Decide what day one must support

This is a planning example for a small Australian office, not a customer case study. Start with staff numbers, working patterns and premises access. List essential jobs such as taking calls, processing payments, accessing files and printing dispatch documents. Each job needs a named owner and a simple acceptance test. “Internet connected” is insufficient if a cloud phone cannot receive calls or the dispatch printer is inaccessible.

Ask the landlord or agent about existing cabling, communications cupboards, installation permission and who owns any equipment left behind. Do this before signing an installation contract. A previous tenant’s working internet does not establish that your new service can be activated on your move date.

Work backwards from opening day

  1. Before committing: confirm service availability at the exact address, quote lead times and establish a temporary connection option.
  2. Before fit-out: mark desk positions, power points, access points, printers and communications equipment. Get qualified advice on cabling and electrical work.
  3. Before staff arrive: create accounts, enable multi-factor authentication, test device sign-in and assign an owner for software subscriptions.
  4. Before declaring completion: test calls, meetings, file access, backup recovery and guest Wi-Fi. Record administrator ownership and support contacts.

Build a complete cash budget

Separate equipment, installation and migration from recurring bills. A working example might include eight laptops, a router, access points and a switch, but the quantities depend on your premises and software. Enter real supplier quotes into the budget tool rather than treating a generic per-person allowance as a purchasing list. Include docks, monitors, cabling, delivery, spare equipment and staff training.

Record whether each amount includes GST. The budget planner can show a 10% GST assumption, but cash paid and any eligible tax credits occur at different times. Confirm your business treatment with your adviser. Keep an allowance for surprises instead of filling the entire budget with devices.

Keep the first build simple

Choose a small set of supported device types and one primary file location. Guest devices should not need access to finance systems or shared printers. More equipment adds configuration and support work, so require a reason for every extra appliance. Ask the installer for a labelled network map and a credentials handover through a secure channel.

Opening-day checklist

  • A wired and a wireless device can access the essential applications.
  • Staff can receive and make calls, including from meeting areas.
  • A test file can be recovered from the intended backup.
  • A responsible person holds account ownership and recovery details.
  • There is a documented fallback if the main internet service is delayed.

Use the tools below to turn this sequence into an editable list and budget. Keep unresolved dependencies visible. Do not mark the office ready solely because every box has arrived.