// Managed IT
The twelve lines every small-business IT budget needs for the 2026–27 financial year, with NZ market figures for each, the three that are always underestimated, and a worked budget for a 25-person company.
The short version
The NZ financial year starts on 1 April, which means IT budgets get set in February and March by people who would rather be doing anything else. This is the template we give customers: twelve lines, what each is for, the market figure for each, and a worked example. Copy it into a spreadsheet and fill in your numbers.
| # | Line | What it covers | 2026 NZ figure (+GST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Managed IT support | Helpdesk, monitoring, patching, M365 admin, security baseline, backup | $80–$220 per user / month by scope; DigitalShield from $89 |
| 2 | Microsoft 365 licences | Business Standard or Premium per user; Copilot add-on where justified | Microsoft NZ list price, pass-through |
| 3 | Other software | Job/practice system, accounting, design tools, line-of-business apps | Your subscriptions; review annually |
| 4 | Device replacement | Laptops, desktops, phones on a 4-year cycle | A quarter of the fleet × $1,800–$2,800 per business laptop |
| 5 | Connectivity | Business fibre, mobile plans, 4G backup | Fibre from about $100–$200 / month; mobiles per plan |
| 6 | Voice | Cloud phone system per user; AI receptionist | From about $15–$40 per user / month |
| 7 | Security beyond the baseline | Advanced EDR, MDR, security awareness training, annual test | Included on DigitalShield Business/Complete; standalone $10–$40 per user / month |
| 8 | Backup & continuity | M365 backup, server backup, DR capability | Included on all DigitalShield plans; standalone $3–$8 per user / month for M365 |
| 9 | Cyber insurance | Annual premium | Varies widely with the questionnaire answers |
| 10 | Website & domains | Hosting, maintenance, domain renewals, email security records | From $50–$150 / month managed; domains per year |
| 11 | Projects | Migrations, office moves, new systems, Copilot rollout | Quoted per project; agree the list in February |
| 12 | Training | Security awareness, Microsoft 365 skills, AI tools | A few hours per person per year; often included in a managed plan |
Budgeting zero for it does not make laptops last longer. A 25-person company on a four-year cycle replaces six machines a year, roughly $12,000–$16,000. The alternative — replacing them when they die — costs the same money plus the downtime, in a random month.
The monthly fee runs the environment; it does not change it. A Microsoft 365 migration, a Windows 10 clean-up, a new phone system, a Copilot pilot — each is a quoted project. Ask your provider in February what the year’s projects are likely to be. A good one has a list ready.
The cheapest line and the one that decides whether lines 2, 6 and 7 deliver anything. Budget time, not just money.
| Line | Basis | Annual (+GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Managed IT — DigitalShield Business | 25 × $139 × 12 | $41,700 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | 25 users, Microsoft NZ price | Pass-through |
| Other software | Practice system, accounting | Per your subscriptions |
| Device replacement | 6 laptops × $2,300 | $13,800 |
| Connectivity | Business fibre + 4G backup | $2,400 |
| Voice | 25 × $25 × 12 + Bea | $7,500 + Bea plan |
| Security beyond baseline | Included in Business plan | $0 |
| Backup & continuity | Included | $0 |
| Cyber insurance | Broker quote | Per quote |
| Website & domains | Managed hosting + 2 domains | $1,500 |
| Projects | Copilot pilot + readiness | Quoted |
| Training | Included in plan + 1 day Copilot | Time |
The point of the worked example is the shape, not the totals: support, licences and devices are the big three; everything else is small and easy to forget.
DigitalShield customers get those three answers in a February review as standard. If you would like the template filled in with your actual numbers, that is an hour with us — and you keep the spreadsheet.
Most NZ small businesses land between 3% and 6% of revenue, higher for professional services and healthcare where every person is on a computer all day, lower for trades. The percentage matters less than whether the twelve lines are all there.
Device replacement. A laptop fleet replaced on a four-year cycle means a quarter of the machines every year. Businesses that budget nothing for it end up with a five-figure surprise when half the fleet fails together.
Usually they are a pass-through line at Microsoftu2019s price, shown separately so you can see them. Beware of plans that bundle them invisibly u2014 you cannot tell what the support actually costs.
As its own line with a quote, not absorbed into the monthly fee. A managed plan covers running the environment; changing it is a project. Ask your provider for the yearu2019s likely projects in February so they are in the budget by April.
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Read more →// Ready when you are
Tell us what your business runs on today. We will map what DigitalShield would cover, what it would cost per user, and what we would fix first — free, and in plain language.
