Preparing for an Office Move
Getting Started
Moving offices can be challenging, but we're here to help ensure a smooth technology transition.
- If this move is tied to a project or construction, the IT Construction team will be working with the primary contacts in your area to gather all the serial numbers and MAC addresses of devices.
- If this move is not tied to a project or construction, you'll designate a primary contact in your area who will fill out the Information Gathering Spreadsheet and submit a ticket with the Help Desk.
In both cases, the Facilities team will help with moving your physical items, and IT will work with the information provided by your primary contact to update network registration records so your devices (e.g., phones, computers, printers, etc.) will work in your new location. IT does not provide services to physically move or set up equipment for departments.
We recommend you walk through the new location to ensure that the appropriate number of network jacks are in place for your move. Think about how many network jacks you will need in each space for computers, phones, printers/copier, etc. You will have to put in a ticket with IT along with budget codes to add network jacks to a space if it is not covered by a specific project or construction team.
You can use the information below to help you prepare.
Moving to a new office offers a chance to digitize paper files and properly dispose of the physical copies you no longer need.
Tips for digitizing documents:
- Take a complete audit of the paper documents you have.
- Sort your documents into categories so you can scan them strategically into specific files to make them easier to find in the future.
- Name your files consistently.
- Pick your storage location based upon TCU retention or privacy guidelines. Options include: Box, M:Drive, Departmental Network Share.
- Discard/shred physical documents as needed. Keep the physical documents you still need and pack those.
There are two steps to prepare your computer for moving:
1) Network Prep
Each computer has a Media Access Control (known as a MAC address even if it is a PC), which is like a unique serial number for the device and how it is found on a network.
IT needs to know the MAC address of each computers and the new building and room, in order for computers to work.
Use the following steps to help collect the data for the Information Gathering Spreadsheet by following these steps.
If you have a Mac computer, follow these instructions:
- Click Apple Menu
- Click on System Settings
- Click on Network
- Select the LAN/Ethernet connection
- Click on Advanced
- Click on Hardware
- Write down or copy the MAC address that has a format like AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF
If you have a Windows machine, follow these instructions:
- Right-click on the Windows ICON (four squares)
- In the pop-up menu, click RUN
- A small box in the left-hand of your screen should pop up
- In the box that says "Open:", type the letters "CMD" and click OK
- A black box will pop up
- Next to the flashing cursor by your name, type "getmac"
- Press Enter on your keyboard
- This will display some new lines of text
- Look for the one that has a format like AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF and does not say "Media disconnected" next to it. This is the MAC address
- Write down or copy the letters and numbers of the MAC address
2) Physical Prep
Each person is responsible for packing up their computer and labeling it for the moving team to deliver to the right location. IT does not provide services to physically move or set up equipment for departments.
Before you begin packing, you should identify what you have stored on your machine and backup anything saved only to your desktop in order to minimize the chance of data loss. You may want to move files to your M:Drive, Common file shares, or Box.
As you move files, remember to follow TCU's Data Classification Policy and Approved Data Storage Locations for different types of data or privacy concerns.
Tips to prepare:
- Take pictures of how everything is connected so you can reference them later if needed.
- Be sure to capture the serial number on the sticker on the machine and the network MAC address of the device.
- Make sure to provide your primary contact with your computer's information for the Information Gathering Spreadsheet to register your computer in your new building/location.
Here's a short video walking you through how to prepare your computer for your move.
Your RingCentral phone will need to be packed as part of this move. You can simply unplug the device and pack it up.
Tips to prepare:
- Be sure to listen to your messages on your phone before the move. You will still have access to those messages in the RingCentral portal at rc.tcu.edu if you need to access them while your equipment is being moved.
- Make sure to pack your cables, headsets, and all guides you have with your phone.
- Take pictures of how everything is connected so you can reference them when you set up your phone in the new space.
- Make sure to note the serial number on the bottom of the phone so it can be provided to the network team via the Information Gathering Spreadsheet to register your phone in your new building/location.
Your primary contact will coordinate the move of large work group printers and Xerox copiers with IT.
Smaller local printers that are attached to your computer should be packed up like your computer.
Tips to prepare:
- Take pictures of how everything is connected so you can reference them later if needed.
- Make sure to record the queue names and tag numbers of all of your printers and copiers so they can be provided to the network team via the Information Gathering Spreadsheet to register in your new building/location.
Important: Xerox devices must be moved by the Xerox team in order to maintain warranty on the device. Make sure to provide IT with the TCU ID (ex: TCU 230) of the Xerox Copier so we can have our Xerox team set a time to move the equipment.