Build a new-office IT budget before ordering desks and laptops

Budget for a working office, not a hardware pile

A useful office IT budget includes the equipment, services and work needed for people to operate on the opening day. Count devices and subscriptions, but also cabling, internet installation, setup, migration, training and support. A spreadsheet of laptop prices can look affordable while omitting the work that makes them useful.

Start with staff roles, premises, remote work and business activities. Decide what must work at opening and what can wait. A staged budget is often better than buying every possible feature, but postponing internet provisioning or required cabling can be expensive. Check address availability and installation requirements early, before the layout is fixed.

Build four cost groups

Separate upfront purchases, upfront implementation, recurring services and a future replacement allowance. Purchases include computers, displays, docks, network equipment and any required printing or meeting equipment. Implementation includes installation, account configuration, data transfer, testing and handover. Recurring items include software, connectivity, support and selected security or backup services.

A replacement allowance is a planning reserve for future expenditure, not a current supplier invoice. Keep it visible without adding it twice to a three-year cash total. Use consistent GST treatment. If you compare ex-GST business costs, record that clearly and ask your accountant about the actual tax treatment rather than assuming every payment is handled identically.

Work through an illustrative office

Suppose eight staff need complete workstations at an assumed A$1,600 each, A$3,000 of network and cabling, and A$2,000 setup. Upfront cost is A$17,800 excluding GST. If software is A$55 per person per month, internet A$120 and support plus backup A$600 monthly, recurring cost is A$1,160 per month.

On those assumptions, three-year cost is A$17,800 plus A$41,760, or A$59,560, before price changes and additional replacements. These are illustrative inputs, not current prices or a quotation. They show why an apparently modest hardware budget can be only part of the commitment. Replace each assumption with scoped quotes and actual staffing needs.

Identify premises and timing dependencies

Confirm communications entry, equipment location, power, ventilation, cable routes and landlord permissions. Ask whether building work needs to be completed before installation and who coordinates the trades. Include safe mounting and any required qualified work in scope. An office plan may need different network design from a warehouse full of metal shelving.

The nbn business connection guidance encourages early consideration of connectivity. Do not cancel an existing service before the replacement is tested if continuity matters. Include phone numbers, payment terminals, alarms and other services affected by the move. Decide which systems can operate during a delay and what temporary arrangements cost.

Compare core needs and optional upgrades

Use a minimum workable case, a realistic operating case and an optional improvement case. Put security and recovery requirements in the appropriate core scope, rather than treating them as decoration after hardware purchases. A premium screen or meeting controller can wait more easily than administrator recovery or a tested backup of essential records.

Estimate headcount growth conservatively and identify costs triggered by another staff member, location or software tier. Do not buy spare subscriptions solely because growth is hoped for. Compare flexibility with commitment and record the conditions under which an upgrade becomes necessary. Keep contingencies tied to identified uncertainty, such as untested cabling, rather than hiding an arbitrary amount inside every line.

Keep a practical decision record

Keep a budget reconciliation when orders are placed. Replace assumptions with accepted quotes, record variations and update the recurring total before approving optional upgrades. Track committed cost separately from money already paid so a delayed invoice is not mistaken for spare budget. Assign someone to verify the first complete monthly billing cycle after opening. This can reveal duplicate services, unused seats or a temporary connection that was never cancelled. The final operating budget should reflect the working premises, rather than remain a historical estimate made before the layout was known.

Next step and acceptance

Use the IT budget planner for upfront, monthly and three-year estimates, then the office setup planner for sequencing. Assign an owner to each dependency and a due date that allows for testing before opening.

Require acceptance tests for internet, Wi-Fi, printing, meetings, access, backup and recovery according to scope. Keep account ownership, configuration and support contacts in the handover. A coherent budget is one the business can operate and maintain after the installer leaves. Judge it on complete working scope and realistic recurring costs, not only whether the first equipment order fits the available cash.