Tracking your licenses is very important for the reasons you cited and others, such as retrieving the rights granted or the term of the license so you know when it expires enabling you to pursue re-licensing or remind them to cease their usage.
You can definitely use a spreadsheet or a database of your own creation. I'm not sure how you'd do it through accounting software.
The only software I know of that has dedicated license tracking built-in is InView and/or StockView*. There you have a package that includes the ability to generate and/or track licenses with all the critical terminology. [
HSLtd.us]
The important thing is to have an organized method and be consistent in using it.
*Disclaimer - I am the author of this software.
James Cook
Creator of:
METAmachine
FindAPhotographer