The total costs of Information Technology (IT) must be calculated throughout the chain of information value, since a change in one area, such as manufacturing, may produce benefits or costs in another, such as accounting.

Just as any IT system may be viewed as simply a subsystem within a larger, more complex system called "the business"; the costs of IT must be considered in the strategic context of IT's lasting impact to overall costs.

Total costs are difficult to determine with precision, but several extended costs beyond the purchase price and initial capital outlay must be considered and reliably estimated in order to determine return on investment (ROI).

Our specialists will show you how to estimate the total cost of ownership (TCO) associated with IT systems by consideration of these extended costs. Some examples of these costs follow: