Training that makes sense: a little planning can help you maximize your training dollar.

You're planning to spend thousands of dollars upgrading your business with new computer equipment and software But how should you approach training your employees?

Consider your training needs "before the application goes live," suggests Ed Sykes, president of the joy of Education, a computer training and consulting company in Virginia Beach, Va. Some companies make the mistake of first buying new technology and then failing to properly train their staffers. This slows down productivity. However, knowing how to meet your training needs before your system goes up gives you plenty of training time.

Whether your system is up, or you're planning to introduce new technology, here's how to determine the appropriate training program for your company.

First, if you don't have an information systems manager, designate someone or hire a consultant, but beware of consultants who have a vested interest in selling products or pushing firms.

Your technical guru should begin by determining the level of computer and applications knowledge your employees already have. Create a list of 10 to 15 questions, advises Glynis Cowart, president of New Windsor, N.Y.- based Computer Management Enterprises. Sample questions could include: Can you do a mail merge? Can you set up macros?

Decide on the kind of training provider you can afford to give you the most targeted training program. Your options include local colleges, computer training companies or freelance consultants/trainers. Don't ignore hardware or software suppliers who can provide discount or free training. Ask around and look for companies that have proven track records with firms like yours.

Training companies that are familiar with your industry will usually grasp your needs quickly. They may cost you more up front, but the overall cost could end up being lower since they often charge less for developing industry-targeted programs.

The decision to have the training in-house or out depends largely on what is most cost effective for you. Can you afford to have your employees out of the office, or will an in-house trainer save you valuable manpower hours?

There are basically two main types of training, Instructor-led and computer-based. Instructor-led training provides a structured classroom experience. However, employees will lose some of the information after the class is over.

Depending on your business area, classes can range from a basic three-hour Windows session for $49 a head to a more complex program costing upwards of $245 a head, according to Cowart. Computer-based training includes software and CD-ROM programs for the user to run on the desktop. For example, a Windows 95 training program can cost $70 on up to $2,000, Sykes says. Your employees can learn at their own pace. However, how well they learn will depend wholly on how much effort they put into it.

The best training programs are a combination of instructor-led and computer-based. The combined approach allows employees to get the benefits of a traditional classroom experience with the follow-up of desktop training. A training lab set up in a proctored environment is also an effective follow-up to a classroom experience, says Doug McBride, executive director of the Information Technology Training Association in Austin, Texas. In this way, employees can work on features they are having trouble with back at their desks, says McBride.

More companies are integrating selftraining products with a classroom environment to keep their training budgets in line, notes Risa Edelstein, president of the Montreal-based Elin Computer Resources Inc. The cost of such classroom/software combinations varies. Most importantly, determine what you can afford and, like mother always told you, shop around.