enaio Licence: Licensing Models, Modules and Maintenance
An enaio licence defines how many people may use enaio and to what extent: counted by named user or concurrent user, acquired through purchase or subscription and supplemented by modules and maintenance.
Which combination is economical depends not on your headcount, but on who uses enaio, when and for what. As a certified enaio partner since 2006, AWP Consult determines this licensing requirement before every quotation. Cloud or on-premise is the operating model here, not a licensing model in its own right.
250+completed projects since 2006150+reference customers across the DACH region12 to 18months average payback period
Your licence packageExample view
Usage modelNamed user or concurrent user
Form of acquisitionPurchase or subscription
Access channelsClient, browser, Outlook, mobile
Modulesonly what a process needs
MaintenanceUpdates, patches and support
Operating modelCloud or on-premise, decided separately
The essentials at a glance
- An enaio licence is the contractually granted right to use enaio to a defined extent: for a specific number of named or concurrently logged-in users, with particular modules and for a perpetual or fixed term.
- With named user, each named person receives their own licence. With concurrent user, the number of simultaneously logged-in sessions is licensed, regardless of who logs in.
- With a purchase you acquire a perpetual right of use and secure updates and support through a maintenance agreement. With a subscription you use enaio for an agreed term, with updates usually included.
- Modules such as enaio capture, enaio classify or the AI module enaio kairos are generally licensed in addition to the base and belong in the planning only when a specific process requires them.
- Cloud or on-premise describes where and by whom enaio is operated. The operating model does not change how licences are counted.
- A licence audit reconciles the licence inventory with actual usage and reveals unused licences as well as bottlenecks in concurrent use.
What is an enaio licence?
An enaio licence is a contractually granted right to use the software: it determines how many people or concurrent sessions may use enaio, which modules are activated, whether the right is purchased perpetually or rented for a term, and how updates and support are governed through maintenance.
In legal terms, a software licence is a right of use within the meaning of Section 31 of the German Copyright Act (UrhG), which can be granted with restrictions as to territory, time or content. For computer programs, Section 69c UrhG defines which acts require the consent of the rights holder, including reproduction during loading and running. The licence agreement describes the framework: the number and type of users, the term and the scope of functions.
This page explains the enaio licensing model and the terms behind it. The factors that determine the overall effort of a project are covered under enaio costs. How AWP Consult works as an enaio partner is shown on the partner page.
Who counts
Named user per named person or concurrent user per simultaneous session.
How acquired
Purchase with a perpetual right of use or subscription with a fixed term.
What is included
The base plus the modules your processes actually need.
How maintained
Maintenance with updates, patches and support throughout the entire period of use.
Clarify the licensing requirement before the quotation
Together with you we record user groups, working hours and peak load and recommend the licensing model that fits your actual usage.
Which building blocks make up an enaio licence?
An enaio licence is made up of five building blocks that are decided separately: the usage model named user or concurrent user, the form of acquisition purchase or subscription, the access channels, the additional modules and the maintenance. The operating model is added as a separate decision and is not part of the licensing model.
Usage model
Defines how counting is done: per named person or per concurrently logged-in session. This decision has the strongest effect on the licensing requirement.
Form of acquisition
Purchase with a perpetual right of use or renting as a subscription with a fixed term. Which variants are available for your project we clarify in the quotation.
Access channels
Client at the workstation, enaio webclient in the browser, integration into Outlook and Microsoft 365 or mobile access. Whether an access channel is licensed separately is governed by the quotation.
Modules
Extensions for capture, recognition, AI or specialist processes are added to the base. They are guided by your workflows, not by a package catalogue.
Maintenance
The maintenance agreement secures updates, patches and support. For purchased licences it is part of the ongoing planning, with a subscription it is usually included.
Operating model
Cloud or on-premise determines infrastructure and operation, not the counting method. It is defined in parallel with the licensing model.
Do you have a specific question about your case?
Named user or concurrent user: which enaio licensing model fits?
Named user suits a fixed group of people who work with enaio daily and intensively. Concurrent user suits many occasional users, shift operation and changing teams, because only the sessions logged in at the same time are counted. The decisive factor is the ratio between all users and the peak load, that is the highest number of simultaneous logins.
