An office move can look complete when the desks, signage and furniture are in place, yet still leave the business unable to work. Phones may not ring, WiFi may not reach meeting rooms, staff may be unable to access files, and a delayed internet circuit can turn the first week in a new office into a costly disruption. A proper IT checklist for office move planning prevents these problems by treating technology as a critical workstream, not a job for moving day.

For most SMEs, the best time to start is at least 90 days before the move. That gives enough time to survey the new premises, order connectivity and make sensible decisions about what should be moved, replaced or moved to the cloud.

Start with a clear technology plan

Nominate one person internally to coordinate the move, even if an IT provider is handling the technical work. They need authority to make decisions, access to the landlord or building manager, and a clear picture of the business deadline. A vague instruction to have IT “ready for Monday” is not a plan.

Begin by documenting what the business relies on every day. This includes internet and phone services, WiFi, switches, firewalls, servers, printers, meeting-room equipment, door-entry systems, CCTV, laptops, mobiles and any specialist software or hardware. Do not overlook less obvious dependencies, such as broadband lines used for alarm monitoring, card-payment terminals, franking machines or remote-access systems.

At this stage, agree what success looks like on day one. It may be that every employee needs a working desk, phone and secure WiFi from 8am. In other organisations, a smaller number of teams must be operational immediately while other areas can follow later. The answer affects the budget, the level of contingency required and whether a phased move is sensible.

Confirm what the new building can support

Never assume the new office has suitable connectivity because it is in a business park or because the previous tenant had internet. Check the available services at the exact address and ask for lead times in writing. A full-fibre circuit, leased line or business-grade connection can take weeks or months to install, particularly where construction work or wayleave approval is needed.

Arrange a physical site survey before ordering equipment. The survey should identify where the communications cabinet will sit, whether there is adequate ventilation and power, how cabling will reach desks and access points, and whether the building has secure routes for external lines. It should also check mobile signal, which matters if staff will rely on mobiles as a temporary fallback.

WiFi deserves particular attention. Thick walls, metal racking, multiple floors and large meeting spaces can all affect coverage. A small office may work well with a simple wireless setup, while a larger or more regulated organisation may need separate staff, guest and device networks, with access controls and monitoring.

IT checklist for office move: 90 to 30 days before

Use this period to make the decisions that cannot be rescued at the last minute. The following actions should have an owner and a deadline:

• Order the primary internet service and confirm installation dates, building access requirements and any charges for construction or wayleaves.
• Choose a backup connection, such as a second circuit or managed 4G/5G service, so a delayed or failed main line does not stop the business.
• Audit hardware and licences. Decide which servers, switches, firewalls, screens, printers and desk phones are moving, and which are approaching replacement age.
• Design the network, including rack layout, cabling, WiFi access-point positions, guest access, meeting rooms and secure connections between sites or cloud services.
• Update business continuity arrangements. Confirm that backups are current, tested and accessible without the equipment being moved.
• Tell suppliers about the address change, including telecoms providers, software vendors, insurers, alarm companies, access-control providers and domain or hosting contacts where relevant.

This is also the right time to question whether moving a server is genuinely the best option. If it is old, heavily dependent on one person or difficult to support, the relocation may be a sensible opportunity to migrate appropriate workloads to Microsoft 365 or Azure. That does not mean every system belongs in the cloud. Some line-of-business applications, large local files or specialist equipment may be better kept on site. The decision should be based on performance, security, cost and recovery requirements, not fashion.

Protect security while equipment is in transit

An office move creates a short period where equipment is more exposed than usual. Devices are unplugged, cabinets are open, and third parties may have access to areas containing confidential information. For accountants, solicitors, charities and other organisations handling sensitive data, this is as much a governance issue as an IT task.

Before anything is disconnected, make sure backups have completed and that at least one copy is stored away from the office. Test that important files and systems can be restored. A backup that has never been checked is only an assumption.

Create an inventory with serial numbers, assigned users and photographs of key rack connections where useful. Label every cable, power supply and device clearly. This reduces setup time at the new site and makes it easier to identify missing items. Servers, firewalls and network equipment should be transported securely and separately from general office furniture where possible.

Review access at the same time. Remove former staff, confirm administrator accounts, reset any shared passwords that may have been widely known, and ensure multi-factor authentication is active for Microsoft 365, remote access and other critical services. If the office address is used for password recovery, supplier records or physical-security alerts, update it promptly.

Build and test before staff arrive

The move weekend should be about installation and validation, not trying to work out what has been ordered. Where possible, pre-configure new hardware before it reaches the office. Firewalls, switches, WiFi, laptops and desk phones can usually be prepared in advance, which makes the onsite work faster and less risky.

Once the new network is live, test it from the perspective of a normal employee. Can users sign in? Can they access shared files and cloud applications? Do video calls work reliably? Can they print? Can external callers reach the main number and can staff make outbound calls? Test both wired and wireless connections, meeting rooms and remote access.

Do not forget services that rely on the internet but are managed by different suppliers. Check door access, CCTV viewing, alarm signalling, payment terminals and visitor systems. If the company has a hosted VoIP platform, verify that emergency-location information reflects the new office. This is easily missed and matters if someone calls 999 from a desk phone.

A sensible handover includes a short period of onsite support on the first working day. People will need help finding printers, joining WiFi, using new meeting-room equipment and reconnecting devices. Quick, visible support prevents small issues becoming a queue of frustrated staff and lost working time.

Keep the old office available for as long as practical

Avoid switching everything off at the old site the moment the new office opens. If the lease and security arrangements allow, retain connectivity and key services for a short overlap. This provides a fallback if the new circuit fails or an overlooked device has been left behind.

The level of overlap depends on budget and risk. A small office with cloud-based systems may be comfortable with mobile internet backup and a one-day contingency. A business with onsite servers, busy call handling or strict client-service commitments may need a longer parallel-running period. The cost of a few extra days of service is often modest compared with the cost of downtime.

Make sure redirected post, delivery instructions and supplier records are in place too. IT cannot solve a missing router delivered to an empty building.

After the move: close gaps, do not just close tickets

In the first two weeks, review what actually happened. Record faults, dead WiFi spots, call-quality issues and recurring user questions. These are useful evidence for improving the setup, rather than irritations to accept as part of the move.

Update network diagrams, asset registers, disaster-recovery documentation and insurance details. Confirm that monitoring, antivirus, backup alerts and patching are reporting correctly from the new location. If equipment was replaced, securely wipe and dispose of retired devices through an appropriate process, especially where they may hold client or staff data.

An office move is disruptive enough without discovering that the internet order was never placed or the backup was not recoverable. Plan early, test properly and keep a practical fallback. If you need experienced technicians to coordinate the technical detail alongside your move team, Keyhole IT Solutions can help make the first day in the new office a working day, not a troubleshooting exercise.