Opening a new office or relocating involves a lot of work, and from what we often see, IT tends to be remembered only as moving day approaches. Yet some IT tasks, such as internet installation and cable pulling, take time and are ideally done before the furniture arrives. Below is the new office IT checklist the Techarg team uses in consultations with clients who are preparing an office, so the office is ready to use from day one.
1. New Office IT Checklist: Planning (4–8 Weeks Before the Move)
In the early stage of a consultation, our team maps out requirements from the following information:
- Final office floor plan, including desk positions, meeting rooms, server room or rack location, and reception area.
- Current headcount and expected growth over the next 2–3 years.
- Equipment list of devices to be moved and those that need to be purchased.
- Budget for networking, devices and security.
- Work schedule agreed with building management, including permits for after-hours work.
2. Internet
- Our team checks which internet providers are available in the building.
- We advise ordering internet service early, because installation can take time.
- For offices whose operations depend heavily on connectivity, we usually recommend two internet providers for redundancy.
- We also map out whether public IP addresses are needed for servers or remote access.
3. Network and Cabling
- We count the number of network points for each desk, printer, phone, camera and access point, with a 10–20% reserve.
- The rack location we recommend is an area that is well ventilated and easy to access.
- We install structured cabling with labels on every cable and patch panel.
- WiFi is planned from a site survey: the number and position of access points are based on the actual conditions of the space.
- The firewall/router, switches and UPS for the network equipment are part of the design from the start.
- We separate the staff, guest and CCTV networks so they are more secure and easier to manage.
In our experience, cable pulling is most efficient when it is finished before the ceiling is closed and the furniture is installed.
4. Work Devices
- A laptop or PC for each employee, including new hires.
- Monitors, docking stations, keyboards and mice.
- Printers and scanners, including network access setup.
- Licenses for the operating system, office applications and antivirus.
- For temporary or project needs, an option we often propose is laptop rental, so the company does not need to buy.
5. Meeting Rooms
- A display or projector sized for the room.
- Camera, microphone and speakers for video conferencing.
- HDMI cables or a wireless presentation device.
- Wired network points at the meeting table, which we recommend for a more stable connection.
6. Physical Security
- CCTV at entrances, reception, the server room and storage areas.
- Access control for the main door and server room.
- Attendance terminals if needed.
- A UPS for the CCTV NVR so recording continues during power outages.
7. Data and Information Security
- We plan data backup before devices are moved.
- We set up shared storage (NAS or cloud) with access rights per department.
- We change WiFi and network device passwords from their factory defaults.
- All devices are recorded in an IT asset inventory.
8. Moving Day and After
- We test the internet, every network point and WiFi coverage before employees arrive.
- Ideally, an IT team or vendor is on standby on day one.
- We hand over network documentation: cable point map, device configurations and internet provider contacts.
- We usually schedule a follow-up check one to two weeks after the move.
New Office IT Checklist: Conclusion
In our team's experience, the key to a new office that is ready to use is planning IT from the start, especially internet and cabling, which take the longest. This checklist is the starting point we usually go through with clients so that nothing is missed.
Tell us about your new office, and the Techarg team is ready to provide consultation and solutions that fit your needs, from network installation, office IT hardware and CCTV to meeting rooms. You can choose only the services you need. See also our IT services for companies or contact us for a site survey.