Multiple Subscriptions or Organizations: Best Practices

Overview

This document provides guidance on when to use multiple subscriptions versus multiple tenants in OfficeSeries. Understanding the differences and benefits of each approach can help you make informed decisions for your organization's data management and resource allocation.

Using Subscriptions for managing your company

In many cases, using subscriptions to segregate data can be more effective than creating a new tenant. Subscriptions allow you to create and maintain projects and teams within a single tenant, providing a streamlined approach to data management.

Benefits of Using Subscriptions

  • Simplified Management: Managing multiple subscriptions within a single tenant is often simpler than managing multiple tenants.
  • Cost Efficiency: Subscriptions can be more cost-effective as they allow for shared resources and licenses within the same tenant.
  • Centralized Administration: A single tenant with multiple subscriptions enables centralized administration and easier oversight.
  • Flexibility: Subscriptions offer flexibility in resource allocation and can be tailored to specific projects or teams.

When to Use Multiple Subscriptions

To determine whether multiple subscriptions are necessary for your organization, consider the following scenarios:

  • Departmental Segregation: If different departments within your organization require distinct software tools, licenses, and billing structures, multiple subscriptions can help segregate these resources effectively.

  • Subsidiary Management: If your organization has multiple subsidiaries or business units that operate independently, using separate subscriptions for each can help manage their specific needs, however you should consider multiple organizations as an alternative.

  • Geographical Distribution: For organizations with offices in different regions or countries, separate subscriptions can help manage local software needs, compliance requirements, and billing in local currencies.

  • Resource Allocation: If different departments or projects require distinct resource allocation and tracking, multiple subscriptions can help manage and monitor these resources more effectively.

  • Budget Management: For organizations that need to manage budgets separately for different departments or projects, multiple subscriptions can allow each department to track their licenses and costs more effectively to provide clear financial tracking and accountability.

  • Scalability: If your organization is growing and needs to scale its operations, multiple subscriptions can help manage the increased demand for software tools and licenses in a structured manner.

When to Create Multiple Organizations

While subscriptions are often the first choice, there are scenarios where creating multiple tenants is necessary:

Benefits of Multiple Organizations

  • Complete Data Isolation: Ensures complete data isolation between different entities, which is crucial for security and compliance.
  • Independent Administration: Each tenant can have its own administrative control, allowing for tailored configurations and management.
  • Resource Allocation: Dedicated resources for each tenant, ensuring no overlap or competition for resources.

When to Create Multiple Organizations

  • Multiple Operating Companies: When the organization consists of multiple operating companies that require complete data and resource separation.
  • Strict Compliance Requirements: When regulatory or compliance requirements mandate complete data isolation between different entities.
  • Distinct Business Units: When business units operate independently and require separate administrative control and resource management. In most cases though, separate subscriptions can be used to achieve this.

Summary

Choosing between multiple subscriptions and multiple tenants depends on your organization's structure, data management needs, and compliance requirements. Subscriptions offer a flexible and cost-effective way to segregate data within a single tenant, while multiple tenants provide complete data isolation and independent administration for distinct entities.

For more detailed guidance, refer to our Manage Users In Your Organization Guide and Understanding OfficeSeries Subscriptions Guide.

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