Whenever I host a tabletop exercise I provide a handy-dandy checklist to all participants. It is a valuable take-away. It helps guide them when reviewing their plan for completeness and finding gaps. It is also a starting point for readiness discussions with their team members.

I hope you enjoy the list. Consider it a starting point. Please customize for your organization.

When I give this away I get a lot of ‘thank-you Marty‘ comments from attendees and I think you will too.

Yes / NoDo your recovery employees know how to get to the designated alternate recovery site?
Yes / NoHave employees that are  designated to work-from-home during a crisis tested their ability to reach all of their critical systems?
Yes / NoIs the employee section of your plan, including contact information, complete and up-to-date?
Yes / NoHave you exercised your call tree(s) within the last quarter? If not, how do you know the phone numbers are correct?
Yes / NoIs the telecom section complete?
Yes / NoDo you have critical customer facing toll free numbers that must be re-routed?
Yes / NoHave you tested re-routing toll frees to your recovery site?
Yes / NoHave all of your processes and sub-processes been documented in your plan?
Yes / NoAre the RTO’s and RPO’s appropriate for each process and sub-process?
Yes / NoIs the critical software application section complete?
Yes / NoIs the equipment section complete?
Yes / NoIs the vendors section complete?
Yes / NoIs the customers section complete?
Yes / NoIs the vital records section complete?
Yes / NoIs there anything in your office (e.g. case folders, tracking spreadsheets, etc.) that you would deem critical and would cause you significant problems if you relocated to your designated recovery site and did not have access to them?
Yes / NoIs the task section of your plan complete and up-to-date?
Yes / NoHave you developed a manual work-around procedure to support your business if critical systems are not available?
Yes / NoWas your plan missing information and do you need to modify and / or add recovery tasks to accommodate your findings?
Yes / NoDo you have a ready box stored off-site with important supplies, forms and equipment?