TABLE OF CONTENTS
Edited & Reviewed
TLDR;
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Most companies underestimate the complexity of laptop provisioning at scale, relying on manual processes that slow down onboarding and expose teams to risk.
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Provisioning is operationally heavy, often involving eight disjointed steps across HR, IT, and logistics, with poor visibility and high failure rates.
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Traditional methods break down due to global shipping delays, security gaps, and fragmented asset tracking that spreadsheets can’t solve.
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Workwize solves the problem by automating the full IT asset lifecycle — from global procurement and zero-touch deployment to repairs, retrieval, and decommissioning.
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Fast-scaling companies like HelloFresh and DuckDuckGo trust Workwize to streamline laptop delivery worldwide, reduce overhead, and deliver seamless day-one experiences.
Your IT team just set up a new hire with a laptop. But then the device arrives late, it’s missing key software, and your team is scrambling to fix it just as the employee is logging in for their first day.
You take a closer look. It turns out that your provisioning process relies on too many manual steps. Requests get lost in email threads, hardware orders stall across borders, and configuration is handled inconsistently across teams.
Now you’re stuck coordinating logistics across regions, fixing misconfigured devices on the fly, and fielding complaints from frustrated new joiners. Worse, your internal team is burning hours on repeatable work that should have been automated long ago.
The onboarding goal isn’t dead, but momentum just took a hit for both your new hire and your IT ops.
This is the problem Workwize was built to solve.
What is laptop provisioning?
Laptop provisioning is the process of sourcing, configuring, and delivering a laptop to an employee, typically during onboarding or when equipment needs to be replaced.
It includes ordering hardware, installing software, enrolling in MDM systems, and tracking the location of that asset. While the concept may sound simple, its execution is rarely seamless.
Most companies follow this sequence:
- HR submits a ticket with employee details
- IT orders the laptop from a preferred vendor
- The laptop is received, manually configured, and updated
- Software is installed, accounts provisioned, encryption enabled
- The device is enrolled into MDM
- Quality checks are performed
- The laptop is shipped or handed over to the employee
- Inventory is updated manually if at all
Multiply this across multiple locations, time zones, device types, and vendors, and it becomes clear why provisioning is one of the most operationally intensive IT processes.
Why traditional laptop provisioning breaks down
Manual processes slow teams down
Each device is touched multiple times before it reaches the employee. These manual steps create bottlenecks and room for error, whether in configuration, software setup, or delivery timelines.
Scaling globally increases complexity
Distributed workforces introduce customs, import taxes, longer lead times, and inconsistent vendor quality. A laptop that takes 2 days to deliver in London might take 12 in Singapore.
Visibility is limited
Most IT teams track assets in spreadsheets or disconnected tools. As a result, it’s hard to know who has what, when warranties expire, or whether a device is compliant.
Security gaps are harder to catch
If MDM enrollment or security updates are skipped, companies are left exposed. In regulated industries or security-sensitive roles, this is a serious risk.
Why laptop provisioning needs a lifecycle approach
Provisioning is not a one-time event. Laptops live through an entire IT asset lifecycle that includes:
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Procurement
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Deployment
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Maintenance
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Retrieval
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Decommissioning
Each stage generates cost, data, and potential risk. Managing it manually creates fragmentation. That’s why modern organizations are shifting to platforms like Workwize that manage everything in one system.
How Workwize solves laptop provisioning
Local procurement, global reach
Workwize connects you to a trusted supplier network in over 100 countries. You can source laptops locally, which avoids customs delays and reduces shipping costs. Regional warehouse stock is also available for high-priority orders or back-to-back hiring sprints.
Benefits:
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Fast delivery without international bottlenecks
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Reduced shipping and customs fees
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Region-specific compliance
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Lower carbon footprint
Zero-touch deployment, out of the box
Workwize supports Apple Business Manager and Windows Autopilot. This means devices are enrolled before they ship, arriving fully configured, encrypted, and policy-compliant.
Benefits:
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No technician needed
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Faster employee onboarding
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Standardized software and security
Real-time visibility into every asset
Every laptop is serialized and tracked. IT teams can view location, warranty, deployment status, and history in one unified dashboard.
Benefits:
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Better inventory forecasting
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Real-time compliance tracking
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Faster incident response
Built-in repair and replacement support
If a device breaks, Workwize handles everything. Whether it’s under warranty or not, pickup, repair, and tracking are automated. Replacements can be shipped from warehouse stock to reduce downtime.
Benefits:
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End-to-end repair tracking
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Shorter employee disruption
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Global parts and service network
Retrieval and reuse made easy
When an employee leaves, Workwize arranges retrieval. Devices are wiped securely using certified methods, sanitized, and returned to stock.
Benefits:
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Certified data erasure
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Higher asset reuse rates
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Cleaner offboarding workflows
Secure decommissioning and resale
For older hardware, Workwize manages decommissioning through certified ITAD partners. Wiped and recycled devices can generate resale credits that reduce hardware costs.
Benefits:
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Environmentally responsible
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Secure and documented disposal
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Financial recovery from resale
Trusted by global leaders
Workwize supports companies like HelloFresh, DuckDuckGo, EQT, Loop, and Embraer. These organizations rely on the platform to streamline provisioning across multiple continents, time zones, and as their headcount grows.
Conclusion: provisioning needs to evolve
Laptop provisioning isn’t just an IT task. It touches employee experience, cybersecurity, compliance, and operational costs. Done right, it accelerates productivity and builds trust. Done poorly, it introduces friction and risk at the worst possible moment.
Workwize provides companies with a better way—one platform to manage the full lifecycle of IT assets globally, without chaos.
If your organization is scaling rapidly, expanding internationally, or is tired of manually handling hardware, now is the time to rethink provisioning. Because every great first day begins with a laptop that works—and a system behind it that doesn’t need fixing.
