The IT Checklist for Moving Office
Executive Summary
Moving office involves much more than desks, chairs and removal vans. Your business also needs internet connectivity, Wi-Fi, phones, computers, printers and other technology to be ready when your team arrives.
If the IT side of the move is left too late, even a well-organised relocation can result in downtime, frustrated staff and a first day spent waiting for things to work.
The good news is that most office move IT problems are avoidable with the right planning. This checklist covers the main areas to think about, from broadband and cabling to equipment, telephony and contingency plans.
Get Support can also manage the IT side of an office move from start to finish. We have plenty of experience helping businesses relocate their technology and can coordinate everything needed to get the new office ready for your team.
Introduction
There is usually one question at the centre of every office move:
Will everything actually work when we arrive?
It sounds simple, but there are quite a few pieces that need to come together.
Your new office may need a new internet connection. Desks might need network points and power in the right places. Wi-Fi needs to cover the whole space. Phones need to work. Computers, screens, printers and meeting room equipment all need to be moved, connected and tested.
Some of these things also have long lead times, which means the IT planning should start well before moving day.
Here is a practical IT checklist to help make sure nothing important gets missed.
1. Start the IT planning early
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is treating IT as something that can be dealt with shortly before the move.
Some parts can be organised quickly. Others cannot.
Internet services in particular may require surveys, engineering work or a new line to be installed at the building. The timescales can vary significantly depending on the location and what connectivity is already available.
As soon as you know you are moving, involve whoever looks after your IT.
They can review the new office, identify what needs to be ordered and work backwards from your planned moving date.
Ideally, IT should be part of the office move planning process rather than something added at the end.
2. Check the internet connection at the new office
Reliable connectivity is one of the most important parts of an office move.
Before signing up for a service, find out what is actually available at the new address and whether it will be suitable for the number of people using it.
Consider things such as:
- How many employees will be working from the office?
- Will you regularly use Microsoft Teams, Zoom or other video calling services?
- Does your business depend heavily on cloud applications?
- Do you transfer large files?
- Are guest Wi-Fi or additional networks required?
- Do you need a backup internet connection?
Do not assume that because a building is modern it will automatically have fast business connectivity.
It is also worth arranging the new connection well ahead of moving day. Your internet provider’s timescale may be very different from your office move timetable.
3. Plan the cabling before the desks arrive
Network cabling is much easier to install before an office is full of furniture and people.
Think carefully about where desks, printers, meeting rooms, Wi-Fi equipment and other devices will be positioned.
You may need network points for:
- employee desks
- printers and multifunction devices
- meeting room equipment
- Wi-Fi access points
- CCTV or security equipment
- door access systems
- phone equipment
- servers or other network hardware
Even businesses that use Wi-Fi extensively will usually benefit from having proper structured cabling in place.
A little planning here can prevent extension leads, loose cables and awkward workarounds later.
4. Make sure the Wi-Fi covers the whole office
Moving your existing Wi-Fi equipment into a new office does not necessarily mean you will get the same results.
Every building is different.
Walls, floors, the size and shape of the office and the number of people using the network can all affect coverage.
Larger offices may need several wireless access points positioned around the building rather than a single router in the corner.
The aim is simple: staff should be able to work reliably wherever they need to be without finding mysterious Wi-Fi dead spots after the move.
Your IT provider can assess the space, recommend suitable equipment and make sure the wireless network is configured securely.
5. Review your business telephony
If your business still relies on fixed telephone numbers, make sure telephony is included in the move plan.
Many businesses now use cloud-based phone systems, which can make moving much easier because numbers and extensions are not necessarily tied to a particular physical office.
However, there may still be work required.
Check:
- whether your existing numbers can continue to be used
- whether call routing needs to change
- whether desk phones are moving with employees
- whether headsets or other equipment need replacing
- whether emergency contact details or recorded messages need updating
If staff will be working remotely during part of the move, it is also worth confirming how incoming calls will be handled during the transition.
6. Decide what equipment is moving
An office move is a useful opportunity to take stock of your IT equipment.
There is little point paying to move old computers, monitors, printers or networking equipment that is due to be replaced shortly afterwards.
Create an inventory of the equipment in the existing office and decide what will:
- move to the new office
- be replaced
- be recycled or securely disposed of
- stay behind temporarily
- need upgrading before the move
Remember smaller items too, such as docking stations, webcams, headsets, keyboards, chargers and cables.
Labelling equipment by employee or desk location can make the move itself considerably easier.
7. Think about meeting rooms
Meeting room technology is often forgotten until someone tries to join the first Teams meeting from the new office.
If your meeting rooms use screens, cameras, microphones, speakers or dedicated video conferencing equipment, decide how these will be set up in the new space.
