Buying an ipad

[eek]

I know people are going to complain about this but hey ho.

My company needs to buy an ipad for testing purposes. Before anyone asks the purchase itself isn't an issue as I think spending £500 to test a £10000+ outsourced app development is justified.

I do however have a question:

I can justify any purchase but would prefer to purchase the 3g version as its useful when I'm out (the new wireless hotspot would be very useful) and about but the best deal for one of those is on a £25 a month contract from three with an initial purchase price well below apple's retail price.

So How do I go about this purchase in such a way that neither myself or the company loses out?

[DaveB]

Just buy it anyway. You still need to test the apps work over 3G as well as wireless.

[d000hg]

Just buy it anyway. You still need to test the apps work over 3G as well as wireless.

Not sure that's really true but if you have a bona fide reason for an iPad in the first place, I'd just get it through the company... you can justify buying a 3g dongle for your laptop so this is the same.

[AnthonyQuinn]

I know people are going to complain about this but hey ho.

My company needs to buy an ipad for testing purposes. Before anyone asks the purchase itself isn't an issue as I think spending £500 to test a £10000+ outsourced app development is justified.

I had thought long and hard about this and chickened out in the end. I bought it on my own, not thru company.

End of the day, if you use a ipad like most people use their company laptops (i.e misture of work and personal) then go ahead and buy thru cmpany. I am yet to meet someone who doesnt use their company computer to check email .

[eek]

I think I better be clearer with the issue:

if I buy outright the machine costs £499
if I buy via three its £159 upfront +£600 in line rental.

Can I purchase it personally then charge the company £499 and just pay the line rental myself or should I try and get it through the company.

[d000hg]

I think I better be clearer with the issue:

if I buy outright the machine costs £499
if I buy via three its £159 upfront +£600 in line rental.

Can I purchase it personally then charge the company £499 and just pay the line rental myself or should I try and get it through the company.

Surely you can't reclaim expenses you haven't yet paid, only the actual costs incurred. Saying "it would have cost me X from that supplier so I'm expensing X even though I paid Y elsewhere" seems rather dodgy to me.

Getting the iPad upfront and adding a data plan on top would be easier if you want to pay for the data personally. Alternatively charge the company £159 and then expense the proportion of the line rental you consider to be for business?

[JamJarST]

Surely you can't reclaim expenses you haven't yet paid, only the actual costs incurred. Saying "it would have cost me X from that supplier so I'm expensing X even though I paid Y elsewhere" seems rather dodgy to me.

Getting the iPad upfront and adding a data plan on top would be easier if you want to pay for the data personally. Alternatively charge the company £159 and then expense the proportion of the line rental you consider to be for business?

I don't think you have to have paid for an item in full before you can sell it to your company for its real value. As an example he coule have bought the Ipad on his personal credit card and then sold it to his company even though he hasn't paid the cc bill.

[oliverson]

Can't see why this is so complicated. It's a piece of IT kit and you run an IT company so just buy it. Not like you're buying a load of vintage wine or some fine art!!

[Platypus]

I think I better be clearer with the issue:

if I buy outright the machine costs £499
if I buy via three its £159 upfront +£600 in line rental.

Can I purchase it personally then charge the company £499 and just pay the line rental myself or should I try and get it through the company.

You can't personally purchase it for £159 upfront then charge the company £499 and get away with it.

Just put whatever option you wish to buy thru the company (company reimburses your personal capital outlay), then the company pays the bill monthly (best to get the monthly contract in the company name).

The very worst that could happen ever is that your accountant or the taxman tuts under his breath and disallows something. Oh dear, you say, sorry about that, I won't claim the tax relief for it then. Fine.

[JamJarST]

You can't personally purchase it for £159 upfront then charge the company £499 and get away with it.

Just put whatever option you wish to buy thru the company (company reimburses your personal capital outlay), then the company pays the bill monthly (best to get the monthly contract in the company name).

The very worst that could happen ever is that your accountant or the taxman tuts under his breath and disallows something. Oh dear, you say, sorry about that, I won't claim the tax relief for it then. Fine.

Of course you can.