How to manage FCP ownership in a business/team environment?

There must be an Apple ID. I ran a TV production dept and we had one Apple ID for the department. All Macs were logged into that ID. That’s how it works.

They should be able to use their own AppleID for iMessage, etc., but when FCP/Motion/Compressor need updating they'll need to change the login to the company ID.

If you let everyone use their own Apple ID, FCP has to be associated with each individual Apple ID. And when someone leaves the company, they'll log out of their personal Apple ID and much of what's been used goes with them. Including the FCP license. It's a wacky way to do things, but that's how Apple does it. I highly suggest you get with an Apple Business rep at your local Apple store to discuss options.

BenB wrote:

If you let everyone use their own Apple ID, FCP has to be associated with each individual Apple ID. And when someone leaves the company, they'll log out of their personal Apple ID

...if the user leaves and does NOT log out of his Apple ID and iCloud "Find My Mac", then the company no longer can update FCP until providing proof of ownership to Apple.

If the user leaves an does NOT log out, you can update FCP all you want. You also have access to all of his personal Apple ID stuff. Which gets you into a LOT of legal trouble. A business client of mine made this mistake once, and it was really messy, do NOT go that route. Seen it first hand.

Why not use the company AppleID for all company software purchases, then logout and let the editor login with their AppleID for iMessage, etc.? The company AppleID owner has control over when production software like FCP, Motion, Compressor and anything else the company purchases are updated because they are tied to the company's AppleID. If the editor leaves the company but forgets to logout of their AppleID, seems pretty easy to log them out. I do this in a limited way on a couple edit machines, but if there's a large team, speaking with an Apple Business rep about it as BenB suggested seems like a smart idea.

What Terry said, this is how we did it at the TV station I ran. Employees should be doing personal Messages and personal email on their own devices anyway, not on company devices. It's about huge liability, also.

BenB wrote:

If the user leaves an does NOT log out, you can update FCP all you want.

Yes, but AFAIR after a while the user still has to re-enter his iCloud or App Store password before updating?