HOW TO SET UP AN IT BUDGET | INSTALL ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE

As your business is likely to move towards automation and become more and more digital, your IT department will have a bigger role to play. This means you need to plan ahead for network changes, investments in new technology, and increased software training. In short, IT strategies that may have worked in the past may no longer fit your business model.

An integral part of your plan is a budget that outlines how you will spend money to meet your goals. Ideally, you should create a new IT budget every year.

With that in mind, here are tips that could help you realign your IT budget:

 

CHECK LAST YEAR'S IT BUDGET

To determine where you want to make changes, check out last year's budget. Let's say you've spent money on equipment like a computer or a new server. You can check to see if you need to upgrade or change your hardware. You can also use last year's budget to find recurring expenses.

Common recurring expenses include:

• Cloud storage fees
• Software license renewals / Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscriptions
• URL registration
• Content Management System (CMS) fees

 

DETERMINE YOUR NEEDS AND WANTS

After identifying budget gaps and opportunities, make a list of the IT components you will need based on your budget. Consider devices and software that is critical to your operation, such as B. Desktops, wireless routers, servers, operating systems, and productivity software.

Also, keep the following criteria in mind when creating your list:

• Who is responsible for handling and maintaining new items
• Integration requirements with other devices, if any

Creating a comprehensive list will help you prioritize items in the procurement process.

 

CONSULT WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS

Your IT department doesn't work in a silo. Your processes are influenced by other teams in your organization and vice versa (e.g. if your IT department sees room for automation or the transition to a digital process for another department). So consult with other departments to understand their plans and coordinate your IT budget.

 

For example, if HR wants to invest in HR software, which department will pay for that purchase? If there are additional costs for project management, staff training, maintenance, implementation, etc., which department (or departments) will assume (s) these?

 

PREPARE TO EXPLAIN PROVIDER PRICING MODELS

In part, cost overruns on items such as cloud services are due to an inability to understand the complexity of the provider pricing models. To avoid this, provide a clear pricing model that you can explain to upper management

 

GATHER DATA TO MEASURE ROI

Every department needs to analyze their budgets to make sure they are on the right track and to record spending patterns. Your IT department should pay extra attention to this when it comes to ROI.

 

For example, you can determine whether you have saved money with a large technology investment by tracking productivity metrics with appropriate analytics tools. A successful spend - that is, one that will benefit your bottom line - may justify funding additional projects in the future.

 

A well thought out IT budget saves you the trouble of making unnecessary investments. If you only have limited experience with IT budgets, you should team up with an experienced Managed Service Provider (MSP) like Protegent360 who will help you uncover hidden costs and make precise predictions.

 

Call us today and we'll provide the best antivirus software.