IT Chargeback Systems: 3 Reasons to Consider Implementing Your Own

IT chargeback systems can provide substantial benefits for your organization. Here are three reasons to consider implementing one, and how TrackerSuite.Net can help make it a success.

IT chargeback systems have existed since the days of mainframe computing, when they were utilized to ration access and usage of, at the time, incredibly expensive hardware.

Technology has advanced markedly, from mainframes to the Cloud, but the usage of these systems remains as relevant as ever.

With standard budget allocations, all too often IT is viewed as sort of cost center black hole. By implementing a system for tracking chargebacks, decision makers are given dollar metrics on the services provided by IT, showing them exactly where their money is going, changing their perspective of IT as a cost center to a value center.

TrackerSuite.Net offers several integrated applications which can facilitate the implementation of a chargeback system for their Information Technology department:

• Support Tracker.Net - A Web help desk system with easy to use support ticket forms and dashboards for tracking support services.
• Project Tracker.Net - A comprehensive project management system which integrates with Support Tracker.Net, allowing support tickets to be converted into projects or tasks.
• Time Tracker.Net - A time reporting system with easy to use timesheet forms. Users can also charge time when updating the status of tasks or tickets.

Following are three reasons why you consider establishing this kind of system for your organization, and tips for making it a success using TrackerSuite.Net applications.

1. Improving IT Performance

The metrics provided by chargeback systems can help ensure IT departments get the budgets they need to operate effectively. If an organization has multiple business units providing IT services, some of these units may be more heavily utilized than others, an issue that isn't apparent when budgeting with lump allocations. The metrics generated by the chargeback system, such as Support Ticket pies, can also support IT requests for upgrades, by revealing the cost of older, legacy systems and cost-inefficient technologies.

2. Better Decision Making

By providing transparency into the costs of IT services, the IT chargeback system can serve as a valuable component of the executives decision support system. By leveraging business intelligence reports on IT projects and services, such as Budget vs Actual reports or Open/Closed/Escalated Ticket graphs, these executives have a better view of how IT supports their operations, what is generating costs and how to budget effectively.

3. Reduced IT Workload

An IT chargeback system presents other business units with the reality that there are no free rides. By assigning costs to these services, business units quickly become much more judicious in the services they consume. Providing end users with a service catalog makes it easier for them to understand what services are available.  Our Support Tracker.Net provides an excellent front-end experience for users in this regard, allowing them to select categories and request types for their issue from picklists.

For More Information

For more information about TrackerSuite.Net and its ability to facilitate your implementation of an IT operations chargeback system, please contact Automation Centre today at (520) 882-9287, or email Info@Acentre.com.

Automation Centre is also pleased to offer a free demo of TrackerSuite.Net, which includes its applications for project management, time and expense reporting, purchasing, payment requests, personnel management, support services and more. Interested parties may register for immediate access to an evaluation site to make a hands-on evaluation of TrackerSuite.Net for their needs.