--- 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 --- # General administration setup for BCM # General administration setup for BCM {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Australia * * Updated March 12, 2026 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 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 General administration setup for BCM The Business Continuity Management (BCM) administrator, holding thesnbcm.adminrole, is responsible for setting up and managing the BCM application within ServiceNow. This setup involves configuring various modules and administrative settings that enable effective business continuity planning and impact analysis. The administration tasks are consolidated in theGeneral Administrationmodule in the application UI. Show full answer Show less ## Key Administration Tasks * **Impact Categories and Documentation Sections:** Define impact categories relevant to your business impact analysis (BIA) and configure structured documentation sections for business continuity plans to capture purpose, scope, and goals. * **Element Definitions and Variables:** Set up element definitions to identify configuration items for assessment and recovery, and configure element variables for specific dependencies. * **Loss Scenarios and Impact Ratings:** Configure templates for loss scenarios to document disaster needs, and define impact ratings to assess severity levels (low to critical) during downtime. * **Recovery Tiers and Timeframes:** Group business applications into recovery tiers based on recovery time objectives (RTO), and establish recovery timeframes to specify timelines for business resumption after disruptions. * **BIA and Plan Templates:** Configure BIA templates as a prerequisite to performing business impact analysis, and set up business continuity plan templates for standardized plan creation. * **Grid and Task Configurations:** Customize grid categories and configurations to tailor BIA dependency assessments, and manage task assignments via My Tasks page configurations. * **Approval and Properties Configuration:** Define multi-level approval workflows for BCM processes and manage BCM application properties for optimized behavior and settings. ## Important Changes in Australia Release and Later The Update dependencies process now uses a dedicated custom queue (**bcmdependencies**) rather than the platform default queue. This backend improvement prevents BCM dependency updates from competing with other application events, reducing processing delays. Customers who previously configured custom queues for BCM should remove those settings as the native configuration is now provided. ## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers * Centralized administration of BCM settings simplifies plan and impact analysis management. * Structured configuration modules enable consistent and repeatable business continuity planning. * Dedicated processing queues improve system performance and reliability during dependency updates. * Flexible configuration of grids, approvals, and task views supports operational efficiency and governance. By following these setup guidelines, BCM administrators can ensure their ServiceNow instance is properly configured to support comprehensive business continuity management aligned with organizational needs. If you are the BCM administrator, you can set up the Business Continuity Management application by performing certain administrative tasks. ## General Administration module {#set-up-bcm-bcmadmin-tasks__section_itk_5yv_zxb} The administrative tasks that are associated with the BCM application are listed in the General Administration module in the application UI as shown in the example. The Business Continuity Management administrator with the sn_bcm.admin role is responsible for performing the administrative tasks that are associated with the Business Continuity Management application. Business Continuity Management administrators perform these administrative tasks: * Configure the impact categories and documentation sections. For more information, see [Configure impact category for BIA](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/wosrhMnKus6JeqVOUcGrEw "Configure an impact category for your business, when you are performing the business impact analysis. Use the Impact Categories module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to define the name, criteria that the impact category contributes to, applicable timeframes, maximum RTO value, and so on.") and [Configure documentation section](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/K3aKV_5G0IOV8~7gbBr1kQ "Configure the documentation section to describe your plan through structured components: a high-level checklist, purpose, scope, and coverage areas."). * Configure the element definitions, element variables, loss scenarios, and impact ratings. For more information, see [Configure element definition](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/H5MDrYMLZ8IujLe9cZeqQA "Configure element definitions to identify the configuration item that has to be assessed in a business impact analysis and recovered in a business continuity plan. Use the Element Definitions module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to configure an element definition."), [Configure element variables for element definitions](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/5GNytf9iSvx4WQONRhEkRg "Configure an element variable for a specific dependency