Computer work from home - what do I need to start?

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If you're planning to do computer work from home you need to make sure that you have the right equipment and IT support available before you start. Having some sort of technical meltdown that disrupts business and irritates both you and your clients is to be avoided at all costs.

Hardware

First of all you need the right hardware. With the cost of computer equipment steadily dropping you can set yourself up with a top-of-the-line machine with enough memory to run multiple applications without difficulty.

If you're going to be using memory-draining applications such as graphic programmes you'll need to invest in extra memory to keep your computer running fast. There's no point being able to go and make yourself a cup of tea while waiting for your computer to get around to rendering your image. If your need the memory to speed up your work flow you have to buy it

You also need to invest in a good quality printer in order to produce professional looking stationery and mailings. A CD burner is also essential in order to back up your work, however most machines now come with a CD burner as standard.

Software

Once you've got your machine you need to get the right software for the job at hand. If you're going to do computer work from home you'll need all the essential applications such as word processing, accounting and presentation software.

You may also need to invest in desk top publishing software if you're planning to create your own stationery, mail outs or newsletter and some content management software if you're planning an e-marketing campaign. More specialized software could also be essential depending on what type of computer work from home that you intend to do.

It's essential that you have the right software in order to get your job done well and quickly, don't skimp in this area. Your workflow will be faster, you'll encounter less problems and spend less time trouble shooting with the right software installed.

Internet access

It's impossible to do computer work from home without Internet access. You'll also need to use your telephone so you'll need two telephone lines at an absolute minimum - there's no point missing important calls just because you were trying to send an email at the same time.

However, with the cost of broadband dropping steadily and the speed of communications increasing you really can't afford to live without high speed Internet access. Broadband allows you to surf the Internet at much faster speeds, download pages quickly, send and receive large attachments and doesn't interfere with your existing phone line. If your computer work from home relies on any kind of outside communication or web-based practice broadband is an absolute must.

Support

Computer work from home relies on a sound system structure and the know-how to get things up and running again quickly if the system should crash. If you can't guarantee this yourself you need to have professional assistance on tap that can make it happen for you.

Whether this is a friend who is a computer wizard and has the time and skills to help you out when needed or a professional service offered by a trade association, computer company or freelance geek is irrelevant - the bottom line is that if your system goes down it needs to be fixed quickly and efficiently for your business to function. Research your options and choose the most reliable and cost effective service you can find.

Your computer equipment is an integral part of your business whether you're planning to do computer work from home or run a small business producing cuddly toys. Make sure it's working efficiently in order to maximise your time for the real business at hand.

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