Computers and hardware
Computers and electronic hardware are the most important part of any modern office. They are the nerve centre of the organisation. No matter what your group does on the ground, if it's not well managed, it will never be fully effective – and your computers and hardware are essential for managing every aspect of your organisation; from revenue and money flow, staff and volunteers, and communications.
Select a topic to find out more:
Buying computers
The first and most important guideline for buying your organisation a computer or computers is to know what you want. You don't have to know what brand or the exact specifications, but a list of requirements will help you ensure you get the hardware you need to do the job.
Try writing a list of all the things you will use the computer for – like timesheets, presentations, email, internet, general management and office tasks. Then think what you will need to do these – broadband internet, word processing software, a printer.
What to consider
Before visiting a showroom, write down a few things that you want for your computer. It may help to have some non-negotiable and some non-essential items listed. Here are a few things to think about:
Processing speed
There are a range of different processors and their speed and function can be confusing – but a new or near new computer should have a sufficient processor. If you are buying second-hand, make sure you have a minimum processor speed to aim for. Consult a salesperson or expert to give you an idea of what you need.
RAM
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. This is the resources your computer puts into making the programs work smoothly. A standard computer will have between 2–16 GB of RAM (sometimes just referred to as memory). The biggest drain on memory is gaming, so unless you want to run the latest games, a huge amount of memory is unnecessary. However, the more memory you have, the faster and more efficiently all your programs will run.
Hard disk space
If you intend to store a whole lot of information on your computer, make sure the hard disk can store it all. Computers store thousands of times the information they did just a decade ago, so there should be no problem, but if you want to store a lot of high quality video, audio or visuals, make sure you have the space for it.
USB ports
USB ports are the rectangular slots in the side of your computer, into which most modern devices fit. Make sure you are buying a computer with sufficient USB ports to accommodate all the additional hardware you intend to run. Your keyboard, mouse, printer and flash drive will all plug in to USB ports, along with all manner of other devices.
Software
Computers now cost just a fraction of what they used to, and are much faster and more powerful. But as companies fight to give the most competitive price, they no longer include all the programs you used to get. For example, most PCs will come with a basic version of Windows, but no word processing software. If you are trying to meet a tight computer budget, make sure to account for any additional software purchases.
It pays to shop around when buying a computer and, remember, to a certain degree, you get what you pay for. On the other hand, the latest model computers are often much more expensive than last year's models, which – unless you want to run all the latest, fastest programs all at the same time – should be more than sufficient for your needs, at a fraction of the newest model's price.
Laptop or desktop?
A common decision is between buying a desk top machine or a laptop. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on the size of your organisation and the type of work you do. You may decide to use a mix of both desktop computers and laptops.
Desktop
The desktop consists of a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a separate monitor, keyboard, mouse etc. Desktops do not come with a battery, so they need to be plugged into a constant power supply. The advantage of a desktop is that it can be customised, because it has separate hardware all linked together, you can choose your type of monitor or keyboard. Because the keyboard and monitor are separate, desktops are a more ergonomic option. For this reason, if you intend to keep the computer in one place close to a power point, it's often better to buy a desktop.
Laptop
These days, laptops are just as powerful as their desktop cousins, and can sometimes be even cheaper to buy. Many offices are now switching from using desktops to laptops as the workforce becomes more mobile. Their major advantage is of course portability.
If you will need to use the computer outside the office, on the road, to take home – or even if you need to use a computer away from a power source for a short time – a laptop is a good idea. Just make sure the battery life is sufficient – and remember, it may be portable, but it's still a fragile piece of equipment, and needs to be treated as such.
New or secondhand?
If you're short on funds, you could consider buying a secondhand refurbished computer. Just remember, computer technology moves fast, so don't get caught buying something too slow to run the software you want to use. When buying secondhand, it's even more important to have a list of specifications for your equipment.
While there are greater risks associated with secondhand or refurbished computers, they can also be a lot cheaper – and you could set up an office for only a couple of hundred dollars per workstation. If you are a charitable organisation, you may even be eligible to apply for free or heavily discounted hardware. Check out Computerbank Melbourne or Green PC for more information on second hand computers and hardware for non-profits.
Other computer hardware
The computer may not be your only hardware purchase for the office. Chances are you'll need something to go with it. Here's a quick guide to other hardware and its functions:
Printers, scanners, fax and photocopiers
These can all be bought separately, or as one multifunction device. Once again the key is you get what you pay for. While a printer/fax/photocopier/scanner sounds like a great piece of office equipment, unless you're going to use it often, and use all the functions, it might not be the best use of your money. Fax is a dying medium, while scanners and photocopiers can be useful for backing up documents, but are usually not crucial pieces of hardware. Photocopiers are the most expensive (and unreliable) technology, and a printer/scanner combination can usually fill the same function.
Printers are the most useful – cheap printers are great for everyday use – and chances are, you'll have some need for one in your office. But take note: if you want to produce high quality presentations, a home office device won't be sufficient. For high quality printing (say you want to produce 50 copies of a glossy annual report) you'll need to use a professional printing company.
USB
A USB drive (also known as a flash drive, pen drive, memory stick or flash card) is a small hard drive that plugs straight into a USB slot on your computer. It holds information but cannot use applications. USB drives are great for carrying information
Mouse and keyboard
If you buy a desktop computer, the mouse and keyboard are probably included, but if you're using laptops often, you might want to invest in a USB mouse or keyboard. Laptops are made to be portable, not ergonomic, so plugging in external devices while you're working at a desk can save your shoulders and arms in the long run. They are inexpensive to buy.
External hard drive
An external hard drive is, in essence, just a very big USB drive. They are not as portable, and require a power source to run, but it can store a huge amount of information. Standard external hard drives store a Terabyte of information (that's 1000 Gigabytes) – probably much more than your computer's hard drive. So an external hard drive is an excellent way to back up all your key files. One external hard drive can store back up information for your whole office, and provides a safety net in case something goes wrong with your computers. See Backing up for more information.
Tools and resources
Office of the Community Sector – How to improve your ICT use: a step-by-step guide (PDF 1.7MB)
Using case studies from the community sector, this guide explains how to assess the ICT competency of your organisation and then improve the way technology supports your core business.
Green PC
Computer systems for non-profits
Computerbank Melbourne
For recycled computers