An example: if around 30 employees work with enaio but rarely more than 10 at the same time, licensing by concurrent use covers the requirement, whereas named user provides a licence for each of the 30 people. If those same 30 people are logged in all day, there is more to be said for named user.
| Criterion | Named user | Concurrent user |
|---|---|---|
| Counting method | One licence per named person | Licences for the sessions logged in at the same time |
| Access | At any time for each licensed person | As long as the agreed number of simultaneous sessions is not reached |
| Typical use | Fixed group of people with daily, intensive use | Shift operation, changing teams, many occasional users |
| Planning | Simple, the requirement follows from the number of people | Requires an analysis of the peak load |
| On growth | A further licence for each new person | Expansion only when concurrent use increases |
| Limit reached | Does not occur, each licensed person gets in | Further logins wait until a session becomes free |
Which model is more economical for you we calculate using your user numbers. Whether both models can be combined in one installation we clarify in the quotation.
We show you how this looks with enaio at your organisation.
Schedule an appointment +49 6104 94738-13Purchase or subscription: how do the forms of acquisition differ?
With a purchase you acquire a perpetual right of use for enaio and conclude a maintenance agreement for updates and support. With a subscription you rent the right of use for an agreed term, during which updates are usually included. The difference concerns the term, budget planning, accounting and the question of what remains after the contract ends.
| Criterion | Purchase | Subscription (rental) |
|---|---|---|
| Right of use | Perpetual | Limited to the contract term |
| Updates and support | Through a separate maintenance agreement | Usually part of the subscription |
| Budget | One-off investment at the start, then ongoing maintenance | Even ongoing amounts over the term |
| Accounting | As a rule, the acquisition of an intangible asset | As a rule, ongoing expense |
| After the contract ends | The acquired version remains usable, but without maintenance and therefore without updates | The right of use ends |
| Adjustment | Additional licences are purchased afterwards, and purchased licences generally cannot be returned | Adjustment at the contractually agreed points in time |
Which forms of acquisition are offered for your project AWP Consult clarifies in the quotation. You agree the tax treatment with your tax advisor.
How do you determine the licensing requirement for enaio?
You determine the licensing requirement for enaio from five factors: the user groups and their intensity of use, the peak load of simultaneous logins, the access channels, the processes that need modules, and the planned growth. The plain headcount of employees almost always leads to a skewed result, both upwards and downwards.
Record the licensing requirement together
We form the user groups with you, evaluate peak load and access channels and derive a comprehensible recommendation from them.
Request a usage analysis +49 6104 94738-1301
Form user groups by intensity
At the start there is no licence list, but a list of roles. For each role you record how often and for how long it works with enaio. From this usually arise four groups with very different profiles:
Intensive users point towards named user, the remaining groups rather towards licensing by concurrent use. The larger the share of occasional users, the more important the comparison of both models becomes.
- Intensive usersAccounting, case handling, the HR department or dispatch, who have enaio open for hours a day
- Occasional usersDepartments that search for or file documents a few times a week
- ApproversManagers and cost centre owners who only briefly check and approve within the workflow
- ReadersPeople who need information but rarely edit documents themselves
Practical tip
Do not ask the departments who needs access. Ask who works with it on a typical day and for how long.
02
Measure peak load instead of estimating it
For concurrent user it is not the average that counts, but the moment when the most people are logged in at the same time. These peaks are predictable in most companies: at shift changes, at month-end closing, in the approval rounds before a payment run and at quarter-end.
Planned too tightly, logins wait at exactly the moment when deadlines are running.
- Evaluate login times from existing systems over several weeks, where they are available
- Include shift schedules and working time models per site
- Ask accounting and controlling for closing dates and approval deadlines
- Provide a buffer for cover arrangements, projects and the onboarding of new colleagues
Practical tip
Plan concurrent use for the busiest day of the month, not for a quiet Tuesday.
03
Record access channels and technical access
enaio can be used at the workstation, in the browser via the enaio webclient, from within Outlook and Microsoft 365 or on mobile. For licence planning, what counts is which group uses which channel.
Whether an access channel or an interface is licensed separately is governed by the quotation. Technical details on the connections can be found under enaio interfaces and enaio with Outlook and Microsoft 365.
- WorkstationIntensive users with many documents a day
- BrowserOccasional users, external sites and approvers
- OutlookFiling of e-mails and attachments directly from the mailbox
- InterfacesERP connection, automatic import or background services, which may require their own licence components
04
Derive modules from processes
Modules are selected by process, not by catalogue: which workflow should run digitally over the next twelve months, and what does it need for that?
- Incoming invoicesCapture and recognition, supplemented by AI at high document volumes, see incoming invoice workflow
- HRFile with registers, access rights and deadlines, see digital personnel file
- ContractsDeadlines, follow-up reminders and approvals, see contract management
- ArchiveAudit-proof filing for all areas, see archiving software
Practical tip
License a module once the process, the people responsible and the implementation date are fixed. Before that it only ties up budget.
