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Controlling End-User Applications

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Looking for guidelines on controlling end-user developed applications that go beyond departmental needs. Looking to develop a policy to help guide the IT support function in both supporting and controlling these type of applications. Primary concern are the Access based applications developed by end-users and utilized across depts and IT gets a call when thing go wrong. policy samples or guidlines would be helpful

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It really depends on how your company wants to handle these types of issues. In most companies that I worked at the IT department was not responsible for end-user created databases, spreadsheets, documents etc. At one of the companies I worked at the departments could allocate funding to hire a support person, training and development work but it was charged to the departments budget. Usually when an issue involves budgetary justification it makes those responsible for the budgets think the issue through clearly before allocating funds.

At another company, the IT department would not support end-user developed tools but the departments could hire the projects out (again paying out of their own budgets) and deal with the developer for support.

A third example is a company where the IT department charged back to departments for any development/support costs related to department-specific tools.

Anyway you look at it, free support is easy to take advantage of. When there is a cost involved those who need to pay for the support usually find they can live without home brewed solutions and can find ways to get the same job done within accepted practices. Sometimes it’s just a matter of communicating what is available.

Policy guidelines should be made to fit within your organization’s overall policy structure and company values statements so it’s kind of hard to give guidance there.

Cheers.

RW

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Although this answer qualifies as my question stated, I was looking for a actual same policy that someone may have had in their company that they could share

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