Office Relocation Checklist
When you have an office to move it is a full time project to manage on a lot of days and
a constant to do list on days when it is not a full time project. Each office move is
different and requires customization based upon your business needs. We have taken
some of the most common business moving tasks and put them together here for you to
use.
Physical Planning
Obtain a floor plan of your current office layout
Obtain a blue print of your new office location
Create a proposed furniture orientation / office layout using blue print obtained
Obtain approval on new layout
Obtain quotes on required build out at new location
Determine PC and Printer Locations in new space
Determine location of shared office equipment (i.e. fax machines)
Identify personal printers on the floor plan
Identify analog lines on the floor plan
Identify data lines on the floor plan
Identify jack locations for voice and data
If modular furniture is being used identify the network cabling
Obtain bids for any work that is required based on current plans
Review final space plans and include electrical and furniture placement
Begin compiling costs for move budget
Evaluate new location to determine if there are any special limitations for movers
Assign each new office space with an identification number
Record all of the information you have learned
Teams
Identify co-workers to be team members on project team
Have a back up team member for any one that may not be available
Establish a Computer Team – Responsible for all aspects of PC moves
Establish a Testing Team – Responsible for testing all work stations
Establish a Data Team – Responsible for ensuring all data is backed up
Establish a Printer Team – Responsible for installing and configuring all printers
Establish a Network Team – Responsible for all network equipment including testing
Establish an Employee Team – Responsible for communicating to employees and
making sure all employee related issues are handled during move
Establish a Vendor Liaison – This person is responsible for interfacing will all vendors
Review all layout plans and jack locations for all equipment with team leaders
Create an outline for each team member and vendor as needed
Labeling For Move Day
Label all analog lines with ‘A’, digital phone lines ‘V’, and data lines ‘D’
All wiring should be labeled with the device ID to which it belongs
Office Relocation Checklist
All wiring should be labeled with the location it will be moved in the new layout
All computer equipment should be labeled with the identification number assigned to
the new space
Label all boxes and binders with the identification number of their new home
Color code labels for items belonging in network rooms or other common areas. Each
color should correspond to a unique common space in the new location. At the new
location the color should be clearly present on the door or wall space next to the door for
easier unpacking.
Place each color on the building layout diagram you have created
Ensure all team members are familiar with coding system
Communicate color coding system with Bulldog Movers along with a copy of the layout
Wiring / Cabling / Phone / Internet / Etc.
Identify the telephone / server room at the new location and label it on the floor plan
Ensure that the new server room is centralized to avoid the Ethernet UTP length limit
Confirm minimum requirements for server room are met (electrical, cooling,
dimensions, security, etc.)
Schedule wiring according to project timeline and obtain outside consultant if required
Identify cost and time constraints for wiring work
Document cost and time in project plan / project budget
Test all network and phone drops as soon as possible so problems can be corrected
Use layout of desks to estimate cable size requirements
Plan for any future configurations and wire leave additional wiring in each wall
Test all back-up batteries for phone switches and servers and take inventory of all
items
Contact vendors for 800 numbers and schedule cutover date. Test the new phone
lines several days before the move.
Disconnect all paid lines at old location
Review the programming and routing on the voice mail system to make sure
everything is working as it should
Determine what type of Internet is available at the new location. If a T1 is required 6-8
weeks is often required notice.
If the ISP is changed from the current provider identify any changes that may be
required to Company Website
Cleaning
Moving is about the only opportunity you will ever have to completely clean all of the
items that will be in your business. Take advantage of this time.
Before electronic items are moved clean them with appropriate cleaner
Clean all office furniture prior to move
Clean all wall hangings prior to move
Clean all break-room / office kitchen items prior to move
Office Relocation Checklist
Equipment
Take a complete inventory of all existing equipment
Determine what moves and what should be sold or donated
Identify any new equipment that may be required
Document all cost for project budget along with estimated arrival dates for project plan
Have a physical backup (bootable media) for all servers
Have spare cables and other parts on hand
You should not transport the backup media in the moving truck. Carry that by hand
and if possible have two copies in two separate locations.
Review equipment repair orders and identify those items that are likely to have a
problem on move day. Test those items first.
Meetings and Communication
Create a contact list for move day and include all key personnel, vendors, etc. on this
sheet. Provide copies of this contact list to all team leads.
Local staff contact person should be identified and on-site for deliveries or vendor
access to new location
Create a phone number list of all of the numbers being moved. Use this list to test calls
come in to the correct locations in addition to making sure calls can go out.
Schedule a conference call with telephone service providers. Review plan for move.
Schedule disconnection date for old location.
Reconfirm move date with all vendors at least 1 month prior to move. The week before
the move make sure all vendors date sensitive tasks are complete and move is still on
track.
Have a team meeting and confirm time lines are being met and roles and
responsibilities are understood. Ensure everyone knows who to call if there is a problem.
Update all important information with office security systems and providers.
Have users back up all of their files to the network or to disks before the move.
There are more things that you may identify as critical that can be added below
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