Maintain a licence and integration inventory so your team knows what each installation depends on, who manages it and what must be checked before an upgrade or migration. The inventory should identify secrets by secure reference without copying the secrets themselves.
IN THIS ARTICLE
01 Build the inventory
- List billing platforms, control panels, paid modules, themes, application licences and external providers used to deliver customer services.
- Record the vendor, product, installed version, environment, installation URL or server identifier and responsible owner.
- Record the licence type, approved scope and renewal or support date from the actual purchase record. Note any restrictions on domains, installations, clients or test environments.
- Identify the secure location of the licence key and credentials. Include a reference or masked identifier, never a full access token in a general spreadsheet.
- Map dependencies such as supported PHP versions, required extensions, billing-platform versions, callback URLs and provider accounts.
- Link the vendor's release notes, support route and update procedure. Record customisations that may need review during replacement.
- Reconcile the inventory periodically against installed software and supplier invoices. Remove obsolete access only after confirming that no active service depends on it.
02 Use it before changes
For a migration, check whether the vendor requires a licence reissue, installation-address update or new entitlement. For an upgrade, check the compatibility of each active module and theme as well as the main platform.
WHMCS exposes installation licence information in its administration area. Treat that as one verification source alongside the purchase record and vendor account. A working key does not establish that every optional module or second installation is included.
Keep ownership current when staff or suppliers change. Ensure the business can reach the vendor account and recover necessary licence material through an approved process.
Common questions
Should we store every licence key in the inventory?
Store sensitive values in the approved secret system and reference them. The inventory needs enough information to find and manage an entitlement without becoming a collection of reusable credentials.
Does an active support subscription prove version compatibility?
Check the vendor's current compatibility information for the actual installed versions. Commercial entitlement and technical compatibility are separate checks.