05
Plan for growth and rollout
Most implementations start with a pilot area and then grow area by area. The licensing requirement should follow this rollout rather than anticipate it. enaio licences can be expanded when new users, departments, sites or companies are added, and modules can also be added later.
If the number of occasional users in particular grows, a change of usage model can make more sense than further licences. The step-by-step process is described on the page about the enaio implementation.
Practical tip
Before concluding the contract, define the terms on which licences can be expanded. Then the second expansion stage is a formality.
How does AWP Consult determine your licensing requirement?
AWP Consult determines your licensing requirement in four steps: analyse usage, compare licensing models, define modules and maintenance, and after go-live check actual usage in a licence audit. We do not start with a licence list, but with the question of who needs enaio, when and for what.
01
Analyse usage
Together with the departments we record user groups, working hours, shifts, access channels and the peak load. The result is a usage profile per group.
02
Compare models
We compare named user and concurrent user, purchase and subscription as well as the appropriate operating model for your figures, comprehensibly and with all assumptions.
03
Define modules and maintenance
We plan only the modules your processes really need, and clarify maintenance, terms and expansion rules before concluding the contract.
04
Licence audit in operation
After go-live we regularly reconcile actual usage with the licence inventory and adjust it as required.
Would you like to know which model fits your user structure? We calculate both variants using your figures.
Request licensing adviceWhich enaio modules are licensed in addition?
In addition to the base, modules are generally added that take on particular tasks, for example enaio capture for scanning and indexing, enaio classify for recognising and extracting documents, the AI module enaio kairos or the enaio webclient for browser access. Which enaio modules you need follows from your processes, not from a package list.
enaio capture
Scanning, text recognition and indexing of paper and files, so that documents enter the system with the right metadata.
enaio captureenaio classify
Recognises document types and extracts content, for example creditor, amounts and order number on incoming invoices.
incoming invoice workflowenaio kairos
The AI module learns from corrections, recognises new layouts without templates and proposes assignments.
AI in document managementenaio webclient
Browser access without local installation, suitable for occasional users, approvers and further sites.
enaio webclientPersonnel file
Specialist solution for the personnel file with registers, access rights and deletion deadlines, built on the enaio base.
digital personnel fileContractmanagement
Manage contracts with deadlines, follow-up reminders and approvals, linked to supplier and customer files.
contract managementWorkflows with tasks, deadlines and escalations are described on the workflow management page.
Unsure where to start? We help you assess your starting point.
What does the maintenance of an enaio licence cover?
The maintenance of an enaio licence secures updates, patches and support and keeps your installation on a supported version. For purchased licences it runs as a separate maintenance agreement, with a subscription it is usually included. AWP Consult coordinates the maintenance agreement and, on request, bundles the support in a support agreement.
The important distinction is between provision and implementation: making an update available is one thing, installing and testing it in your environment with interfaces, custom extensions and workflows is another. That is why we plan version changes as a small project with a test environment. More on this under enaio update and version change and enaio support and maintenance.
Updates and patches
New versions and bug fixes that extend functions and close security gaps.
Support
A point of contact for incidents and questions in operation, at AWP Consult under a fixed support number.
Version change
Planned move to a new version with testing of interfaces and workflows before go-live.
Support agreement
On request, AWP Consult takes over the ongoing support as part of the full-service support.
Does cloud or on-premise change the enaio licence?
No. Cloud or on-premise is the operating model and not a licensing model in its own right: it decides where enaio runs and who operates the servers, updates and data backup, while the usage model, modules and maintenance are defined independently of it. In cloud operation by AWP Consult, enaio runs in German data centres and your own server is no longer needed.
The requirements for audit-proof archiving software apply in both cases. More on this under enaio cloud hosting and in the comparison cloud or on-premises.
What does a licence audit check for enaio?
A licence audit reconciles the enaio licence inventory with actual usage: assigned named user licences against active people, the peak load against the inventory of concurrent licences, and licensed modules against their use in the processes. AWP Consult carries it out before expansions, contract renewals or a change of usage model.
Unused named user licences
People who have left, changed roles or have not logged in for months.
Bottlenecks in concurrent user
Times when concurrent use reaches its limit and logins wait.
Modules without use
Licensed modules for which no process has been introduced or which another building block has replaced.
Result
A basis for expansion, reduction at the end of a subscription term or a change of usage model.
Do you have a specific question about your case?
What determines the cost of an enaio licence?
