When to bin your legacy system

The purse strings are always tight in the charity sector, but when digital systems start to show their age, perhaps it’s time to review and invest in new technology that better serves their aims. 

 

Below, we share the top signs that it’s time to upgrade your technology and move past legacy systems that are no longer fit for purpose.

 

 

Signs it’s time to upgrade your technology

 

Buffering

 

We’ve all seen that spiral of death where the device is thinking very hard to move forward. In general, the spinning features of the cursor or other image means that the device is struggling to handle the task, or, too many things are demanded at once.

 

Top tip: Restarting might cure the problem, but, ultimately recurring spirals means it is time to upgrade.

 

 

Slow performance

 

As digital systems evolve, more processing power is needed to deal with complex tasks, detailed imagery, and the latest features. Slow performance is normally seen when applications take ages to load, they stop responding, or they crash.

 

Top tip: Take a look at the processor speed. TechRadar reports that the latest laptops can run between 3.6-3.7 Ghz.

 

 

Software updates don’t work

 

Legacy systems apply to mobile phones as well. Despite some devices managing to make phone calls and text messages, they may not be able to run on the latest apps or security software. When this happens, it’s time to think about replacements.

 

Top tip: Apple’s latest software iOS18 supports from iPhone 10 onwards. Those with older phones might be left out.

 

 

You can’t remember when…

 

When you can’t remember when you last replaced the laptop, it might be time. Most physical assets (computers) last between four to five years. From a financial perspective, computers and office equipment are amortised over a five-year period, so afterwards, there’s no value there.

 

Top tip: Wait until the asset is fully amortised before upgrading.

 

 

Sharing isn’t feasible anymore

 

For small, scrappy organisations, there are other reasons to upgrade devices, software, and platforms. While many on a shoestring budget have shared logins and work stations, there may be times when demands outstrip usage. In short, charity business needs have outgrown what’s possible on limited access. Scaling up should always be a reason to upgrade.

 

Top tip: Stay positive – upgrades here mean that the organisation is growing.

 

 

No storage space

 

Space shouldn’t be an issue. If you are struggling with notifications from the local hard drive and cloud, it’s time to upgrade. There should be plenty of space for new work and back up.

 

Top tip: Make the cloud accessible to hybrid workers.

 

 

Too many workarounds

 

It’s time to upgrade when there are too many manual workarounds for systems. For example, if you’re finding that once the platform or system is open and you have to make changes to data via excel or manage exceptions, it’s time to trade up.

 

Top tip: Beware of too many customisations. This means that you’re going beyond what the typical digital offering is.

 

 

Lost instructions

 

In offices of a previous age, there may have been an entire stack of miniature booklets and operating manuals for devices and platforms. If your office is still operating on paper manuals that may or may not be lost, it’s time to move on.

 

Top tip: Most platforms are intuitive – if you’re still flipping papers, that’s a sign to move on.

 

 

Modern websites are slow

 

Attractive websites offer video, high-resolution imagery, and sophisticated payment carts. If your legacy browser consistently loads sites in that odd, choppy manner, there’s room for improvement.

 

Top tip: Modern browsers include Google Chrome, which also has add-ins for custom functionality.

 

 

User frustration

 

One of the top signs to bin your legacy system is when your workforce starts getting frustrated. In fact, the IT department may not be the ones identifying when upgrades are needed. Front-line staff may start complaining that the charity’s own digital platforms aren’t compatible with beneficiaries, partners, or service providers.

 

Top tip: Listen to staff when they are struggling with productivity.

 

 

Data silos challenge productivity

 

Similar to digital workarounds, data silos across different departments can be a meaningful inhibitor to work. Here, it may be that staff are spending too much time reconciling data. For finance teams, it could be checking bank statements that have not automatically be fed into finance platforms. Another example, is when front-line teams are challenged by pulling the right CRM data. They may have multiple fields to pull from different services.

 

Top tip: Low costs finance platforms like Xero and Salesforce offer automation.

 

 

Security breaches are frequent

 

One of, the top sign of when to bin your legacy system is when security breaches are occurring with frequency. Whether its viruses riddling platforms or phishing, where data is at risk, upgrades are essential.

 

Top tip: Security chiefs not only need to upgrade system wide platforms, but also, ensure that staff are trained on the latest threat preventions.