IT Planning
Part of Small business technology reviews
Auditing the current IT setup before buying more tools
Check existing tools, ownership, access, costs and task gaps before approving another small business technology purchase.
Before approving another tool, check what the business already has for the task in question. A focused audit should show which tool holds the work, who controls it and which requirement remains unmet.
Follow the proposed purchase back to the task
If staff request a job-tracking app, trace a job from enquiry to completion. Ask workers to show where they enter updates and which copy colleagues rely on. Include the accounts, applications, devices and hand-offs on that route. Keep the audit tied to the purchase decision.
Record what is already in place
| Field | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Tool and owner | Product or device, business owner and administrator or supplier contact |
| Task and users | Work it supports and people who need it |
| Access and records | Who can use it and where the current work record lives |
| Cost and term | Current charge, renewal point and unknown commitments |
| Condition | Fault or support limit affecting the task |
| Evidence | Where each answer was checked and when |
Use invoices and administrator views to find paid services, then ask the work owner whether each remains needed. A charge proves payment and an assignment shows access; neither proves that the tool helps the task. Check apparently duplicate services against the records and teams they serve before cancelling one.
Check the claimed gap
Have an authorised worker complete a representative task on the existing setup. Record a missing permission, workaround or failed step. Ask the administrator whether the current product or plan already provides the needed capability and whether a change in access or process would help. Confirm features and restrictions for the actual plan; a product name alone is insufficient.
Check support status for the exact device and software version. If the proposed tool would hold important records, identify who owns them. Leave any unanswered access or recovery question open for the appropriate review.
IT audit readiness indicators
- Tools with expired support
- Check via https://www.cyber.gov.au/protect-yourself/securing-your-devices/how-update-your-device-and-software/end-support
- Unverified duplicate services
- Cross-check records and teams served before cancellation
- Missing permissions in current tools
- Document gaps found during task simulation
- Unconfirmed ownership of digital records
- Clarify who holds data if new tool is adopted
Make the purchase decision
Conclude existing setup meets the task, adjust the existing setup, trial a new option or investigate a named unknown. For a trial, state the task it must complete, who will check it and which cost and term must be confirmed before purchase. Keep the audit findings with the request so the reason for adding another tool remains clear.
