This archived TechRepublic Premium report, originally published in February 2014, is available for free to registered TechRepublic members. For all the latest research reports, 100+ ready-made policies, IT job descriptions, and more, check out TechRepublic Premium.

From the report:

TechRepublic Premium conducted an online survey to explore how and which tablets are being used in the enterprise, what strengths and/or weaknesses they entail and how they may impact traditional computer use/purchasing. This survey attracted 203 respondents from many parts of the world across a diverse array of business sectors.

Throughout our survey we found some of the following key points:

• Most companies not only permit the use of tablets, but also buy them for employees.
• Certain departments such as sales, IT and administration are more oriented towards tablet use and thus are seeing greater gains from them.
• Tablets and PCs each have certain advantages; portability for tablets and the use of multiple monitors for PCs, for instance.
• Companies are using tablets for business functions such as email, internet access and calendaring. Note-taking and e-reading are also strong showings. Security, inventory and order management are not widespread tablet functions just yet.
• Apple is the strongest tablet player with Microsoft Surface also enjoying a reasonably good showing.
• Tablets are encroaching upon the usage of traditional computers, but not necessarily cutting into PC purchases — they are helping to offload or complement desktop functions, but the PC is still a player in this game.

It’s not all wine and roses for tablets just yet: some companies have concerns about security or else don’t see a clear need for tablet use, and hence they are not necessarily deemed essential hardware across the board.