Quick answer
A license inventory records who owns software subscriptions, what each license covers, and who handles renewal. This prevents maintenance from depending on an expired or supplier-owned entitlement nobody has documented.
Before you begin
List premium plugins, themes, apps, fonts, stock assets, and external services used by the site. Include software provided under an agency or bundled arrangement.
What to do
- Record the product, purpose, license owner, billing contact, renewal interval, and where the subscription is managed. Store secret keys separately from the inventory.
- Confirm permitted use for the actual website or store. A license for one site or one Shopify store should not be assumed transferable to another.
- Identify which licenses are required for updates, support, premium features, or continued service. These effects vary by vendor.
- Assign renewal responsibility and reminders. Note whether a care agreement supplies a license only while the agreement remains active.
- Review the inventory during handoff, a platform migration, or a supplier change. Arrange replacement entitlements before removing existing access.
How to check the result
The owner should be able to determine what will renew and what would stop working or lose update access if a subscription ends. Compare charges with the approved list and investigate duplicates.
If you need help
For an uncertain entitlement, contact the vendor or project team with the product and account reference, not the secret key. Do not disable a critical plugin just to test whether a license is still needed.
Related help
- Understand the difference between hosting and website care
- Remove a Shopify app and check for remaining behavior
- Prepare for website ownership and project handoff
Official references
Reviewed October 31, 2026. Interfaces, vendor availability, and account features can change. Check your current account before making changes.