The cost of an enaio licence follows from the number and counting method of users, the form of acquisition, the chosen modules and access channels as well as the maintenance. In the project, implementation, interfaces, training and, where applicable, hosting are added. We name specific figures only in the quotation, because they depend on your usage.
A detailed overview of the cost factors of an enaio project can be found under enaio costs. For a quotation based on your user numbers, get in touch with us.
What does the licence agreement govern in legal and tax terms?
The licence agreement governs the extent to which you may use enaio: the number and type of users, the term, the activated modules and the conditions for expansion or transfer. The basis is copyright law, which gives computer programs special protection in Sections 69a ff. UrhG. There are four points you should know before you sign.
Right of use
Under Section 31 UrhG, a right of use can be restricted as to territory, time or content. The counting method, term and module scope are set as a framework by the licence agreement.
Intended use Section 69d UrhG permits acts that are necessary for the intended use, unless the contract provides otherwise, and a backup copy where it is necessary for future use.
Resale
Following the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 3 July 2012 (C-128/11, UsedSoft), the distribution right is exhausted when a copy has been transferred for payment with a perpetual right of use. However, the first acquirer may not then split a licence for more users than needed and resell it in part.
Tax treatment
For computer hardware and software for data entry and processing, the circular of the German Federal Ministry of Finance of 22 February 2022 allows a useful life of one year. Whether this applies to your licences is something your tax advisor will clarify.
Good to know
These notes do not replace legal or tax advice.
We show you how this looks with enaio at your organisation.
Schedule an appointment +49 6104 94738-13What customers say about support and updates
The value of an enaio installation is determined by the support after the licence purchase, with updates and further development.
Because of document-intensive processes we have a strong need for a reliable DMS solution. Through AWP's support we were able to master several challenges, including bespoke interface adjustments and company-wide enaio updates. AWP's straightforward hands-on mentality was particularly helpful in this.
With AWP we were able to successfully modernise our enaio, develop it further and continuously adapt it to our business processes and to new challenges. Together we have already achieved a great deal and we very much look forward to continuing to work together.
Which mistakes occur most often in licence planning?
The most common mistakes in licence planning for enaio arise when ordering by headcount instead of by usage. A usage analysis before the quotation avoids all six.
01
Order licences by headcount
- Consequence
- Occasional users receive their own licences, which are barely used.
- Better
- Form user groups by intensity and only then choose the model.
02
Plan peak load without a buffer
- Consequence
- At month-end closing or at shift changes, logins wait and approvals are delayed.
- Better
- Record peaks over several weeks and plan a buffer for cover arrangements.
03
Forget approvers
- Consequence
- Managers who only approve invoices are missing from the planning, and the workflow stalls after go-live.
- Better
- Count all roles in the workflow, even if they use enaio only a few minutes a day.
04
License modules in advance
- Consequence
- Modules run along without any process using them.
- Better
- Only license modules once the process and implementation date are fixed.
05
Let maintenance lapse
- Consequence
- Updates are missing, the gap to the current version grows, and a later version change becomes costly.
- Better
- Plan maintenance continuously for purchased licences and carry out version changes regularly.
06
Confuse operating model with licensing model
- Consequence
- The cloud decision is treated as a licensing question, and the counting method remains unexamined.
- Better
- Decide operating model and licensing model separately and show both in the quotation.
Unsure where to start? We help you assess your starting point.
Checklist: what do you clarify before ordering an enaio licence?
With these points you go into the quotation discussion well prepared. The more of them that are clarified, the more precisely the quotation fits your usage.
01
Users and usage
- Roles and user groups recorded with intensity of use
- Approvers and readers counted in
- Peak load per site and shift known
- Buffer for cover arrangements and growth defined
- Named user and concurrent user compared
02
Modules and access
- Processes of the first expansion stage named
- Modules justified per process
- Access channels defined per user group
- Interfaces and technical access listed
- Second expansion stage roughly outlined
03
Contract and operation
- Form of acquisition purchase or subscription decided
- Maintenance and support arranged
- Expansion rules clarified before concluding the contract
- Operating model cloud or on-premise chosen
- Date for the first licence audit scheduled
Frequently asked questions about the enaio licence
Your question is not here? Call us or write to us, we answer personally.
Questions about your project?
We discuss your starting point and show how the implementation with enaio looks at your organisation.
Request advice +49 6104 94738-13What is an enaio licence?
An enaio licence is the contractually granted right to use enaio to a defined extent. It determines the number of named or concurrently logged-in users, the activated modules and the term. Updates and support are governed by maintenance.
Which enaio licensing models are there?
