[ماذا يجب أن نفعل؟ اختيار جهاز كمبيوتر للشركات الصغيرة والمتوسطة الحجم]Windows 10 support is coming to an end. That's right, let's buy a new corporate PC with the subsidy! – Watch the Internet[Sponsored]

End of support for Windows 10 is finally approaching.

Support for the final release, 22H2, will end on October 14, 2025, after which security updates will no longer be provided. Given the recent number of ransomware incidents, continuing to use an unsupported operating system is not an option, and many businesses are in dire need of replacing their computers.

I work for a small company in Shinjuku, and one day I was asked to “choose a new PC for the company.” Our company doesn't have a full-time IT system, so this kind of work comes down to us who usually do office work. Choosing a PC is fun in itself, but…

So, this time, I would like to tell you in a series how I solved these issues and replaced them.

“I want to standardize models” and “I want to cut my budget”

The topics of this first article are the following two points.

・Which model to buy?
・How to monitor your budget

A modern PC running Windows 11. When you replace a PC from a few years ago, you may be surprised to find that it has improved in many ways.

I don't think it's possible for us to have the same model for accounting and video production, but the company's intention is to “standardize the types of computers as much as possible and keep prices low.”

The only way to find out is to ask members of the community for their opinions. You'll likely also be asked questions like, “Is it okay to use a laptop only?”

Also, when it comes to budget control methods, there is actually only one way to do it: using subsidies. Since our company is located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, we can receive subsidies of up to 200,000 yen from Shinjuku. These subsidies are provided by local governments across the country, so I would like to introduce them here for reference.

Mr. A, Accountant: You are still using a 10 year old desktop computer, Excel alone is a heavy program.

The first person I spoke to was Mr. A, an accountant.

He primarily uses Excel and accounting software in his work, but has complained for some time that “having multiple Excel screens open makes my computer heavy, making work difficult.”

When I asked him what machine he was using, I found out it was very old. I have a desktop computer in the office, and the CPU is an Intel Celeron G1620. The generation is a “3rd generation Core” (Ivy Birdge), which is actually a CPU that is over 10 years old.

Of course, it's not supported on Windows 11, so you'll need to buy a new one.

It's also hard to have only 4GB of memory. At least for the next device, I'd like to upgrade to 8GB or more.

The specifications of the desktop computer that Mr. A, the accountant, uses in his office are very old.

Incidentally, Mr. A was also provided with a laptop for remote work during the coronavirus pandemic. This one is equipped with a 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10510U processor and 8GB of memory.

For this reason, he currently uses this software primarily, but the accounting software is only installed on his desktop computer, and he uses different computers depending on his work.

In this case, I thought it would be a good idea to ditch the desktop and consolidate everything into a laptop, but I decided that using a portable laptop as an “accounting PC” would be risky if something went wrong and this seems to be the case.

Since this laptop can run Windows 11, I will continue to use it, but I would like to eliminate these shortcomings if possible.

Mr. Ana from the video production department: I do not use the attached computer because it is “too low performance”…

Let's also hear from the video production department.

“The company’s computer specs are very low,” says Mr. I, who is in charge of video editing, so he always uses his personal MacBook Pro M2 Max. The memory capacity is 32GB.

I have asked the gentleman a variety of requests, but all I can say is that the more specification, the better. The following conditions were mentioned:

・Memory 32GB or more
・ Large capacity SSD (512GB or more)
・Easy-to-read display with bright colors

A PC that meets this requirement would be a fairly expensive product, but I can't have people using my PC forever. It seems like there are plans to expand the business in the future, so it would be a good idea to decide on the specifications and get a suitable computer.

“I just want to unify the manufacturers.”

The above are the results of interviews with two “very extreme” administrations.

I asked other departments about the situation, and found that many departments were able to make do with the laptops they were given during the COVID pandemic, so it seems that if they can get these two departments together properly, things will be fine.

However, it is not cost effective to provide accounting and sales staff with computers that can quickly edit videos.

When I shared this current situation with my manager, he said, “If a single model is not possible, we would like to consolidate the manufacturers.” This seems very likely.

As a result of internal discussions with several manufacturers as candidates, we selected a mouse that has a wide range of options from desktops to laptops, has a computer set that can be used for video production, and has excellent cost performance. I decided to choose a new corporate PC from among the available computer products.

With computers that have a mouse, you can get high-performance business PCs at affordable prices.

Support up to 200,000 yen! Subsidies from local governments can be very helpful!

Now, the last topic is “I want to monitor my budget.”

In fact, while we were making our choice, we received advice from a fellow businessman in Shinjuku who suggested that we try using subsidies.

Did you have that hand? As a company that can't say we have a lot of money to spare, we have no choice but to take advantage of it.

For example, if you use the “Management Enhancement Support Project Subsidy for FY2020” in Shinjuku City, “IT Support/Digital Support” will be included in “Expenses related to IT introduction and digitization to improve business efficiency, etc.”

The support rate is 4/5, and the maximum support amount is 800,000 yen in total for fiscal year 2020. In the case of PCs and tablets, there are restrictions such as “up to 2 devices in total from 2025 per business operator” and “up to 200,000 yen support”, but if it is a PC worth 200,000 yen, it will cost 160,000 yen It will receive assistance. Generous!

By the way, in addition to SMEs with head offices in Shinjuku, sole proprietorships with offices in Shinjuku are also eligible, so freelancers should also consider taking advantage of this support when purchasing a new PC idea.

Moreover, what is surprising about these grants is that generally in the case of such support, in principle, the application for support is accepted, and in many cases applications, purchases and payments can only be made after the grant decision has been received. However, for the “Management Support Project Support” the application process consists of attaching receipts and other documents after the purchase of eligible items. In other words, it is actually possible to apply after the event has occurred.

If you go through the “Apply for Estimated Payment” process, you can get the support first and then purchase the items. Although it takes a little longer to submit the documents, it is a very attractive system for businesses with little cash on hand.

The application period for FY20 is April 1, 2024 to January 31, 2025 for applications submitted after project completion. For pro-rated applications, the period is April 1, 2024 to December 27, 2024. However, please note that recruitment will end when the budget expires. You should apply early!

Excerpt from the Guidelines for the Implementation of the Support Project for Management Enhancement. The red frame is highlighted by the author.

Although the subsidies provided here are specific to Shinjuku Ward, there are many examples of similar subsidies in other cities, wards, towns, and villages. This type of subsidy is often difficult to find unless you do your own research, so why not check the websites of each city, ward, town, or village first?

If you take good advantage of the subsidies, your computer options will likely expand significantly. Next time, I would finally choose a specific model among the computer mouse products.