Siemens Digital Industries Software audits and usage reporting covers the contract terms that let Siemens Digital Industries Software (SISW) check how its product lifecycle management software is used, and the log files some license types depend on. The base terms are in the Universal Customer Agreement (UCA) version 1.3, applicable from 13 April 2026. Supplemental Terms add rules for particular order codes[1][2]. The license and use types themselves (Floating, Named User, Node-Locked, Tokens, License Units and others) are explained in Siemens Digital Industries Software licensing.
Contract basis
Section 13.6 of the UCA, “Information Obligations; Audit”, has four parts[1]:
- Reporting mechanism. Siemens may embed a reporting mechanism in Software “for the purpose of ensuring authorized use.” The mechanism does not send the technical or business content that the customer processes with the Software.
- Information requests. The customer must provide information or other materials that Siemens reasonably requests to verify compliance.
- Self-audit. The customer may audit itself with inventory tools provided by Siemens. The self-audit must start within 20 business days of the audit notice and be finished within 20 business days of starting.
- Site access. If the self-audit is not done to Siemens’ reasonable satisfaction, Siemens or its authorized agents may access the customer’s premises to complete the audit.
The clause has no stated notice period before an audit, no limit on how often Siemens may audit, and no rule on who pays for the audit. Those points are left to the Order or any negotiated terms[1]. Catalog rule: Audit: reporting mechanism and self-audit within 20 business days.
| Step | Deadline in the UCA | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Start self-audit | Within 20 business days of audit notification | UCA §13.6[1] |
| Complete self-audit | Within 20 business days of starting | UCA §13.6[1] |
| Pay for excess use | Within 30 days of the invoice date | UCA §2.3[1] |
| Cure a material breach | 30 days from notice (subscription Offerings) | UCA §10.3[1] |
Consequences of over-use
Excess use. The customer pays for “any excess use of an Offering at the then-current price for such Offering within 30 days after the invoice date.” The UCA does not limit this to the list price or to any look-back period. Payment obligations are non-cancelable and fees are non-refundable, except where the Agreement says otherwise[1]. Catalog rule: Excess use is invoiced at the then-current price.
Suspension. Siemens may suspend or limit access at once if it reasonably finds a security risk, if the customer materially breaches the Agreement, or if a ground for immediate termination exists. Suspension does not stop fees from running[1].
Termination. Neither party may terminate an Order for convenience during a Subscription Term. Siemens may, however, terminate any or all Orders at once on notice if the customer installs or uses Siemens software without authorization, or breaches certain sections, including the use rights in Section 3 and the audit clause in Section 13.6[1]. On termination, the total fees in any Order fall due at once[1].
Usage data Siemens receives
Several documents give Siemens usage data outside a formal audit.
- Systems Information. Siemens and its subcontractors may collect information, statistics and metrics about use, operation, support and maintenance of Offerings. They may use it to market to the customer and to “enforce its rights.” Information derived from Customer Content may be used for product improvement only in aggregated form[1].
- Solution partners. When an Offering is bought through a Siemens-authorized solution partner, Siemens may share information about the customer’s use and consumption with that partner for account management and billing[1].
- License Units (SRD-A). License Units need SISW’s license management system (LMS). Its Transaction Log Files must reach SISW “on at least a monthly basis,” manually or automatically over the internet[2]. Catalog rule: License Units require the LMS and monthly Transaction Log Files.
- ISV Offerings through License Units. Running third-party ISV software with License Units requires sharing usage data, including LMS Transaction Log Files and other license server logs. If the customer blocks or omits this data, it “automatically forfeits all rights to use such ISV Offerings,” and SISW may disable access[2]. Catalog rule: ISV Offerings through License Units are forfeited if usage data is not shared.
- Seeds. Free “Seed” entitlements are given to measure future needs. The customer must hand over all LMS data about Seed usage, and SISW may use it in renewal and sales discussions[2]. Catalog rule: Seed entitlements require sharing license usage data.
- Simcenter Flex Tokens carry a separate log-submission rule in the Simcenter Supplemental Terms; see Simcenter Flex Tokens: Flex Base required, Product Excellence Program, quarterly log submission.
What an audit counts
The deployment has to match the Entitlements, which the UCA defines as the license and use types, limits, volumes and other conditions on the Order or in the Supplemental Terms, including user numbers and categories and permitted geographic areas[1]. The Supplemental Terms set the rules most likely to produce findings:
| Area | What the terms say | Catalog rule |
|---|---|---|
| Named User | One named individual; re-assignment once per calendar month[2] | Named User licenses: one individual, re-assignable once per calendar month |
| Floating | Simultaneous Authorized Users limited to licenses acquired[2] | Floating licenses: simultaneous Authorized Users may not exceed licenses acquired |
| Indirect use | Access through other hardware or software does not reduce the Authorized Users needed[2][3] | Indirect use does not reduce Authorized User entitlements |
| Territory | Use only in the Site, country or time-zone Zone on the Order[2] | Territory: Site, time-zone Zones or country; separate installations per Territory |
| Backup and Test/QA | Redundancy or testing only; Test/QA “may not be used in a production environment”[2] | Backup and Test/QA licenses may not be used in production |
| Cloud user IDs | A unique user identification per Authorized User; IDs may not be shared[3] | Cloud Authorized Users need a unique user identification that may not be shared |
| Free and preview offerings | Demo, test, evaluation, beta and pre-release offerings for internal test and evaluation only[1] | No-Charge Offerings and Previews: internal test and evaluation only |
| Third party hosting | Only with SISW’s prior written consent[2] | Third party hosting only with SISW prior written consent; license file bound to host identifier |
| Maintenance scope | Maintenance must cover all supported Software used at a single location[4] | Maintenance must cover all supported Software used at a single location |
An Authorized Agent (a consultant, agent or contractor) counts as an Authorized User under the Standard Supplemental Terms only while “working on Customer’s premises”[2]. The SaaS Supplemental Terms define an Authorized Agent without that premises condition[3].
Confidentiality of findings
The terms of the Agreement and any Order, Systems Information, and “any information Customer derives from benchmarking any Offering” are Siemens Confidential Information. They may be shared only on a need-to-know basis with employees, consultants, contractors and advisers who are bound by equivalent confidentiality obligations[1]. If an adviser helps with an audit response, that adviser therefore needs to be bound by those obligations.
Preparing for a review
Commentary. The clause makes Siemens’ own tools the starting point, so the customer’s side of the review usually rests on the same sources that Siemens can see:
- License server and LMS logs for Floating, Token and License Unit usage, kept for at least the period the customer expects to be asked about. The terms set no retention period.
- A list of named users with their assignment dates, since each Named User may be re-assigned only once per calendar month.
- Proof of written consent for any third-party hosting, and the Territory for each installation.
- Backup and Test/QA installations marked as such and kept out of production.
Out of scope
- Simcenter Supplemental Terms details beyond the linked catalog rows. The Simcenter PDF was not re-read for this article.
- Siemens EDA, Polarion, Mendix and other portfolios with their own Supplemental Terms.
- Negotiated audit clauses in customer-specific Orders, which prevail over the UCA under its order of precedence[1].
- Export control audits under UCA Section 11. Siemens may ask for information on users, intended use and location of use[1], but this is a trade compliance obligation, not a license count.