Software Use and Your Legal Liabilities

3. Developing a Policy

Your software policy will need to cover a number of different areas.

To maximise its effectiveness, give one employee overall responsibility for developing and implementing it. He or she should:

3.1 Identify the software you already have, and any you may need.

• This information should be entered on a register of software assets (see 5).

3.2 Allocate software to individual employees, according to their particular needs.

3.3 Arrange appropriate training in the use of software.

• There is no point buying expensive software and then failing to train employees in its use.

3.4 Authorise all software purchases and installations (see 4).

• Central purchasing may reduce costs, and will make it easier to track software.

3.5 Upgrade software when necessary.

3.6 Check the software policy is being applied and enforced properly (see 6).

• The same individual may also take responsibility for enforcing other aspects of your IT policy.