You may also need to consider:
- screen positioning
- power sockets
- network connections
- cables concealed within walls or furniture
- room booking systems
- microphones and speakers
- cameras suitable for the room size
Testing everything before employees start using the office avoids an embarrassing first client call where nobody can hear anybody else.
8. Check printers and other shared equipment
Printers are easy to overlook because they are usually just there and working.
When they move to a different network, however, their configuration may need to change.
The same applies to other shared devices around the office.
Make a list of anything employees connect to over the network and make sure it is included in the plan.
If you have several old printers, an office move can also be a sensible time to review whether you still need all of them.
9. Plan how computers will be disconnected and reconnected
Someone needs to take responsibility for the computers themselves.
That might include safely disconnecting equipment at the old office, making sure it is correctly labelled, transporting it and reconnecting everything at the new location.
Depending on the size of the business, it may be practical to move the IT equipment separately from general office furniture.
It is also worth deciding whether employees should take laptops and other important equipment home before the move.
This can reduce the risk of essential devices being packed into the wrong box or becoming unavailable when someone urgently needs to work.
10. Do not forget security
A move is a period of change, and that can create security gaps if nobody is paying attention.
Make sure your existing security measures continue to work throughout the relocation.
That could include:
- firewalls and other network security equipment
- secure Wi-Fi settings
- device encryption
- backups
- antivirus and security software
- access permissions
- CCTV
- door access systems
If old equipment is being disposed of, make sure any business data is securely removed first.
Paper labels, spreadsheets and moving boxes containing passwords or sensitive details should also be handled carefully.
11. Back everything up before the move
Hopefully, nothing will go wrong during the relocation.
You should still prepare for the possibility.
Make sure important business data is properly backed up before equipment starts being disconnected.
If most of your systems are cloud based, that does not automatically mean everything is protected. Your IT provider can check what is backed up, how frequently it is backed up and whether the backups can actually be restored if required.
An office move is not the time to discover that an important system had no usable backup.
12. Have a contingency plan
Even with good preparation, something outside your control can cause a delay.
The obvious example is the new internet connection not being ready when expected.
Plan in advance for what the business would do if the new office could not operate normally on day one.
Options might include:
- employees working from home temporarily
- a temporary mobile internet connection
- retaining access to the old office for a short overlap period
- redirecting telephone calls
- prioritising essential employees and systems first
The right approach will depend on your business, but having a plan is much better than trying to invent one on moving morning.
13. Test everything before moving day
Whenever possible, the new office should be tested before the whole team arrives.
Check that:
- the internet connection is live
- wired network connections work
- Wi-Fi works throughout the office
- business phones and numbers work correctly
- printers can be accessed
- meeting room technology works
- computers can connect to business systems
- security equipment is operating correctly
- remote access still works where required
- backup connectivity or contingency arrangements are ready
The ideal first morning is a fairly boring one. Staff arrive, turn on their computers and get on with their work.
That usually happens because the important work has already been done beforehand.
Final Thoughts
Moving office is a major project, and IT is only one part of it. Unfortunately, it is also one of the parts that can bring the business to a halt if it goes wrong.
Starting early makes a huge difference.
Connectivity, cabling, Wi-Fi, phones and equipment should all be considered while the new office is still being planned, rather than a few days before employees arrive.
It is also worth having one person or IT provider take responsibility for the whole technology side of the move. That helps prevent gaps between different suppliers and gives you one point of contact when decisions need to be made.
With the right preparation, an office move does not have to mean days of IT problems.
Need help with the IT side of your office move?
Get Support can manage the technology side of your office relocation from beginning to end.
We have extensive experience helping businesses move offices and can work with you well before moving day to make sure everything is planned properly.
We can help with connectivity, network cabling, Wi-Fi, telephony, computer equipment, meeting rooms, security and contingency planning. We can also coordinate the disconnection, move, setup and testing of your equipment so your team can get back to work as quickly as possible.
If new laptops, desktops, monitors or other equipment are needed, we can advise on the right hardware, supply it at competitive prices and manage the ordering, configuration and delivery.
Planning an office move? Contact Get Support and we can take care of the IT.
FAQs
As early as possible. Internet connectivity can sometimes have significant installation lead times, so it is worth involving your IT provider as soon as you know the new address and likely moving date.
Sometimes, but not always. The services available will depend on the new building and location. It is best to check what connectivity is available rather than assuming your existing service can simply be transferred.
Usually, yes. Wi-Fi is useful for laptops and mobile devices, but wired connections are still important for equipment such as access points, printers, meeting room systems and other business technology. Good cabling also gives you more flexibility in the future.
This should be covered by your contingency plan. Depending on your requirements, temporary connectivity, mobile internet or home working may provide a short-term solution until the main connection is available.
Yes. Get Support can help plan and manage the IT side of an office relocation, including connectivity, cabling, Wi-Fi, telephony, equipment, security, setup and testing. We can work with your other suppliers and provide one point of contact for the technology side of the project.