PLM, BOM & Digital Thread worked example

PLM License Cost per User at 61% active utilization rate: a worked example

This worked example runs the plm license cost per user numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 61% active utilization rate instead of the typical 85%. Estimates the true annual PLM license cost adjusted for how many provisioned seats are actually used.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Licensed PLM seats: 120 seats (held at the documented default)
  • Annual list price per seat: 2,400 $/seat/yr (held at the documented default)
  • Active utilization rate: 61 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 85)
  • Admin and infrastructure cost: 25,000 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Effective annual cost = seats x price per seat x utilization rate + admin overhead.
  • Total plm license cost per user cost works out to 200,680 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Plm license cost per user cost per unit works out to 1,672 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable plm license cost per user cost works out to 175,680 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed plm license cost per user adder works out to 25,000 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where active utilization rate sits at 85% and the headline result is 269,800 $, this scenario comes in 25.62% below the baseline at 200,680 $.
  • Use it before a license renewal, during a seat-count true-up, or when building the business case to reclaim or add PLM seats. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Total plm license cost per user cost: 200,680 $ (headline result)
  • Plm license cost per user cost per unit: 1,672 $ / piece
  • Variable plm license cost per user cost: 175,680 $
  • Fixed plm license cost per user adder: 25,000 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live PLM License Cost per User calculator, set active utilization rate to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.