Straightforward advice for small-business websites and IT
Short, useful guides for the practical technical issues that slow small businesses down: websites, domains, Microsoft 365, email, backups and security basics.
Harkstone cockpit
Small business technical status
Website and support board
Tickets, forms, DNS, SSL and care
Support request
Triaged
Website form
Delivering
Microsoft 365
MFA enabled
Care task
Queued
Launch basics
Useful before the first conversation
No SEO filler. Each article links back to the relevant service and a clear next step.
IT support - 5 min read
What to check before changing IT support provider
A practical checklist for small businesses reviewing support ownership, access, backups, Microsoft 365 and suppliers.
Website care - 4 min read
Do small businesses really need website care?
When website maintenance is worth paying for, what should be included, and what still needs a separate project quote.
Domains - 6 min read
What to check before moving a business domain
Avoid email downtime and website disruption by checking DNS, email records, ownership and suppliers before moving domains.
Microsoft 365 - 5 min read
What should happen when staff leave Microsoft 365?
A plain-English leaver checklist for accounts, mailboxes, files, permissions, MFA and licences.
Cyber security - 5 min read
Small-business security basics that matter first
Start with MFA, patching, backups, administrator access and user awareness before buying complicated tools.
Backups - 4 min read
Do small businesses need backups if they use Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 is resilient, but backup and retention assumptions still need checking for deleted, corrupted or mismanaged data.
Websites - 4 min read
Why website enquiry forms stop working
Common causes include hosting changes, DNS issues, email authentication, plugin updates and weak monitoring.
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