--- sourceDocument: Australia Governance, Risk, and Compliance sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/governance-risk-compliance Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Governance, Risk, and Compliance ft:clusterId : - grc bundleId : - grc workflow : - Technology --- # Structured workflows for Crisis events # Structured workflows for Crisis events {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Australia * * Updated March 12, 2026 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Structured workflows for Crisis events ServiceNow's Business Continuity Management (BCM) Configurable Workspace provides structured workflows to manage crisis events effectively. BCM program managers can create and coordinate crisis events by associating impacted assets, business continuity plans, and recovery strategies. The platform supports assigning, tracking, and submitting event tasks to designated teams to ensure timely and organized response efforts during significant disruptions to business operations. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Crisis Event Creation and Management:** Create crisis records, set severity levels, assign response teams, and document initial actions to manage disruptions efficiently. * **Task Management:** Add individual or bulk event tasks using task templates or groups, with the ability to perform bulk editing of tasks including state, assigned user/group, and start/end dates. * **State Transitions:** Event tasks follow defined state transitions (e.g., Pending, Open, Work In Progress, Closed Complete), with permissions controlling reopening and edits to maintain task accuracy. * **Recovery Task Member Access:** Recovery team members can update task statuses via "My Recovery Tasks" but have limited editing rights, ensuring controlled updates while allowing activity notes. * **Nested Plans and Dependencies:** Automated creation of nested plans within events reduces manual effort and improves performance; dependencies between plans can be managed via event task fields. * **Asset and Plan Tracking:** Track impacted assets and associate related recovery plans to monitor and manage crisis impact and recovery efforts. * **Automated Task Import:** Import automated tasks from business continuity plans for quicker response during actual crisis events. * **Ad Hoc Action Items:** Crisis managers can create unplanned action tasks during open events or exercises without linking them to assets or plans, enabling flexible response management. * **Similar Task Grouping:** Identify and group duplicate or similar tasks to optimize task management and reduce redundant work. * **Approval Process:** Request and grant approvals for crisis events within the workspace to formalize event management. ## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers By leveraging these structured workflows, BCM managers gain clear control over crisis event coordination, task assignment, and progress monitoring. Bulk task editing and automated plan handling streamline operational efficiency. Recovery teams can update task statuses easily while preserving data integrity. Grouping similar tasks and flexible task creation improve response agility and resource allocation. Overall, these capabilities help organizations minimize disruption, accelerate recovery, and maintain business continuity during crises. Manage crisis events using structured workflows in the Business Continuity Workspace (also known as BCM Configurable Workspace). Business Continuity Management (BCM) program managers create crisis events to coordinate response efforts. They associate relevant assets, business continuity plans, and recovery strategies with each event, then assign and submit event tasks to appropriate teams for execution. * For more information on reporting a crisis event, see [Start a crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PQuD5b8dF7YFhwZofiSjBQ "Report a crisis event in the BCM Configurable Workspace. A crisis event is any significant disruption that threatens business operations. The BCM Configurable Workspace enables you to create crisis records, classify severity levels, set priorities, assign response teams, and document initial actions."). * For more information on adding an asset and plan to the crisis event, see [Track impacted assets and add related plans](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/oahrQm3h17pGnEODXcLh1w "Track the impacted assets and add a related plan during a crisis event. You can monitor the assets and plans for the crisis event in BCM UIB Workspace. You can then recover your assets in the planning stage."). * For more information on adding an event task to the crisis event, see [Add a task to the crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Gsz_GBpukI11SZmuLGBi8g "Add a task to the crisis event in BCM UIB Workspace. You can then monitor and complete the required actions to respond to the crisis event."). * For more information on submitting the event task, see [Request an approval and approve the crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/AdCkq_R7wy_3cZ5mv~ttFQ "Approve the crisis event in BCM UIB Workspace."). * You can add event tasks in bulk by applying task template groups or individual task templates from the Event tasks tab. For details, see [Add a task to the crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Gsz_GBpukI11SZmuLGBi8g "Add a task to the crisis event in BCM UIB Workspace. You can then monitor and complete the required actions to respond to the crisis event.") and [Event task creation progress in exercise and crisis events](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/TK0Tpuu0HRAcib9C4EF~oQ "When event tasks are created in bulk from task template groups or task templates, the Event tasks list defers refresh to avoid impacting large events. This topic explains the banner and auto-refresh behavior."). {#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__ul_xmz_3ft_byb} ## Bulk editing of tasks from the Event tasks related list {#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__section_epl_mlf_3bc} Starting with version 6.1.x of the Business Continuity Management application, users with editing access to event records can perform bulk edits from the Event tasks related list. This feature is beneficial for users who manage multiple event tasks simultaneously. In the recovery tasks list, users with the necessary edit permissions can modify these fields simultaneously: * State * Assigned to * Actual start * Actual end * Assigned group {#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__ul_qnf_2mf_3bc} Once an event is initiated, these users can also modify the state of an event task either from the list view or the form view. The process for updating the state of an event task from the list view is demonstrated in the example. If a state transition is not allowed, an error message is displayed to indicate that the update is invalid. The table details the permitted state transitions for an event task.