Keep an emergency sheet you can reach when everything is down

What to include

• IT support: how to reach your IT team or provider, including an emergency number.
• Internet providers: company name, account number and support number for each connection.
• Phone provider: account number and support line.
• Key software vendors: support numbers for business-critical systems.
• Bank and insurer: contacts for reporting fraud or making a claim.
• Staff contact list: mobile numbers for everyone, or at least team leaders.
• Who decides: who can approve emergency spending or call in outside help.
• Where the full recovery plan is kept.

What to leave off

Do not put passwords or recovery keys on a printed sheet. Those belong in a secure password manager with emergency access, or a sealed and locked location that only a few people can open.

Where to keep it

• A printed copy in a known place at the office, and with one or two key people at home.
• A copy on phones, saved for offline use.
• Somewhere outside your main systems, so it can be reached when they are down.

Keep it current

Review it every few months, and whenever a provider, account or key person changes. An emergency sheet with old numbers is almost as bad as none.