of an element. To do this, use the Element variables module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator."), [Configure loss scenarios in the plan](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/tvVuOnxdFFX~krqIavSWDQ "Configure a plan for an identified loss scenario by using the loss scenario template in the Business Continuity Management application. Use the documented plan that has the needs and requirements listed for a potential disaster."), and [Configure impact ratings](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/_nQcyYfeQ2bnNWPpuvo0OA "Configure an impact rating to assess an impact category as low, moderate, high, or critical. Use the Impact Ratings module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to help you measure the intensity of the loss when a business downtime occurs."). * Configure the recovery tiers and recovery timeframes. For more information, see [Configure recovery tiers for BIA](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/AHEVFcPjO6b0rUZ8Va8CLQ "Configure a recovery tier with a set of business applications that follow a similar range of recovery time objective (RTO) values. Use the Recovery Tiers module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to configure a recovery tier.") and [Set up recovery timeframes](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/bZlziuF73iTjQaScqRWYzQ "Set up a recovery timeframe for a recovery tier. The recovery timeframe starts from when a disruptive event happens to the time when your business can resume usual operations. You can use the Recovery Timeframes module in the Business Continuity Management application to set up the timeline for the recovery timeframe."). * View the My tasks page configurations module, approval configurations, and properties. For more information, see [My tasks page configurations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/bPAkoOgYkpp9PLnLYeR9wg "If you are the Business Continuity Management application user, you can use My tasks page configurations in the General Administration module to view your assigned tasks."), [Approval configuration](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZK8SUD6oWTeng875WXNZiw "Approver configurator provides you with capabilities to define multiple levels of approvals based on business rule definitions."), and [BCM properties](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/We6ELfL2RwalMTZ0Xs3Yeg "You can configure the BCM properties in the Properties module."). * For more information on the grid configurations and categories, see [Configure grid for BIA assessment](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZdNryJ4QZ7kuT88GPm1Z~Q "Configure the grid to render the BIA dependency assessment grid with configured columns. Use the Grid Configurations module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to configure the grid.") and [Configure grid categories](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PZsJq97oO_baxQYDfXwiWQ "Configure a grid category such as Dependency Assessment for the grid configuration. Use the Grid Categories module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to configure the grid categories."). {#set-up-bcm-bcmadmin-tasks__ul_acv_sy5_pxb} ## Custom queue for the Update dependencies process {#set-up-bcm-bcmadmin-tasks__section_bbz_qdq_53c} Previously, Update dependencies events were added to the platform default queue, which is shared across all ServiceNow applications. During periods of high activity, this could result in delays in processing BCM dependency updates. It can happen either because other applications saturated the queue, or because a long-running BCM process affected other items in it. With the Australia release and later, the Update dependencies process uses a dedicated custom queue (bcm_dependencies) instead of the platform default queue. This is a backend change with no visible indicator in the UI. The dedicated queue ensures that Update dependencies events have their own processor and do not compete with or block other platform activity. If you previously configured a custom queue for BCM dependency processing on your instance, remove it --- BCM now provides this configuration natively. For more information about custom queues and the event registry, see [System Events](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=events&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US) and [Event registry](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=r_EventRegistry&version=australia&pubname=australia-platform-administration&ft:locale=en-US). This change applies to the Australia release and later. ## BIA Configuration module {#set-up-bcm-bcmadmin-tasks__section_u2t_wyw_zxb} The BCM administrator configures the BIA templates in the BIA Configuration module. Configuring the BIA templates is a pre-requisite for performing the business impact analysis. The BIA templates menu option in the BIA Configuration module is shown in the example. For more information on configuring a BIA template, see [Configure BIA templates with legacy assessment](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/1idPYvJ57QXrCUeUSBldNg "Configure a business impact analysis (BIA) template in the Business Continuity Workspace with a legacy assessment. Select the type of elements, impact categories, and dependencies to be assessed. The legacy assessment uses the older method of selecting impact categories."). ## Plan Templates module {#set-up-bcm-bcmadmin-tasks__section_zkt_j1x_zxb} The Business Continuity Management administrator uses the Plan Templates module to configure a business continuity plan template. The Plan Templates module is shown in the example. For more information on configuring a business continuity plan template, see [Configuring plan template](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/otTGtFfUupEae5z8tykBNA "As a BCP plan manager, you can create a business continuity plan that can be used for your respective business units during a disruptive event. The Business Continuity Management application provides pre-configured business continuity plan templates. You can streamline the process of a plan creation by using pre-configured plan templates. You can also create a plan template for your business requirement."). * **[Dependency Configuration records](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/WxjjmIUFl_QAREWzdNHaQw)** The BCM administrators configure the Dependency Configuration records. * **[Configure impact category for BIA](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/wosrhMnKus6JeqVOUcGrEw)** Configure an impact category for your business, when you are performing the business impact analysis. Use the Impact Categories module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to define the name, criteria that the impact category contributes to, applicable timeframes, maximum RTO value, and so on. * **[Configuring the documentation section](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/YEveyH9ftIyaDm5pYx9UGQ)** You can configure the documentation section of a business continuity plan in a structured format. You can describe high level details of the plan such as its purpose, scope, coverage areas, goals, and success criteria. * **[Configure element definition](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/H5MDrYMLZ8IujLe9cZeqQA)** Configure element definitions to identify the configuration item that has to be assessed in a business impact analysis and recovered in a business continuity plan. Use the Element Definitions module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to configure an element definition. * **[Configure element variables for element definitions](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/5GNytf9iSvx4WQONRhEkRg)** Configure an element variable for a specific dependency of an element. To do this, use the Element variables module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator. * **[Configure loss scenarios in the plan](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/tvVuOnxdFFX~krqIavSWDQ)** Configure a plan for an identified loss scenario by using the loss scenario template in the Business Continuity Management application. Use the documented plan that has the needs and requirements listed for a potential disaster. * **[Configure impact ratings](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/_nQcyYfeQ2bnNWPpuvo0OA)** Configure an impact rating to assess an impact category as low, moderate, high, or critical. Use the Impact Ratings module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to help you measure the intensity of the loss when a business downtime occurs. * **[Configure recovery tiers for BIA](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/AHEVFcPjO6b0rUZ8Va8CLQ)** Configure a recovery tier with a set of business applications that follow a similar range of recovery time objective (RTO) values. Use the Recovery Tiers module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to configure a recovery tier. * **[Set up recovery timeframes](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/bZlziuF73iTjQaScqRWYzQ)** Set up a recovery timeframe for a recovery tier. The recovery timeframe starts from when a disruptive event happens to the time when your business can resume usual operations. You can use the Recovery Timeframes module in the Business Continuity Management application to set up the timeline for the recovery timeframe. * **[Configure grid categories](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PZsJq97oO_baxQYDfXwiWQ)** Configure a grid category such as Dependency Assessment for the grid configuration. Use the Grid Categories module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to configure the grid categories. * **[Configure grid for BIA assessment](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZdNryJ4QZ7kuT88GPm1Z~Q)** Configure the grid to render the BIA dependency assessment grid with configured columns. Use the Grid Configurations module in the Business Continuity Management application navigator to configure the grid. * **[My tasks page configurations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/bPAkoOgYkpp9PLnLYeR9wg)** If you are the Business Continuity Management application user, you can use My tasks page configurations in the General Administration module to view your assigned tasks. * **[Approval configuration](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZK8SUD6oWTeng875WXNZiw)** Approver configurator provides you with capabilities to define multiple levels of approvals based on business rule definitions. * **[BCM properties](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/We6ELfL2RwalMTZ0Xs3Yeg)** You can configure the BCM properties in the Properties module. * **[Properties installed with BCM](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/UeFpnRJo2e0x49Vg1Zppbg)** Properties are added with the activation of Business Continuity Management.