What is Autodesk Flex Licensing and How Does it Work?

Autodesk Flex is a pay-as-you-go option designed primarily for occasional or infrequent users, contractors and project-based teams, users who need access to multiple Autodesk products, or organizations looking to supplement named-user subscriptions with a hybrid licensing strategy (providing a balance of flexibility and cost control). Instead of purchasing a dedicated subscription for each user, organizations purchase Flex tokens that users can consume when they access eligible Autodesk products.

 Flex can be particularly useful for:

• Interns and temporary employees
• Seasonal workers
• Project-based users
• Employees who only occasionally need Autodesk software
• Users who need access to a product for a limited period
• Teams that want to try an Autodesk product before committing to a subscription

How Does Autodesk Flex Work?

With Flex, an organization purchases tokens and assigns users to Flex through their Autodesk Account. Most products fall under the daily charge - meaning a token covers a 24-hour period beginning when the user first launches the product. Users aren't charged again for reopening the same product during that 24-hour period.

This is an important distinction for organizations considering Flex.

Flex isn't an hourly licensing model. If someone opens a product for 30 minutes, the applicable daily token rate still applies.

And if a user opens multiple Flex-enabled products, each product can consume tokens. For example, a user who accesses both AutoCAD and Revit during the same period would incur the applicable token charge for each product.

Organizations can monitor token usage and spending through Autodesk Account, which makes usage data an important part of managing a Flex strategy.

How Many Flex Tokens Do You Need?

This was one a common question raised during our recent Autodesk licensing webinar—and it's one of the most important questions to answer before purchasing tokens. There isn't a universal formula based simply on the number of employees in your organization.

A company with 1,000 employees could have very predictable Autodesk usage, while a 30-person company might have significant fluctuations depending on projects, seasonal employees and the types of Autodesk products being used. Instead of starting with headcount, start with usage.

Questions to ask:

• Who uses Autodesk software every day?
• Who uses it only occasionally?
• Which users are seasonal or project-based?
• Which Autodesk products do they need?
• How many days per month are they likely to use those products?
• Which users could move from Flex to a subscription based on their usage?
• Are there periods when usage spikes?

The answers can help you identify which users belong on subscriptions and which are better candidates for Flex.

Don't Guess—Use Your Usage Data

One of the best ways to forecast Flex requirements is to look at your organization's actual usage.

For example, one webinar attendee shared how their organization initially used Flex for summer interns. Because they didn't know how heavily the interns would use Civil 3D, purchasing subscriptions for each intern seemed difficult to justify.

After the internship ended, they compared their actual Flex spending with what four-month subscriptions would have cost. The result? Flex saved the organization approximately $7,000. That experience led them to continue monitoring usage and moving users between subscriptions and Flex based on their needs. That's a great example of how licensing decisions can become more strategic when they're based on actual usage rather than assumptions.

Watch for Unexpected Token Consumption

Flex can provide significant flexibility, but organizations also need to understand how usage translates into token consumption.

For example, users may not realize that simply opening a product can trigger a token charge. If someone opens an Autodesk product and leaves it running throughout the day, the organization is still consuming the applicable daily token rate.

This makes user education important. Organizations should establish clear guidelines for Flex users and make sure they understand:

• Which products they have access to
• When they should use Flex
• How token consumption works
• Why closing products when they're finished can help prevent unnecessary usage
• When a subscription may be more appropriate

Administrators can also manage which users and products have access to Flex.

Don't Buy More Tokens Than You Can Use

Another consideration is token expiration. Flex tokens are valid for one year from the date of purchase and do not roll over after that period. That makes accurate forecasting particularly important. Buying too few tokens can leave users without access when they need it, while buying too many can result in unused tokens expiring. The goal isn't to stockpile tokens. It's to purchase enough to support your expected usage while monitoring consumption throughout the year.

IMAGINiT is Here to Help!

If you have questions about Flex, Autodesk’s licensing options, or would like help reviewing your usage, contact the experts at IMAGINiT. Get the most out of your software with a licensing strategy that fits your needs.