Checklist
A Simple IT Health Check You Can Do in One Afternoon
Seven practical checks for owner-led businesses and small teams to understand their IT health without a 200-page audit.
Why this matters
Most small businesses do not need a huge assessment to know if things are healthy. They need a quick signal on the basics and where to focus first.
- Are we doing the basics reasonably well?
- Where are the obvious gaps and risks?
- What should we fix first if something goes wrong?
1) Accounts and access
Who can get into your email, files, and line-of-business systems—and do they still need it?
- List critical systems (M365/Google, files, finance, LOB apps, remote access).
- Scan users for old staff, shared passwords, or unexplained admin accounts.
Write down issues first; clean up in a controlled way.
2) Sign-in security (MFA)
- Does everyone use MFA?
- Do break-glass accounts bypass MFA?
- Are sign-in notifications tied to the right people?
If MFA is partial, make “enable MFA for everyone” a near-term project.
3) Backups
Ask: “If someone lost their laptop today, what data would be gone for good?”
- Are important files in shared cloud storage or only local?
- Can anyone restore a deleted file from last week?
- Is there any backup for critical systems beyond email/files?
4) Updates & patching
- Spot-check a few devices: supported OS, recent updates, AV running.
- If most devices are stale, you need structured patch hygiene—not ad-hoc clicking.
5) Shared knowledge
- Contacts for internet/phones/vendors documented?
- Admin credentials stored safely (not in a notebook)?
- Contracts/licenses/portals findable by someone else?
6) Remote access
- List VPN/RDP/support tools.
- Confirm who has access; avoid shared accounts.
- Protect all remote access with MFA.
7) Prioritize what you found
- Fix soon: old staff accounts, no MFA, no backups.
- Improve over time: documentation, device standards.
- Questions: things to clarify before changing.
When you want a second pair of eyes
If you want help turning this into a plan, I offer a one-time IT Health Review: deeper checks, a clear scorecard, and prioritized next steps.
- What is healthy and what is not
- Prioritized recommendations in plain language
- Options for DIY, working with your IT, or having me help