In the usage model, a distinction is made between named user, that is one licence per named person, and concurrent user, that is licences for simultaneously logged-in sessions. In the form of acquisition there is purchase with a perpetual right of use and subscription with a fixed term. Modules and maintenance are added to this. Which variants are available for your project AWP Consult clarifies in the quotation.
What is the difference between named user and concurrent user with enaio?
With named user, each person named by name receives their own licence and can access at any time. With concurrent user, the number of simultaneously logged-in users is licensed, regardless of who logs in. Once that number is reached, further logins wait until a session becomes free. Which model is more economical depends on the ratio between all users and the peak load.
Do I need an enaio licence for every employee?
Not necessarily. With named user, every person who uses enaio needs their own licence. With concurrent user, what counts is only how many people are logged in at the same time. If around 30 employees work with enaio but rarely more than 10 at the same time, licensing by concurrent use covers the requirement.
Can I expand enaio licences later?
Yes. enaio licences can be expanded when new users, departments or sites are added, and modules can also be added later. AWP Consult coordinates the expansion and checks beforehand whether a change of usage model makes more sense. It is best to define the expansion rules before concluding the contract.
Is the cloud a licensing model in its own right?
No. Cloud or on-premise describes the operating model, that is where and by whom enaio is operated. How many users are licensed in which model is to be clarified independently of this. In cloud operation by AWP Consult, enaio runs in German data centres.
Do approvers in the workflow need their own licence?
Anyone who logs in to enaio to check and approve invoices or documents uses the system and belongs in the licence planning. Because approvers are usually only logged in briefly, they have a strong influence on the choice between named user and concurrent user.
What happens when we no longer need licences?
Purchased licences generally cannot be returned. With a subscription, the contractually agreed terms and notice periods apply. AWP Consult clarifies these points before the contract is signed and takes them into account when choosing the form of acquisition.
What does a licence audit check?
In a licence audit, AWP Consult reconciles the licence inventory with actual usage. In doing so, unused named user licences, bottlenecks in concurrent licences and unused modules come to light. The result is a basis for expansion, reduction or a change of usage model.
Is there a trial version of enaio?
There is no public trial version of enaio. On request, AWP Consult sets up a demo environment with your own documents, so that you can test the system against real workflows. This also shows you which user groups would work with it and how intensively.
Where do I find information about the costs of an enaio implementation?
This page explains licensing models and terms. The factors that determine the overall effort of an enaio project are described on the enaio costs page. You receive a specific quotation after a short usage analysis via our contact page.
Which terms around the enaio licence should you know?
The most important terms from licensing discussions, briefly explained.
- Named user
- A licence assigned to a person named by name. This person can access at any time.
- Concurrent user
- Licensing by the number of simultaneously logged-in sessions, regardless of who logs in.
- Peak load
- The highest number of simultaneous logins in a given period. It determines the requirement with concurrent user.
- Purchase licence
- Perpetual right of use that is acquired once. Updates and support run through a maintenance agreement.
- Subscription
- Fixed-term right of use for an agreed term, during which updates are usually included.
- Module
- Extension of the enaio base for a particular task, for example capture, recognition or AI.
- Operating model
- Decision whether enaio runs in the cloud or in your own data centre. It is not a licensing model.
- Licence audit
- Reconciliation of the licence inventory and actual usage as a basis for adjustments.
- Right of use
- The right to use a work in certain ways. For software it is governed by the licence agreement on the basis of the Copyright Act.
Start with a usage analysis
We record user groups and peak load and show which licensing model fits your organisation before you place an order.
Related topics
Sources and legal bases
The legal and tax statements on this page are based on these sources. As at November 2026.
- Section 31 UrhG: Granting of rights of use Rights of use can be restricted as to territory, time or content
- Section 69c UrhG: Acts requiring consent Reproduction during loading and running, distribution and exhaustion
- Section 69d UrhG: Exceptions to the acts requiring consent Intended use and backup copy
- CJEU, judgment of 3 July 2012, C-128/11 (UsedSoft) Judgment at the Publications Office of the European Union
- Court of Justice of the European Union: press release on C-128/11 No splitting of a licence for more users than needed
- IHK Erfurt on the BMF circular of 22 February 2022 Useful life of computer hardware and software for data entry and processing
Your licensing requirement, determined properly once
In the licensing advice we record your user groups, peak load and processes and recommend the usage model, form of acquisition, modules and maintenance, comprehensibly and without licences bought in advance.
- In person in Dietzenbach or online
- With your real user numbers
- Result: a clear recommendation for the quotation
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