40 Best Contingency Plan Templates

1. Define Critical Functions
Identify mission-critical functions and their required downtime to ensure the template prioritizes recovery efforts effectively. Include owners, dependencies, and key metrics so the plan guides rapid decision-making during an incident.

2. Include Clear Recovery Time Objectives
Embed recovery time objectives and recovery point objectives for each function within the template. Provide guidance or examples to help users select appropriate values based on impact assessments.

3. Versioning and Review Schedule
Incorporate version control, author, date, and review cadence into the template. Specify approval workflows and update procedures to keep the contingency plan current and auditable.