IT Planning Guide
A Practical IT Checklist for Small Organizations
Small organizations rarely need more technology for its own sake. They need a few important systems to be secure, documented, and consistently maintained. Use this checklist to find the gaps most likely to create disruption or unnecessary risk.
Know What You Have
Start with a simple inventory. You cannot maintain, secure, or budget for technology that no one knows exists. Record the systems your organization relies on and who is responsible for each one.
- Computers, mobile devices, network equipment, printers, cameras, and AV systems
- Email, file storage, accounting, donor or customer, website, and line-of-business systems
- Internet, phone, software, support, and equipment vendors
- Renewal dates, warranties, subscriptions, and administrative contacts
Protect Accounts and Access
Most organizations should begin with account security before buying another security product. Make sure each person has an individual account, require multifactor authentication, limit administrative privileges, and remove access promptly when someone leaves.
Verify Backups Before You Need Them
A backup is only useful if it includes the right information and can be restored. Confirm what is protected, how often it runs, who receives failure alerts, how long data is retained, and when a restore was last tested.
Create a Short Technology Roadmap
List what must be addressed now, what should happen in the next year, and what can wait. Include expected equipment replacements and subscription renewals so technology costs become planned decisions instead of emergencies.