HELP! I need to replace more devices than I have budget for!

Knowledge Base Article: Closing the Gap on IT Device Lifecycle Replacement (FY26)

Source: Saint Paul College IT Device Lifecycle — FY26 Replacement Project

Purpose

This article serves as a companion to the presentation and explains how to keep a device fleet current when replacement needs exceed available budget. Windows 10 support ended October 14, 2025, and aging fleets are colliding with flat budgets — this is the playbook used to close that gap.

1. The Squeeze — what drives the problem

Seven pressures compound into a budget shortfall:

• Incomplete computer inventory — no single source of truth.
• Aging machines past their useful life.
• Windows 10 → Windows 11 migration deadline.
• No standards for devices and software.
• Software compatibility gaps on older hardware.
• Rising replacement cost from price increases and shipping delays.
• Expired printer contract, which overlaps the same budget cycle.

2. Your Options — funding and refresh models

Four models, which can be combined:

1. Phased refresh — replace in fiscal-year waves rather than one big-bang buy, smoothing the spend.
2. Leasing — spread cost across the lease term and refresh on schedule.
3. Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) — hardware plus management bundled into one monthly fee.
4. Update-in-place & trade-in — extend eligible devices and recover residual value from retired ones.

3. Activities that support the work

Six execution steps:

1. Audit the full fleet, tagging each device replace vs. update-in-place by fiscal year.
2. Communicate broadly — run a Tech Road Show to showcase device options, paired with the Printer Lifecycle Replacement project.
3. Standardize the device catalog down to 4 models and configurations.
4. Secure multi-year lease financing with vendor partners.
5. Reimage classroom devices over the summer, using the Specialized Software knowledge base articles.
6. Publish the FY26–FY30 replacement schedule to departments so planning is transparent.

4. Challenges and how they were addressed

Challenge	Resolution
No single source of truth — six inventory methods	Built a "new truth" in SCCM confirming which devices exist and who last signed in — the baseline
No lifecycle asset management	Standing up Asset Management in TeamDynamix to assetize all hardware, software, and peripherals
Budget shortfall for a full refresh	Moved to leasing to spread cost into predictable payments
58 device models strained support	Consolidated to 4 standard models and configurations
Windows 10 end-of-support deadline	Phased the Windows 11 migration; retired update-in-place devices
Shipping delays & price increases	Ordered early to lock in pricing

5. Stakeholder groups and their roles

• Leadership & Deans — approval and budget.
• IT Department — imaging, deployment, support.
• Faculty & Staff — classroom and office users.
• Students — laptops and computer labs.
• Finance — lease approval.
• Vendor Partners — CDW, Lenovo, Aspen Capital.

Communications:

Video 1: Windows 11 - Update Information

Video 2: Getting a New Computer (replacement)

Email 1: Message to supervisors outlining the working spreadsheet & verifying device assignment

Email 2: No Device Assigned (4/22/2025)

Email 3: Update in Place (4/22/2025)

Email 4: New Device Information (4/22/2025)

Email 5: Supervisor device changes after employees are informed of their device status - Last Step (4/22/2025)

Email 6: T14 & T16 Updates (8/12/2025)

Email 7: New Device Swap Information (10/14/2025)

Knowledge Base Article 1: College Hardware and Software Standards

Knowledge Base Article 2: Specialized Software in Classrooms

6. The payoff

Consolidation went from 58 device models to 4: 1 student laptop, 2 employee laptops (T14 & T16, standard and enhanced), and 1 student desktop (standard and enhanced). The resulting benefits:

• Predictable spend — opex instead of capex spikes.
• Stronger security — supported OS and current patches.
• Less downtime — fewer failures and support tickets.
• Defensible cycle — a 3–4 year replacement cadence.
• Strategic IT — staff freed from firefighting.

Additional Processes Developed:

1. Software Installation Request for self, classroom, department
2. Hardware Purchase Form for standard and stock items
3. Device Replacement/Swap
4. Employee Onboarding and Crossboarding
5. Risk Assessment for Software

Recommended next actions

1. Audit the fleet and flag every end-of-life device.
2. Choose a funding model: lease, DaaS, or phased refresh.
3. Lock in fiscal-year orders early to beat price increases.

Lessons Learned

1. Delays in payment for lease
   1. Issues with procurement were because we didn't know who/which vendor the purchase orders needed to go.
   2. Lenovo was the device company, CDW was the VAR, Aspen Capital was the leasing company, and POs were made out to a Bank
      1. POs had to be sent to Bank, not leasing company, VAR of device company
2. Understanding what needed to be ordered and verifying device models
   1. Several additional purchases because 1) wrong power adapters, 2) did not account for new keyboards and mice for docking stations
   2. Docking station monitors were not the correct type - check your parts numbers and make sure you get what you need
3. Measure 100x, but cut once
   1. Even after we confirmed inventory, we still found devices that were in locked cabinets, at home, and assigned to other locations

Bottom line: Don't wait for devices to fail — an accurate inventory, a standardized catalog, and a financing model that converts spikes into predictable payments turn an unfundable refresh into a repeatable 3–4 year cycle.