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Overview

All software used for company work must be on the approved list below or explicitly approved by IT. Using unapproved tools — especially for storing company or client data — creates security and compliance risks. If you need a tool that isn’t on the list, see Requesting a new tool below.
Not sure if a specific app or extension is approved? Ask in #it-help on Slack before installing. It’s a quick check that saves everyone headaches.

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Approved tools by category

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Communication

ToolPurposeAccessNotes
SlackTeam messaging, async collaborationProvisioned on day one by ITPrimary internal comms platform
Gmail / Google WorkspaceEmail, calendar, videoProvisioned on day one by ITUse company account only — not personal Gmail
Google MeetVideo meetingsIncluded with Google WorkspaceDefault for internal meetings
ZoomVideo meetings (external)Provisioned by IT on requestPreferred for client calls
Setup guide — Slack:
  1. Download Slack at slack.com/downloads
  2. Sign in with your company email using SSO
  3. Join your team channels (IT will add you to defaults; join others via the channel browser)
  4. Review the Communication guide for Slack norms

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Project management & documentation

ToolPurposeAccessNotes
[Project management tool — e.g., Linear / Asana / Jira]Task and project trackingProvisioned by ITPrimary project tracker
[Documentation tool — e.g., Notion / Confluence]Internal docs and wikisProvisioned by ITSupplementary to these docs
Google DriveFile storage, collaborative docsIncluded with Google WorkspaceUse for most documents
[This site]Policies, SOPs, internal wikiPublic (internal)You’re looking at it
File storage guidelines:
  • Store all company documents in Google Drive or the designated document management system
  • Do not store company documents in personal cloud storage (personal Dropbox, iCloud, etc.)
  • Follow the folder structure defined by your team lead

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Engineering & development

ToolPurposeAccessNotes
GitHubSource code managementRequest from IT + engineering leadSSO login required
[CI/CD tool — e.g., GitHub Actions / CircleCI]Automated testing and deploymentProvisioned with GitHub
[Cloud platform — e.g., AWS / GCP / Azure]Infrastructure and hostingRequest from IT; role-based accessLeast-privilege access only
[Monitoring — e.g., Datadog / Grafana]System monitoring and alertingRequest from IT
VS Code / JetBrainsCode editorsSelf-install from approved sourceBoth are approved
PostmanAPI development and testingSelf-install

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Finance & HR

ToolPurposeAccessNotes
[Payroll / HR system — e.g., Rippling / Gusto / BambooHR]Payroll, benefits, PTOProvisioned on day one by HRPrimary HR system
[Expense tool — e.g., Expensify / Ramp / Brex]Expense reporting and reimbursementProvisioned by FinanceSee Expense Policy
[Accounting — e.g., QuickBooks / Xero]Accounting and invoicingFinance team only

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Security

ToolPurposeAccessNotes
[Password manager — e.g., 1Password / Bitwarden]Password managementProvisioned by ITRequired — see Security Policy
[MFA app — e.g., Duo / Google Authenticator / Authy]Multi-factor authenticationSelf-installRequired on all accounts
[VPN — e.g., Tailscale / Cisco AnyConnect]Secure remote accessProvisioned by ITRequired when on public Wi-Fi
[EDR — e.g., CrowdStrike / SentinelOne]Endpoint securityPre-installed on company devicesDo not disable
[MDM — e.g., Jamf / Intune]Device managementPre-installed on company devicesDo not remove

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Design

ToolPurposeAccessNotes
FigmaUI/UX design and prototypingRequest from ITApproved for design team
[Other design tool][Purpose]Request from IT

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Customer / client tools

ToolPurposeAccessNotes
[CRM — e.g., HubSpot / Salesforce]Customer relationship managementProvisioned by ITRole-based access
[Support tool — e.g., Intercom / Zendesk]Customer supportProvisioned by ITCustomer-facing teams only

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Requesting a new tool

Before requesting a new tool, check whether an existing approved tool can meet your need. If you still need a new tool:
1

Submit a request

File a request via [IT helpdesk / request form — link to be added]. Include:
  • Tool name and URL
  • What you need it for
  • How many people will use it
  • Whether it will store company or client data
  • Cost (if any)
2

IT security review

IT will review the tool for security posture, data handling practices, and compliance requirements. Tools that store company or client data go through a more thorough review.Typical timeline: 3–5 business days for standard tools; longer for tools with significant data access.
3

Legal / procurement review

If there’s a contract or significant cost, Legal and Finance will review. For tools over $[X]/month, manager approval is also required.
4

Approval and provisioning

Once approved, IT will add the tool to the approved list and provision access for you and your team.
Do not sign up for or start using a new tool while waiting for approval — especially anything that would store company or client data. Using unapproved tools is a violation of the Acceptable Use Policy.

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Removing access to a tool

When an employee leaves or changes roles, their tool access must be revoked. This is handled as part of the Offboarding SOP. If you notice that a former employee or someone who changed roles still has access they shouldn’t, report it to IT immediately.

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Device setup

New devices are provisioned by IT before your first day (or on day one for office-based hires). Your device will come with required security tools (MDM, EDR, password manager) pre-installed. Initial setup checklist:
  • Sign in with your company SSO credentials
  • Verify MDM enrollment (IT will confirm)
  • Enable full-disk encryption (FileVault on Mac / BitLocker on Windows) — IT will guide you
  • Install and set up the company password manager
  • Set up MFA on all accounts
  • Install any additional approved tools from the list above as needed for your role
For device issues or repairs, contact IT at it@blevinsholdings.com.
Last updated: [Date] — owned by IT