Licensing for Rockwell Software: What’s Best for Your Facility?

We’ve all experienced it: signing up for a subscription that sounds useful at the time, only to forget it exists while the charges quietly pile up. It’s one thing when that happens with a streaming service or a monthly coffee delivery. It’s another when it happens with industrial software licenses tied to your facility’s productivity, security, and bottom line.

For manufacturers who rely on Rockwell Automation software, this scenario isn’t hypothetical. Between shifting project scopes, staff turnover, and evolving digital needs, it’s easy to lose track of who’s using what and whether you’re paying for tools you no longer need.

Whether you’re responsible for budgeting, engineering oversight, or digital asset management, understanding your licensing options is more than a technical detail. It’s a cost control strategy. And it starts with knowing the two main types of licenses Rockwell offers: perpetual and subscription.

Each serves a distinct purpose, and choosing the right one can save your team thousands, not just in software fees but in avoided downtime, smoother support experiences, and better long-term planning.

What Is a Rockwell Software License?

At its core, a license grants your team legal access to use a piece of software. In the case of Rockwell Automation, this software could be for programming controllers, configuring safety protocols, visualizing data, or maintaining a secure digital infrastructure.

The license you choose determines not just how you access that software, but also how you pay for it, how long you have it, and what level of support you receive. And when that choice doesn’t align with how your team operates, you’re either overpaying or underprotected.

That’s why it’s crucial to understand the licensing model behind each tool your facility relies on.

Perpetual Licensing: The “Buy It and It’s Yours” Model

With a perpetual license, you purchase the software once and gain the right to use it indefinitely. There’s no expiration date. Once activated, it remains in your inventory permanently, regardless of how often it’s used or who uses it.

This model appeals to teams with consistent, long-term software needs. If your team programs and maintains the same automation equipment year after year, a perpetual license might be the most financially efficient option. It allows you to make a one-time investment and avoid the cycle of annual renewals.

However, this model comes with a few caveats. While the software itself doesn’t expire, support and updates do. After the first year, ongoing technical support and access to the latest versions are only available through a separate support agreement, usually a TechConnect contract. Without that, you’re locked into the version you purchased, which could become obsolete over time.

Another challenge with perpetual licenses is visibility. Companies often lose track of which licenses are installed where, especially after organizational changes. Without a strong system for tracking and reassigning them, perpetual licenses can become digital shelfware: still owned and still valid, but not being utilized effectively.

Subscription Licensing: Access on a Renewed Basis

A subscription license offers a different approach. Instead of paying a large upfront cost, you pay a smaller recurring fee, typically annually. That fee includes access to the latest version of the software, all necessary updates, and ongoing support throughout the term.

This model provides more flexibility. If your team is growing, shrinking, or working on a short-term project, subscription licensing allows you to scale your usage up or down without a long-term commitment. And because the support is bundled in, your IT or engineering staff always have access to help if they encounter issues.

But that flexibility has a downside. The software only works while the subscription is active. Miss a renewal, and you lose access. There’s no “fallback” version to continue using. This can catch teams off guard if renewal dates slip through the cracks or if subscription management isn’t centralized.

For companies with several users or changing teams, subscriptions are often more intuitive to manage, especially when paired with a centralized admin or a distributor partner like HESCO to help monitor renewal cycles and usage trends.

Why the Choice Isn’t Just Financial

At a glance, the conversation might seem to boil down to budget: pay once versus pay over time. But that oversimplifies the impact of the decision.

A perpetual license, while more expensive upfront, can deliver better long-term value if your needs are stable and your usage is consistent. But if you’re not actively managing those licenses, or if your support agreement lapses, those savings can disappear quickly in the form of outdated functionality or compatibility issues.

On the other hand, subscription licenses keep your team current, but the ongoing costs add up. In fact, many companies find themselves paying for subscriptions long after the original need has passed, either because they’ve forgotten about them or because they’ve shifted priorities and never reassessed.

This is where license management becomes just as important as license type.

The Hidden Costs of Poor License Management

Many facilities already have the right software—they’re just not using it effectively. This often comes down to a few common issues:

• Overpaying for unused licenses: A license bought for a previous employee or past project goes untracked and unmonitored, quietly draining budget dollars year after year.
• Duplicate purchases: Without a centralized record, teams buy new licenses, not realizing the same license already exists in the system, sometimes in multiple instances.
• Lost support: When TechConnect contracts aren’t renewed, teams may find themselves without access to essential updates or assistance, just when they need it most.

The good news? These problems are solvable. But it takes a clear understanding of what you own, what’s being used, and how to track it all moving forward.

Getting Organized: How to Track and Manage Licenses Proactively

If you’ve never done a full software audit, now’s the time. Even for smaller facilities, a license audit can uncover thousands of dollars in unused software and prevent unnecessary purchases down the line.

Start by cataloging every license you currently own, along with its type, expiration (if applicable), version number, and assigned user or device. Rockwell Automation’s own License Portal can help with this process. If you don’t have access or aren’t sure where to begin, HESCO can assist with generating a Registered Software Report to provide visibility across your organization.

From there, define internal processes for:

• Requesting new licenses
• Transferring existing ones between users or machines
• Renewing subscriptions and TechConnect support agreements

Make license tracking a shared responsibility between IT, operations, and engineering, and revisit your software usage at least once a year, preferably before renewal season.

So, Which License Type Should You Choose?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are clear guidelines.

• If your software needs are long-term, consistent, and well-defined, and you have a good handle on internal management, a perpetual license is likely the better investment.
• If your needs change frequently, you have short-term projects, or your staffing model is more fluid, a subscription license offers the adaptability you need.

Either way, the most important factor isn’t what you buy; it’s how well you manage it. Even the best licensing strategy will fall apart if you’re not tracking usage, renewing support, and reassessing needs regularly.

Let HESCO Help You Make the Right Choice

Whether you’re navigating a license renewal, unsure which model to choose, or just trying to get a handle on what software you have, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

As an authorized Rockwell Automation distributor based in Connecticut for over eight decades, HESCO can help you:

• Audit and track your current licenses
• Decide whether subscription or perpetual fits your team best
• Avoid overspending by identifying unused or duplicated licenses
• Streamline renewals and support contracts through one point of contact

Need help getting started? Let’s talk. Contact us today to schedule a license review and get actionable insights tailored to your operation.