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Why More CFOs Are Shifting IT Investment from Capex to Opex

The bottom line is always the focal point in any company.

Where to spend money is a constant tug of war but it’s not the only

battle being fought. How to spend the money can be just as contentious.

CFOs have to consider

multiple factors to determine expenditures, and every year

might bring with it a host of changes and market conditions that impact

those decisions. Traditionally for technology investments, CFOs most often

preferred capital expenditures over operating expenses because they could take advantage of

amortization and depreciation of those

investments over an extended period of time. There’s a growing argument,

however, that operating expenditures (OpEx) have distinct advantages

over capital  updated 2024 mobile phone number data expenditures (CapEx) that have made it a favored investment approach by finance departments and CFOs.

updated 2024 mobile phone number data

The Growing Role of OpEx in IT Spending

There are plenty of hard costs that given this demand for quick require large, upfront investments and should be a part of the approved budget (CapEx). They are costs that can be planned for in advance, but predicting future need is risky. Although the actual spend for approved projects is predictable, what was planned does not necessarily align with what is actually needed by the business over the life of that investment. In light of the rapid advancement of technology, IT vietnam data infrastructure needs are becoming less and less predictable.

Today, technology options and how

they’re delivered is simply incredible. What once required dedicated real estate, skilled employees and loads of time can be fulfilled remotely via the cloud or by dedicated companies that charge a subscription fee for a service. Organizations have more options because they can afford the latest and greatest technology without having to find a large bucket of funds upfront to pay for it. This frees up cash for investments and other projects that drive revenue and growth.

When companies decide

to move their IT infrastructure to the cloud, additional benefits are immediately felt. The company no longer needs to dedicate the same resources, time and space for the hardware and software. Many processes are automated and standardized, improving efficiencies. Services, features and options can be purchased as needed and used on demand, so companies aren’t paying for underutilized components.

If capital expenditures are generally

meant for static investments and operating expenses are intended for fluctuating costs, it only makes sense that rapidly changing technology should be considered for OpEx. IT procurement, therefore, is turned on its head: instead of purchasing technology based on long-term projections decided years ago, the company pays only for the IT services it needs, when it needs them, and can scale them as needed.

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