As we have already been talking about on in other articles, it is very important that the Information Technology Department clearly establish the policies that involve all the activities related to technology.
In this case, we are going to talk about the policy for the acquisition of computers, mobile devices, accessories, software applications, and many more, in a small or medium-sized organization.
The disclosure of this policy is very important and must be done on internal web pages, be sent by email, and must be widely disseminated and discussed, along with the rest of the department’s policies, so that everyone knows and understands them.
What, in my opinion, should be very clearly established, is that there should be only one department taking care of establishing this policy for the IT Department.
Regarding this policy, in our experience, it is very important to consider first, what the values and philosophy of the company are, since the policy must be written in accordance with those values and beliefs.
It is also important to note that there must be an alignment with the owners of the company, senior management, and with the board of directors regarding each and every one of the policies of the information technology department.
In this policy, we will clearly establish who is accountable for the acquisition, installation, and updating of all computer equipment, accessories, and software applications owned by the company.
In this way, we will avoid misunderstandings, and the duplicity of activities, and there will be greater clarity about the procedures for requesting new computer equipment, and any other technology-related needs of other users.
It must be clearly established who and what the authorized procedures are and what the appropriate channels are in the purchase process, software installation, and any other need related to technology.
Below is an example of an AUP for the acquisition of computers, electronic devices, software applications, and in general, any other digital equipment related to the IT department.
“All computers, electronic devices, software, and systems must be purchased, installed, updated, and uninstalled by the Information Technology Department. For this reason, any request related to Information Technology must be directed to the IT Department”
Definitely, each case is different, so this policy is only intended as an example, so that you can adapt it to your own needs and generate your own ideas, according to the culture and values of your own company.
This policy applies to the acquisition of any computer equipment, accessories, software applications, and the Internet, which are the property of the company.
The equipment that is owned by the company, and that must be purchased, installed, and updated by the IT department are the following:
Desktop personal computers, laptops, computer monitors, printers, scanners, desk phones, smartphones, tablets, external hard drives, network storage devices, Bluetooth accessories, flash drives, battery backup, smart TVs, servers, phone servers, routers, network switches, wireless access points, telecommunication equipment, meeting rooms, smart TVs, projectors, video conferencing equipment, AV equipment, GPS equipment, etc.
The main purpose of this policy is to define that only the information technology department is in charge of acquiring any computer equipment, accessories, and software applications for the entire organization.
In this way, the possibility is avoided that there is another department that has specific needs and budget, taking action, and acquires what they need related to technology without the intervention of the IT department.
In our experience, this has happened to us before, and it has different drawbacks since on many occasions other departments can buy servers, computers, and network equipment, software, by themselves, which can eventually interfere with the operation of the company network, in addition to not being aligned with the strategy in terms of brands and standards established by the information technology department.
The information technology area has already established what its standards are, in terms of brand, operating equipment, guidelines, in terms of computer security, IP networks, etc., for which the fact that someone is acquiring or installing equipment without the intervention and authorization of the information technology department, can put the operation of the company at risk, as we said previously
In addition, here also comes the issue of the budget, that all purchases and all the equipment I have must already be acquired and registered in the accounting system, under the information technology accounts, which allows for greater control of expenses. and investments in technology.
As we have said in this article, having a policy on the acquisition of technology is very important to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings, thus achieving a better operation of the company, as far as technology is concerned.
If you are the IT manager, it is very important that you consider this as part of your department’s policies.
As we mentioned previously, all policies and guidelines must be aligned with the way of being and the way of thinking of your organization, in such a way that there must be the approval of the owners of the company, the senior management, or the board of directors.
Please share this article if you think someone might be interested, and please leave us your comments and let us know what you think about it. In the same way, it would be very useful if you shared your own experiences in this regard to further enrich our online community.
Gilberto Acuña is an Information Technology professional and has worked for more than 30 years in the IT area, serving as Infrastructure Manager, and Information Technology Manager, in different industries, such as beverages, restaurants, and energy, among others. others, and in large, medium, and small companies, both in Mexico and in the United States.
Gilberto is also a business owner and is currently an IT, online business, and e-commerce consultant.
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