An IT business audit allows you to review your current equipment and processes to establish what is working well, and what could be improved upon. It allows your business to get ahead of competitors and to protect your company from the ever-increasing cyber threats too.
It’s essential to conduct an IT audit at least annually, and most people wait until the very end of the year to do so. However, waiting until the last minute poses a risk of things being overlooked, elements being missed and the whole audit becoming rushed due to the busy Christmas period. It’s important to carry out your annual review during your quietest period so you can dedicate enough time to do thorough checks.
The importance of an IT audit
IT audits are important for any business, no matter what industry you’re in, as it enables your business to adapt, and determines how you move forward in the future. You may think your current processes are sufficient enough, but when you’re so used to dealing with the same processes and equipment, it can become normal to deal with errors or issues. The likelihood is that after an evaluation, you may find areas that aren’t as effective, and need to be improved or simplified.
Without the correct equipment and efficient processes, your business is likely to suffer. For example, productivity rates are likely going to decrease. If your employees are left with outdated technology, or are searching for solutions to IT issues, they are spending less time on their work. This has a knock on effect on your business reputation, because if everything is taking longer to complete, it can create a backlog of tasks, making your customers unhappy.
In addition to this, IT audits are important to keep your business protected from cyber-threats. Cybersecurity risks are ever increasing as hackers become more sophisticated in the technology they use, so it’s never been more important to keep your business secure. Large amounts of confidential data and files are stored on your company’s IT system, and a breach can have catastrophic effects on your business. An IT audit can identify inaccuracies and inefficiencies in your cybersecurity measures so you always have the most up to date protection.
What can an audit show?
There are many different aspects that you can discover during an audit. Outdated equipment is one, which can highlight issues as eventually it’ll stop running updates and slow processes down. You may find that there are simpler solutions to current processes, or a cheaper alternative to current hardware or software that is just as efficient.
Conducting an IT audit
When conducting an IT audit, there are multiple things to consider. Some include the age of your server, your PCs, software, processes and any other kind of technical equipment in the business.
It can be a quite overwhelming process to begin, as it’s not a simple procedure, but that’s where we come in! Aspect IT can perform your IT audit in a thorough, professional, cost-effective manner. Based on our findings, we can make informed recommendations and work with your business to establish what you need, and help implement the changes proposed for the organisation. If your team doesn’t have specialised knowledge in technical areas or if you don’t have an internal IT team, this is the perfect alternative for professional advice and support. Give us a call on 0161 241 9050 and we can guide you through the whole process from start to finish.