This Procedure relates to Future Worlds Center's policy for Virtual officing.
I. Eligibility
Laptops will be authorized based upon job responsibilities, demonstrated need, and management approvals. The laptop replacement option will be available to eligible at the time their current lap top involved in the funding procedure of the organization is due for replacement under the standard three-year replacement cycle program. Replacement at any other time is discouraged, and funds will be available only under specific circumstances.
Criteria for Selection
- Associates who travel frequently as part of their job (assigned to certain projects)
- Associates who heavily use computers during their job
- Associates who need to make frequent software installations for use in multiple locations
- Associates who that require a particular software for research or any other special needs
II. Approval Process
All requests for laptops must be approved in written by the chair of board of the organization. The applicant must first secure oral approval from the head of units as well as from the IT responsible of the organization in order to make sure the laptop is sufficient for work purpose and submit the application to the Financial Officer of the organization. Application can be requested from the Financial Officer
III. Approval Process Requirements
- Associates will need to apply for funding by submitting the application form.
- Purchasing the laptop is not the obligation of the organization, but the responsibility of the associate. The purchase invoice must be issued on the name of the organization or without name as cash sale.
- Laptops are currently maintained on a three-year replacement cycle. Re-applying within this duration can be done just in case the laptop, involved in this program, is returned to the organization in good condition.
- Replacement cycle begins on the date of the purchase invoice of the laptop.
- Ownership of the laptop will reside with the organization and the laptop must be returned if employment ends within the three-year replacement cycle.
- At the end of the replacement cycle, the laptop should be returned to the organization in good condition.
- If the associate intends to continue using the laptop after the replacement cycle ended, s/he is entitled to purchase the laptop back on the amount of the current book value of the equipment at the end of the financial year within the replacement cycle ends.
- Laptops are purchased under a certain project are not subject of this policy.
IV. Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the associates to maintain and take appropriate precautions to prevent damage to or loss/theft of laptop in their care. The associate may be responsible for certain costs to repair or replace the laptop if the damage or loss is due to negligence or intentional misconduct.
V. Theft or Loss
If the laptop is lost or stolen, it must be reported to the competent local police immediately. The police report should include the serial number for the lost/stolen computer. A copy of the police report must be submitted to the organization within 48 hours of the discovery of the loss. Failure to secure and submit a police report may result in personal liability for replacement cost.
VI. Upgrades and Troubleshooting
Should a laptop require hardware upgrade (e.g., memory, peripheral, or hard disk), software installation, or have problems that cannot be resolved over the telephone, the laptop will need to be brought to the IT responsible of the organization for technical support.
VII. Software Licensing
Standard programs for the appropriate use of the laptop should be purchased together with the laptop by the associates and funding will be released by the organization for the total amount of purchase including this extra expense.
It is also possible that other applications will be provided to the associates by the organization, based upon the professional needs or the requirements of the laptop, such as Smartdraw.
Associates are given administrative rights to the organization-owned laptops they use and funded by this policy. You may not load software for personal use, such as games, entertainment software or personal finance software on an organization-owned laptop.
VIII. Backup
Associates are responsible for maintaining an appropriate backup of their laptop, especially of the work-related documents and data files created that are not restored when reinstalling the operating system and programs. It would be prudent to establish a process of copying the data files to an external drive as an added precaution against data loss.
IX. Virus, Hacking, and Security Protection
Users must take responsibility for ensuring that security updates take place on laptops in their care. The associate is obliged to take all necessary measures for the security and integrity of all date on the laptop. To ensure that virus protection and other security patches are current, laptop users are required to make an appointment with the IT responsible of the organization once per quarter for maintenance.
Every associate involved in the laptop-funding program must follow the instruction of the Policy: Laptop Security of the organization.