The best time to negotiate a software deal is toward the end of a vendor's financial quarter or fiscal year, when its salespeople are trying to hit their numbers. Disbrow says contracts landed during these periods can include overall discounts of 5% to 10%. To gain maximum leverage, Auer recommends starting the process 60 to 90 days before the end of a fiscal year, or 30 days before the end of a financial quarter.

"Vendors are real serious about salespeople making their quotas," says Auer. "They can make magic things happen during those times."

Hoffman is a former Computerworld national correspondent. Contact him at .

This version of the story originally appeared in Computerworld 's print edition.

Got something to add? Let us know in the .