What does IMAC (Install, Move, Add, Change) mean?

IMAC: definition

IMAC describes the four recurring changes to an IT workstation. Install stands for the initial installation of new devices and software, Move for relocating devices or workstations, Add for adding components or users, and Change for changes to hardware, software or permissions. A service contract often agrees a fixed scope of services for this.

The term is sometimes extended to IMACD, where the D stands for disposal, the decommissioning and disposal of old devices including data erasure. IMAC services are clearly distinct from fault repair (break-fix) and from larger projects such as rollouts, even though the two overlap in everyday work.

How an IMAC order works

An IMAC order usually begins as a ticket or purchase order: a manager reports a new employee or a move. The service desk records the details, schedules the appointment and technician and prepares the required devices. After the job, the user confirms the visit and the inventory is updated.

• Record the order and agree on an appointment
• Prepare devices and accessories (staging)
• Set up, connect and test at the workstation
• Transfer data and brief the user
• Document and update the inventory
• Collect old devices and erase their data

Real-world example: an office move for a supplier

A supplier moves its administration with 45 workstations to another building. Beforehand, the workstations are recorded, the outlets and network connections in the new building are checked, and a moving plan by department is drawn up. Over the moving weekend, technicians dismantle the devices, label cables and transport the equipment to the new location.

On Monday the workstations are ready as planned: set up, connected and tested. Phones and printers work, a contact person is available for questions, and the inventory list shows the new locations. Without this preparation, time and nerves are lost because employees look for cables and connections themselves.

Benefits, limits and common mistakes

Standardized IMAC services make effort and cost predictable: recurring jobs follow a fixed pattern, and quality and documentation are consistent. Companies with several locations save on their own technicians on site and can cover peaks, for example when hiring, flexibly without keeping permanent staff on hand.

Problems arise from an unclear scope of services, lack of preparation and short-notice changes. Typical mistakes are incomplete orders, missing access to the building and no feedback to the inventory. A clear agreement is therefore important: what is included in the price, what lead times apply and who coordinates on site?

IMAC with Nano Concepts

Nano Concepts carries out IMAC services across Germany together with partner teams on site—from device installation and moves to the collection of old devices. Orders run through a ticketing system, so appointment, status and documentation can be traced at any time. For larger undertakings, IMAC can be embedded in a rollout project.