GFI introduces a new model for managing license renewals based on auto-renewal, which will affect all licenses expiring from April 30.
This change directly impacts both partners and end customers, introducing new rules, stricter timelines, and clearly defined responsibilities.
Benefits of GFI Auto-Renewal
Enabling GFI Auto-Renewal is advantageous because it:
- Ensures Continuity: With GFI Auto-Renewal enabled, the license will not face interruptions, avoiding downtime and last-minute emergencies.
- Protects Pricing: In case of price changes, the increase compared to the previous year will be less impactful.
- Access to Special Discounts: In specific contexts, GFI may authorize non-standard quotations.
How GFI Auto-Renewal Works
When GFI Auto-Renewal is enabled (by default, all licenses have it enabled), the process becomes mostly automated:
- The end customer will receive notifications from GFI before the expiration date, with an invitation to contact their reseller.
- If no changes are communicated to CoreTech within 40 days of the expiration (T-40), the license will be automatically renewed:
- With the same number of users
- For the same period
- Maintaining the same expiration date
After T-40, it is no longer possible to block the auto-renewal process or change the renewal method.
Finalizing the Renewal
- 15 days before the license expiration, the renewal is finalized:
- Both the customer and partner will receive the updated license.
- The partner does not need to place any orders.
License Upgrades and Downgrades, and Changing the Expiration Date
With GFI Auto-Renewal enabled, any license changes must be managed before the 40-day mark (T-40).
What Happens if GFI Auto-Renewal is Disabled
If GFI Auto-Renewal is disabled:
- The renewal becomes fully manual.
- The price protection is lost (the current price list applies).
- Special quotations cannot be requested.
Important: GFI Auto-Renewal is automatically reactivated with every renewal, and if not desired, it must be disabled each year.
How to Block GFI Auto-Renewal
Auto-renewal can be blocked within T-40 for licenses that you specifically do not wish to renew.
To do this, you need to access the form available in the customer area of the CoreTech website and enter the relevant license key.
Once the auto-renewal block is confirmed, the action becomes irreversible.
Important: GFI Auto-Renewal is automatically reactivated with every renewal, and if not desired, it must be disabled each year.
Responsibilities and Critical Cases
The new system clearly defines responsibilities.
Both the end customer and the partner will be notified in advance about the expiration by GFI, and the procedure will be communicated through the change in the EULA.
These communications clearly warn about the upcoming renewal, inviting the customer to contact the partner in time, providing sufficient time to intervene.
Therefore, if an end customer does not wish to renew but does not communicate their intention in time, the GFI auto-renewal will proceed, and the process cannot be interrupted, resulting in a regular invoice.
In Conclusion
The new system aims to make renewals more efficient and predictable but requires partners to pay closer attention to timelines and proactively manage business opportunities.
Particularly, it is recommended to:
- Monitor the T-40 change date.
- Plan any changes in advance.
- Understand the implications of GFI Auto-Renewal being enabled or disabled.