What is IMAC (install, move, add, change)?
IMAC groups four everyday kinds of physical IT work. Install means putting new hardware or software into service. Move means relocating equipment or a user's setup. Add means adding capacity, a user or a component to something that already exists. Change means altering the configuration or hardware of an existing setup.
Many providers add a fifth letter. IMACD adds disposal, covering removal, data sanitization and recycling of retired equipment. Which letters a provider includes, and whether software and data tasks are part of it, varies, so the written scope matters more than the acronym.
IMAC work is often high volume and repetitive, such as setting up many workstations or moving a floor of desks. That makes process and documentation important, because small errors repeat at scale.
How it shows up in practice
- Define each task type in the scope with a clear done state, for example a workstation installed, connected, tested and handed over to the user.
- State who supplies equipment, cables and accessories, and how packaging, waste and returns are handled.
- Agree how requests are submitted and scheduled, and what notice is needed for larger batches.
- Ask for a record of every completed task, such as serial numbers, locations and photos, so your asset list stays correct.