The Ultimate IT Checklist for a Hassle-Free Office Move

TLDR: The guidelines mentioned here will help you plan for a successful and low-risk move, giving you a great IT setup in your new office right from the get-go! 

Prepare for success with our downloadable checklist.

Ready to take your business to new heights by moving to a new office? 

Whether you're a small startup moving to your first-ever physical office or a mid-sized enterprise with a cramped space that no longer accommodates your growing team, an office move signals good things are coming your way. 

That said, relocating an entire office can feel daunting. It's more than just packing boxes. It's about meticulously planning the relocation of your entire workforce and equipment with minimal disruptions to your business operations. 

Sound overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be!

Whether your IT department consists of one person or you have a Managed IT Provider who will do the majority of the heavy lifting for you, you must plan each detail of your office move precisely and far in advance. Keep in mind that many carriers require long lead times for installation, so planning your IT relocation is not something you want to leave until the last minute.

Don't let the stress of IT relocation cause unnecessary delays or disruptions to your business operations. Let us help you make your office move successful with our comprehensive IT relocation checklist. This list will help you spend less time setting up your IT and more time getting back to doing what you do best — growing your business in your new office!

Your IT office relocation checklist: 10 things you should know

Follow these ten simple steps for a smooth IT office move.

1. Establish an IT relocation plan well in advance

Moving an office, especially the IT infrastructure can be a logistical and operational nightmare if not planned properly. Starting early prevents last-minute scrambles, costly delays, and potential downtime. 

Building an IT office relocation plan involves creating a timeline for the move, assigning tasks, and budgeting for the project. Ideally, you should start planning at least 2-3 months before the move date. Create a spreadsheet to track communication, budgets, and deadlines. Once you've drafted the plan, make sure to tick the following items off your IT relocation checklist. 

2. Visit the new place to identify potential gaps

A thorough site visit is essential in planning for a successful move. Set up a joint visit with your IT team (or managed IT provider) and the new office facilities manager. This visit should ideally happen 2 to 3 months before the move. You could also get a certified cabling company (like BonWired or Cole AV) to join you on the visit so you can verify that everything works and decide if/where you’d like to add more drops. 

Carry a copy of your new office IT infrastructure checklist with you on your visit. It should detail your equipment and cabling requirements so that you can walk through the new office layout identifying: 

• Are there enough ports for your devices, and are they in the right spots? 
• How much Ethernet cabling do you need? If additional cabling is required, get quotes from cabling companies based on your site visit findings. Schedule cabling installation at least a month before your move-in date to avoid delays.
• Are there adequate outlets for all your equipment? 
• Is there proper ventilation and security for your servers?

3. Consider your telecommunication options

Telecom offerings are constantly evolving. So, make sure to use this move as an opportunity to upgrade your communication infrastructure. 

• Research new telecom offerings, including VoIP, PBX, or cloud-based solutions. Get quotes from multiple providers and compare features, pricing plans, and contract terms. Look for bundled packages that include internet and phone services for potential cost savings. 
• Consider your growth projections for the next 3-5 years. Will you need to add more phone lines or users? Choose a phone system that can quickly scale up or down based on your needs. Cloud-based VoIP systems are generally more flexible than traditional PBX systems.

4. Inform your technology vendors of the move

At least two months before the move, contact all carriers, ISPs (internet service providers), and technology vendors and inform them of your move date. Check if your existing IT equipment requires reconfiguring the new network environment. If you're changing your phone number, set up call forwarding to ensure a smooth transition for your customers. 

Discuss the costs of service transfer to the new location and termination at the old office to have a seamless switch-over on move day. Factor in these quotes when finalizing your moving budget. Alternatively, you can contact potential ISPs and technology vendors at your new location to compare plans and schedule installation for your move-in date.

5. Evaluate your equipment

Moving offices is a golden opportunity to streamline and upgrade your aging IT setup. Here's a battle plan to assess your equipment and make smart decisions:

Take Inventory: Create a detailed spreadsheet listing all IT equipment (desktops, laptops, monitors, printers, servers, etc.). Include model numbers, serial numbers, purchase dates, and current condition (excellent, fair, needs repair). When taking inventory of what equipment needs to be updated or replaced, reconsider whether you still need an IT server room in the first place before you pack everything up.

Analyze and Categorize (1 Month Before): Review your inventory and categorize each item as: 

• Keep: Equipment in good condition that meets your current and future needs. Order packing boxes to carefully move these to your new office. Tip: Use photos or barcode labels for easy identification during packing.
• Upgrade: Order new equipment well in advance to avoid last-minute delays. Consider pre-configuring new devices at the vendor's location to save setup time at the new office. 
• Repurpose: Identify alternative uses for older equipment. Consider wiping clean drives and reinstalling software for repurposed machines.
• Dispose: Research e-waste recycling options in your area that comply with environmental regulations. Some vendors might offer trade-in programs for old equipment. 
• Return: Contact your leasing companies to arrange the return of leased equipment before your move date.

6. Protect your data

Preparing for worst-case scenarios is critical, especially during an office relocation. Imagine what would happen to your data if something went wrong during the move (like if the moving truck is involved in an accident and your equipment is damaged). Complete the following tasks for IT data protection ahead of the move:

• Make several backup copies of all company data systems, including firewalls and servers, and store them in a safe place, preferably offsite. If your budget permits, you can even consider cloud storage.
• Ensure full recovery is possible so that, if something does go wrong, you’ll still be able to access all your company’s critical data.

7. Communicate with your staff

A successful office move hinges on clear and consistent communication with your staff. Here are ways to ensure your team feels informed and prepared for the IT changes:

• Transparency is key: Keep them informed throughout the process. Develop a communication plan that outlines the move timeline, potential IT disruptions, and new office IT setup. Utilize multiple channels to reach your staff, such as company-wide emails, internal communication platforms, and team meetings. Regularly update your team on progress and address any concerns they might have.
• Minimize disruptions: Estimate any potential downtime for critical systems like email and phone services. Communicate these downtime windows well in advance, allowing your team to plan their work accordingly. Consider offering alternative communication methods during downtime (e.g., temporary call forwarding, mobile hotspots).
• Empower your team: Identify any new equipment or systems introduced in the new office. Develop training materials (e.g., video tutorials and user guides) for your staff to learn about these new technologies. Schedule training sessions led by IT service providers for hands-on practice. 

8. Prepare for move day

Transporting your office’s technology equipment is not as easy as you think. It requires special handling, expertise, and transit protection. Therefore, it’s strongly recommended that you allow IT and your telecom solution provider to complete the moving tasks. If you plan on using the same moving company for every aspect of the office move, make sure the company that you hire is equipped to move electronic equipment appropriately. 

Make sure you’ve done the following before the move day:

• Transport copies of your data backup to the new location separate from the central system and each other.
• Prepare a server relocation checklist and share it with your movers. Ensure they have the right equipment to handle delicate and expensive equipment like servers. 
• Verify that all wiring and data cables are labeled correctly.
• Compose a contact list of everyone involved in the move.
• If needed, assist with the disconnection of equipment at the old office and instruct staff on how to shut down all equipment properly before leaving on the final day before the move.

9. Test your new office's network 

It’s a good idea to have your IT and telecom solution provider in the office with you on Day One to help staff with any questions or network connectivity issues. After all stages of the move are completed, you’ll want to do a walkthrough with your IT provider and check the following:

• Verify all cabling, equipment, and phones are in the right place.
• Check all individual telephone numbers and their locations.
• Test whether the call forwarding from the old number is working and being forwarded to the correct phone.
• Test all features of the phone system.
• Start all servers and test network capability and data migration.
• Check incoming and outgoing emails.
• Check the website, intranet, and extranet connectivity, signal strength, and download speeds. 
• Test each network connection.

10. Reflect and reassess

Getting feedback from your staff soon after moving to a new office is important to check if any improvements can be made to your overall IT. Your company's IT setup is key to your overall success, because if it’s not supporting your people to do their best work, then what’s all this technology even for? 

Enjoy your new office!

Moving to a new office is a significant undertaking, and your team deserves a large pat on the back for their patience and cooperation, so make sure you pop the champagne and celebrate the hard work.

If you’ve read this far, it may now be time to think, “Why isn’t my current MSP helping set our team up for success for this move?”. If your IT service provider isn’t helping your team do the best work of their careers, then it may be time to consider transitioning to a new MSP. Here at Ripple, we’re not IT support, we’re people support. Sure, features and functionalities are important, but we’re more interested in what you want to achieve. Give us a shout to chat about how we can help you outsource IT support with confidence.

FAQs

1. How can I create an effective IT checklist when moving to a new office?

We’ve done this part for you! Download our printable IT office relocation checklist to ensure a successful and safe move. 

2. What measures should be taken to safeguard data during an office move?

Create a comprehensive backup of all critical data. Ideally, store backups offsite in a secure location, like a cloud storage service. Establish a clear policy for wiping data from any equipment disposed of or returned to lease companies. This prevents unauthorized access to sensitive company information.

3. How can I minimize downtime during the office relocation process?

If feasible, consider a phased approach to minimize overall downtime. This could involve moving non-critical departments or functions first, allowing your IT manager/service provider to focus on setting up essential systems for continued operation. 

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