Three months away from the New Year, with worldwide IT spending set to continue to decrease, that means your IT spending is probably set to continue to decrease, too. No need to worry though, this is not the death of IT spending, rather a purge of unnecessary costs.
It’s getting down to the wire. If you haven’t already, it’s time to plan your IT budget. IT spending is set to include PCs, software, and telecommunications, and more. IT budgets need to plan for stability, usability, and productivity.
Breaking your budget down helps you easily see where all your money is going so that it’s easier to manage. By seeing exactly what’s being spent in each department, you may notice areas you could cut down a little, or even areas that could use a little bit more. Here’s a breakdown of what to focus on and expect in our free IT budget template:
Hardware
Hardware is the bones of your IT department, you wouldn’t be able to do anything without it! Hardware can include any equipment you may have, or additional equipment you’re thinking about purchasing as well as the costs to implement the new hardware. Hardware includes computers, laptops, routers, switches, cabling, printers, servers, monitors, etc.
Software
Software is like the little cousin of hardware; without software, hardware can prove almost useless. Software can include current and future software purchases as well as implementation costs. Things like antivirus, antispam, and backup software are included in this category.
Licensing
Licensing makes sure you’re keeping everything kosher and legal. Licensing is required to administer the use of software. Usually, licensing is required for each CPU. Licensing can include anything from Microsoft Office to Adobe Photoshop.
Maintenance
Maintenance makes sure that everything is running smoothly. Employees need to be able to continue to work on their equipment, knowing it runs properly. Planned maintenance can minimize the loss of productivity. Maintenance can include backup services, general maintenance, etc.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications includes everything that helps connect you to your customers. Without it, you wouldn’t have a business with customer service. Telecommunications can include telephones, mobile phones, data, internet access, etc.
Parts & Repair
Each piece of equipment is made up of parts: your computer, your phone, your printer, etc. Nothing would run without parts, and nothing would be fixed without repairs. Individual parts can be both repaired and replaced. Parts and repair can include hard drives, memory, keyboards, mice, etc.
While your budget includes much more than these basic topics, this is just a start. Download out IT budget template to assist you in making the most of your assets! Check out our blog post on maximizing your budget for more tips.
