Open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or Notion. The two example rows show the idea — replace them with your own. The column that saves you money most often is Notice Deadline: the date you must act by to avoid an auto-renewal, usually 60–90 days before the renewal date.
| Vendor | Product / Edition | Annual Spend | Seats / Units | Renewal Date | Notice Deadline | Term | Posture | Owner | Status | Next Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example — replace | Enterprise (EE) | $445,000 | 250 | 2026-06-30 | 2026-04-30 | 1-year | Right-size seats | J. Smith | Prep | Pull active-login report |
| Example — replace | Committed credits | $380,000 | — | 2026-09-15 | 2026-07-15 | 3-year | Hold flat | A. Lee | Not started | Forecast burn vs. commit |
Work back from the notice datePut the notice deadline — not the renewal date — on your calendar. That's the point your leverage starts to decay.
Start 90–120 days outThe earlier you engage, the more time pressure you take off the table. Late renewals get list prices.
One owner per renewalEvery line needs a name. Unowned renewals are the ones that auto-renew at list plus uplift.
Then walk into the renewal prepared
Once it's on your calendar, the next step is the plan. Redline the contract, run the interactive workspace, or grab the vendor playbook.