please log out for a minute?
A two-minute task becomes a ten-minute delay – all because your system thinks you’re playing musical chairs with logins.
But Isn’t Concurrent Licensing Cheaper?
Sometimes. Especially in shift-based environments, or when usage is genuinely staggered. But as teams grow, overlap increases. And what starts as a clever workaround turns into bottlenecks, distractions, and rising costs. To avoid disruption, businesses often over-buy concurrent licences ‘just in case’ and end up paying for peak usage even if it’s only hit a few hours a week. It’s not like a car park where you only pay per space used. You are often charged for capacity: whether it’s full, half-empty (or half-full), or someone’s parked sideways on two slots.
What About People on Leave?
A fair question. And exactly why Enapps supports tailored pricing.
We don’t believe you should pay the same for someone who logs in once a week as for a full-time user. Our model can account for seasonal staff, part-timers, and roles with infrequent system use. We’ll work with you to get it right, without locking you into a licence type that doesn’t reflect real life.
Why Enapps Favour Named User Licensing
With Enapps, every user has a named login and guaranteed access:
- No disruptions – log in when needed, without chasing others.
- No login diplomacy – you’re in, every time.
- Fair pricing – tailored to your team size and usage, with scaling discounts.
Named users also improve traceability, simplify training, and eliminate the weird side-effects of shared access.
Final Word
ERP should help your team get things done, not make them wait in a virtual queue, wondering who’s hogging the last seat. And yes – tailored, named-user pricing can still be cost-effective. Especially when the cost of lost time, interruptions, and chaos is factored in. Musical chairs, while fun, probably isn’t the sort of game you want to play with your business.
Unless you are Steve. Steve always seems to inexplicably win.
