101 Tips for Telecommuters—Successfully Manage Your Work, Team, Technology and Family

69. Be Your Own Purchasing Manager

Whether or not you have the support of a corporate purchasing department, when you telecommute there are likely to be times you'll act as the local purchasing agent. At various points as a corporate telecommuter, I was responsible for the local acquisition of office supplies, printing services, administrative support, storage space, and meeting facilities, to name a few. My employers funded these expenditures through either expense reimbursement, a local checking account for business use, or a procurement credit card.

Your employer may have a sophisticated approach and standard for providing equipment and supplies to telecommuters. Often, however, telecommuters are left to their own devices to do this or work ...