The small-business IT support checklist for Malta.

Small businesses often know their technology through memory: one person knows the router password, another created the Microsoft 365 account, and nobody is certain which laptop contains the important copy of a file. A useful support relationship begins by turning that memory into clear operational information.

1. People, accounts and access

List each active user, the business email address they use, the services they need and who may approve access changes. Include shared mailboxes and shared accounts, but do not place passwords in an unsecured general document.

• Active staff, contractors and former users.
• Microsoft 365 and other essential business accounts.
• Administrative account ownership and recovery contacts.
• The process followed when someone joins, changes role or leaves.

Former staff access and unknown administrators deserve attention because they create confusion when a change is urgent.

2. Computers, phones and business equipment

Record the devices used for work, who uses each one, the operating system and whether the device belongs to the business or an individual. Add printers, scanners, network storage and other equipment that regularly affects the working day.

A simple device list helps distinguish an isolated fault from a repeated model, software or network problem. It also makes replacement and new-user setup more predictable.

3. Microsoft 365, email and collaboration

Identify the Microsoft 365 tenant, business domains, active licences, shared mailboxes and administrative owners. Note where Outlook, OneDrive and SharePoint are used and which recurring problems interrupt work.

It should be clear whether a document belongs in one person’s OneDrive, a shared SharePoint location or another business system. Unclear storage habits create duplicate files and make recovery harder.

4. Business files, backups and recovery expectations

Write down where important business files live and which of those locations are backed up. A sync service and a backup do not always serve the same purpose, so the recovery expectation needs to be explicit.

• Which files are essential to continue operating?
• Where is the primary copy stored?
• What backup exists, who monitors it and when was recovery last checked?
• How much recent work could the business afford to lose?

These questions do not replace a tested backup design. They reveal where further work is needed.

5. Internet, Wi-Fi and network equipment

Record the internet provider, router, access points, important wired connections and any areas where Wi-Fi is unreliable. Include the person or supplier who controls the account and the route for reporting a provider fault.

When connectivity fails, knowing the equipment and ownership prevents time being lost between the internet provider, the local network and the affected device.

6. Ownership, availability and support boundaries

Decide who inside the business can request work, how issues are prioritised and what information should accompany a request. The support arrangement should state covered users and devices, normal availability, remote access, onsite work, third-party responsibilities and exclusions.

FormCrux support is appointment-based and is not advertised as 24/7 emergency cover. New enquiries receive a first response within one business day; incident response and resolution commitments are agreed separately.

The one-page handover to prepare

Combine the lists above into a short environment summary: business contacts, users, devices, Microsoft 365 details, file locations, backup ownership, network equipment, current suppliers and the three problems that cause the most interruption. Store it somewhere appropriate and control who can access it.

For broader coverage, read about small-business IT support in Malta. For account, email and file administration, see Microsoft 365 support in Malta.