How to Audit Your MSP Tool Stack for Overlap, Waste, and Underutilization MSPs use many tools to run their business, often added over time by different teams. Having a structured tech stack audit helps identify what's redundant or underused, streamline workflows, reduce costs, and improve profitability and visibility across the entire tool stack. In this video, we'll show you how to properly audit your MSP tool stack. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne’s IT video hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. Step 1: Inventory Installed Tools Across Client Devices For this step, make sure you have PowerShell 5.1 or higher on your target devices. To collect software inventory using PowerShell, run the following command with administrator privileges: Alternatively, you can run this code on the Command Prompt: After exporting the results, standardize the tool names and map each one to its corresponding function in a spreadsheet or Power BI dashboard. Step 2: Tag Tools and Endpoints in the Registry for Comparison To use Registry entries to flag known tool categories or potential overlap risks, run the following PowerShell command: You can then query these registry keys through your RMM or scripts to create a cross-client matrix of tools by function. Step 3: Audit Licensing Usage and Logins Per Vendor Portal Next, review each vendor’s admin portal to compare what you're paying for with what's actually being used. Collect license and usage data from each vendor portal, such as seats purchased, seats assigned active users within the last 30 to 90 days, and recent activity. Export the reports to CSV. Then, combine the exported reports in Excel or Power BI to build a simple tool utilization table. Using this data, confirm which tools and features are actually being used. Step 4: Evaluate tool redundancy with script and policy checks Next, identify overlapping tools on endpoints to eliminate duplicates, reduce waste and prevent software conflicts. Use this PowerShell command to detect multiple antivirus products To find overlapping agents, such as patching or updater services, run this PowerShell command. If duplicate tools are found, have the script flag the device in the Registry or return an error code. You can use the following code to do this. Step 5: Review Technician Usage and Workflow Friction via Surveys Next, talk to the people who use the tools every day. Survey technicians to uncover workflow inefficiencies that data alone may miss. Here are some sample questions to ask technicians to help review tool usage: Which tools do you log into daily? Which tools have confusing or redundant interfaces? Are there tools you are required to use but avoid because of manual workarounds? You can use the survey data as a cross-reference for actual usage data. Step 6: Set policy for rationalization and replacement Once you've identified overlapping and underused tools, put clear policies in place to decide what to keep, remove, standardize, or consolidate. You can create a rubric for your audit findings, like this: Regular tech stack audits help control costs, improve technician workflows, and reduce client confusion. By reviewing installed tools, usage patterns, and functional overlap, you can eliminate waste and ensure every tool delivers measurable value. For more information, check out our official blog post on How to audit your MSP tool stack linked in the description below. Be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this.