Your Fall Business IT Checklist: 10 Things Every Minnesota Business Should Do Before Q4
By go-dts.com
Summer has a way of making technology easy to ignore. Employees take vacations, business slows down, and IT projects often get pushed to “later.”
Then September arrives.
Projects ramp up. Hiring picks up. Customers expect quick responses. Before long, your business is relying on technology more than ever—and any weaknesses in your IT environment become impossible to ignore.
August is the perfect time to prepare.
By taking a proactive approach now, you can avoid downtime, strengthen your cybersecurity, improve productivity, and ensure your business is ready for a successful fourth quarter.
Here are ten technology tasks every business should complete before heading into the busiest part of the year.
1. Test Your Data Backups
Many companies assume their backups are working simply because the software says they are.
Unfortunately, a backup isn’t valuable unless it can actually be restored.
Take time to verify:
- Critical files are being backed up
- Cloud backups completed successfully
- Recovery times meet your business needs
- Your disaster recovery process actually works
A failed backup often isn’t discovered until after ransomware, accidental deletion, or hardware failure—and by then it’s too late. As part of your overall IT strategy, it’s also important to ensure your backup and disaster recovery plans support your organization’s security and regulatory requirements. Learn more about our IT Compliance Services: https://go-dts.com/it-compliance/
2. Install Every Outstanding Security Update
Hackers don’t need sophisticated techniques if systems haven’t been patched.
Operating systems, servers, firewalls, Microsoft 365, business applications, and even printers all require regular security updates.
Ask yourself:
- Are all employee computers current?
- Are servers fully patched?
- Is firmware up to date?
- Are remote employees receiving updates?
Regular patch management remains one of the most effective ways to reduce cybersecurity risk.
3. Review Employee Access
People change roles.
Employees leave.
Contractors finish projects.
But user accounts often remain active far longer than they should.
Review:
- Microsoft 365 accounts
- Email users
- VPN access
- Shared folders
- Administrator permissions
Removing unnecessary access is one of the easiest ways to improve your organization’s security.
4. Make Sure Multi-factor Authentication Is Enabled Everywhere
Passwords alone simply aren’t enough anymore.
If someone gains access to an employee’s password through phishing or a data breach, multifactor authentication (MFA) provides another layer of protection.
At minimum, MFA should protect:
- Microsoft 365
- VPN
- Remote desktop
- Cloud applications
- Financial software
If your organization still has users without MFA enabled, now is the time to fix it.
5. Evaluate Your Office Printers
Many businesses don’t think about their printers until something breaks.
But aging office equipment can quietly reduce productivity through:
- Slow print speeds
- Frequent service calls
- Poor scan quality
- High supply costs
- Security vulnerabilities
- Limited cloud integration
Modern multifunction printers can streamline document workflows while improving security and lowering operating costs. If you’re considering an upgrade or want to reduce printing costs without sacrificing performance, explore our Managed Print Services and office technology solutions at go-dts.com
6. Clean Up Old Devices
Take inventory of your technology.
How many laptops are sitting in storage?
Are there former employee computers that still contain company information?
Is outdated networking equipment still connected?
Old technology creates unnecessary security risks and often increases support costs.
A simple cleanup today can prevent larger issues later.
7. Test Your Cybersecurity Readiness
Cybersecurity isn’t something you “set and forget.”
Businesses should routinely evaluate:
- Endpoint protection
- Email security
- Firewall policies
- Employee phishing awareness
- Password policies
- Remote access
Small and midsize businesses continue to be attractive targets because attackers increasingly rely on automated tools to find vulnerable organizations.
If it’s been over a year since your last security assessment, now is a great time to schedule one.
8. Review Your Technology Budget
Waiting until equipment fails often leads to emergency purchases.
Instead, review:
- Aging computers
- Servers approaching end-of-life
- Networking equipment
- Printers
- Phone systems
Planning upgrades before they become emergencies helps avoid unexpected downtime while making budgeting much easier.
9. Talk With Your Team
Your employees often know exactly where technology is slowing them down.
Ask questions like:
- What’s the biggest technology frustration you experience each day?
- Which processes waste the most time?
- What software causes the most problems?
- Is Wi-Fi reliable throughout the office?
Small improvements can create significant productivity gains across an entire organization.
10. Partner With a Proactive IT Provider
The biggest difference between businesses that constantly fight technology problems and those that don’t usually comes down to one thing:
They’re proactive instead of reactive.
Rather than waiting for something to break, a Managed Service Provider (MSP) continuously monitors your systems, installs updates, helps prevent downtime, and keeps your technology aligned with your business goals. DTS’s managed IT approach includes 24/7 monitoring, help desk support, cybersecurity, cloud solutions, backup and recovery, and strategic IT planning.
If your current IT strategy revolves around fixing problems after they occur, it may be time for a different approach.
Related Reading:
What Is an MSP? (And Why It Matters for Your Business)
https://go-dts.com/what-is-an-msp/
Reduce Hidden IT Costs Without Replacing Your Internal Team
https://go-dts.com/reduce-hidden-it-costs-without-replacing-your-internal-team/
Don’t Wait Until September
The weeks before fall are one of the best opportunities to strengthen your technology environment before business activity ramps up. Whether it’s improving cybersecurity, replacing aging equipment, testing backups, or optimizing your print environment, proactive planning now can prevent costly disruptions later.
At DTS, we help Minnesota businesses simplify technology with Managed IT Services, Cybersecurity, Managed Print, Voice Solutions, Document Management, and more—all backed by responsive local support.
Ready to prepare your business for Q4? Contact DTS today for a technology assessment and discover how a proactive IT strategy can keep your business secure, productive, and ready for growth.