{#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__table_wpr_psf_3bc__entry__8} | Transition from state | Pending state | Open state | Work In Progress state | Closed Complete state | Closed Incomplete state | Closed Skipped state | Closed Failed state | |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| | Pending | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | | Open | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | | Work In Progress | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Closed Complete | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | | Closed Incomplete | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | | Closed Skipped | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | | Closed failed | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | [Table 1. Permitted state transitions for an event task] {#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__table_wpr_psf_3bc} Note: All changes to state transitions and updates to the start or end dates are listed in the Task activity log. Consider these key details about the state transitions of an event task. 1. The event task can only be opened from the Closed complete state. 2. Once the event task moves to the Open state, users of the event task can edit it further. 3. The task can then be moved from the Open state to the Closed Skipped state. 4. Only users with access to the event can reopen the event task. While recovery task members can change the status of the event task, they cannot reopen it. {#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__ol_wvx_trl_3bc} The table summarizes the UI actions available for an event task and their corresponding states:{#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__table_cqf_5pf_3bc__entry__3} | UI action | State of the event task | Notes | |-|-|-| | Trigger | Pending | This condition is applicable only when an event has been started. | | Skip task | Pending, Open, Work in progress | - | | Work in progress | Open | - | | Closed complete | Work in progress | - | | Closed incomplete | Work in progress | - | | Closed failed | Work in progress | - | | Re-trigger as a manual task | Closed | - | | Re-trigger automation | Work in progress, Closed | This condition is applicable for an automated task only. | [Table 2. UI actions and the associated states of the event tasks] {#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__table_cqf_5pf_3bc} If a task is mistakenly closed, users of the event task can reopen it to make the required edits, ensuring the recovery process remains accurate and complete. ## Updating the event task as a recovery task member {#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__section_svg_4pl_3bc} Generally, recovery task members update the status of event tasks. Although they do not have access to the event page or workspace, they can navigate to My Recovery Tasks in the instance to access the recovery task. By modifying the UI action, they can change the status of the event task, as demonstrated in the example. For instance, when members of the recovery task mark the task as Closed complete, all fields on the form become locked. This implies that while members of the recovery task cannot modify the fields, they are still able to add activity notes. Only users who have access to the event task can edit the fields on the form. For information on importing the automated task in an event, see [Import automated tasks and start an event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/YKfHeeo77MXhqGF5tGj9Cg "Import the automated task from the business continuity plan in an actual event. Utilizing automated tasks during an actual event enhances efficiency and reduces response time for users."). * For information on reporting a crisis event from the Home page, see [Home page view](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/VQfVgABDPPsy2gy3KdTvow "The Home page in Business Continuity Workspace serves as the landing page of the BCM application."). * For information on managing threats, feeds, and alerts in the Crisis map interface, see [Crisis map interface](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/7iqySbg2quUnynOjw519pw "You can integrate Crisis map with the BCM application and initiate the response workflows for crisis management. After installing the Crisis map application, you can view the Threat and Alert Data Feeds module in your BCM application instance."). * For information on performing administrative tasks in the Crisis map interface, see [Setup for Crisis map](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/nK4cuJd~ns72X67JZmPySQ "BCM administrators perform the administrative tasks to set up the Crisis map interface."). {#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__ul_lbv_4xy_cyb} * **[Start a crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PQuD5b8dF7YFhwZofiSjBQ)** Report a crisis event in the BCM Configurable Workspace. A crisis event is any significant disruption that threatens business operations. The BCM Configurable Workspace enables you to create crisis records, classify severity levels, set priorities, assign response teams, and document initial actions. * **[Using nested plans](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r6hmm6XnJbXmeFQIzekpjQ)** Configure a system property to control activated plan levels in an event. The system automatically creates nested plans within an event, reducing the manual effort of adding plans and improving system performance. You can also add dependencies between multiple activated plans by updating the Dependencies field in the event tasks. * **[Track impacted assets and add related plans](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/oahrQm3h17pGnEODXcLh1w)** Track the impacted assets and add a related plan during a crisis event. You can monitor the assets and plans for the crisis event in BCM UIB Workspace. You can then recover your assets in the planning stage. * **[Add a task to the crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Gsz_GBpukI11SZmuLGBi8g)** Add a task to the crisis event in BCM UIB Workspace. You can then monitor and complete the required actions to respond to the crisis event. * **[Import automated tasks and start an event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/YKfHeeo77MXhqGF5tGj9Cg)** Import the automated task from the business continuity plan in an actual event. Utilizing automated tasks during an actual event enhances efficiency and reduces response time for users. * **[Creating action items in crisis events](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZItnv8MXzOm64vBMPbMWyg)** Starting with BCM release 9.0.x, crisis managers can create action tasks for recovery members or teams anytime during open crisis events or exercises. Crisis managers can create these tasks on the fly without mapping them to event assets or recovery plans. These action tasks are also not included in the event recovery timeline. * **[Create a similar tasks group in a crisis](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/G9t2sp2m2umKd_6OXIk1Rg)** Identify and group similar or duplicate tasks related to a crisis event using the Similar tasks groups tab. Grouping similar tasks helps you to optimize event task management and minimize redundant work. * **[Request an approval and approve the crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/AdCkq_R7wy_3cZ5mv~ttFQ)** Approve the crisis event in BCM UIB Workspace.