---
sourceDocument: Yokohama Governance, Risk, and Compliance
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/yokohama/governance-risk-compliance

 Release :

    - yokohama

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Yokohama 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: Yokohama
* 
* Updated July 31, 2025
* 
* ![](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

Structured workflows in the Business Continuity Management (BCM) Configurable Workspace (Yokohama release) enable BCM program managers to effectively respond to crisis events by managing tasks, assets, plans, and approvals in a centralized environment.
These workflows streamline crisis response activities, ensuring timely and coordinated actions to mitigate business disruptions.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **Create and manage crisis events:** Initiate crisis records, classify severity, assign priorities, designate response teams, and document initial actions within the BCM Configurable Workspace.
* **Track impacted assets and plans:** Monitor affected assets and link related recovery plans to the crisis event for efficient asset recovery during planning stages.
* **Add and manage event tasks:** Assign tasks related to crisis response, which can be edited in bulk from the Event tasks list by users with appropriate permissions, enhancing task management efficiency.
* **Bulk editing and state management for event tasks:** Users with edit access can update multiple task fields simultaneously, including state, assigned personnel, actual start/end dates, and assigned groups. State transitions are controlled with specific permitted paths to maintain process integrity.
* **Recovery task member updates:** Members can update task statuses via "My Recovery Tasks," though they have limited editing rights and cannot reopen tasks once closed.
* **Automated task import and execution:** Import automated tasks from business continuity plans to accelerate response during actual events.
* **Nested plans and dependencies:** Configure system properties to automate nested plan creation and define dependencies between plans to optimize event response.
* **Create action items on the fly:** Crisis managers can generate ad-hoc action tasks during open events or exercises without linking them to assets or recovery plans, allowing flexibility in response activities.
* **Group similar tasks:** Use the Similar tasks groups feature to identify and consolidate duplicate or related tasks, reducing redundancy and improving task management.
* **Request and approve crisis events:** Facilitate approval workflows within the workspace to validate and authorize crisis response plans and actions.

## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

* Enables a structured and repeatable approach to crisis event management, improving response speed and coordination.
* Reduces manual effort by automating task creation, nested plans, and dependency tracking, enhancing operational efficiency.
* Enhances collaboration by allowing multiple users with appropriate roles to update tasks in bulk and track recovery progress.
* Improves visibility and control over crisis response activities through status tracking, approval workflows, and consolidated task grouping.
* Supports recovery team members with tailored access to update task progress without exposing full event details, maintaining security and role separation.  
Perform the structured workflows to manage a crisis event in Business Continuity Workspace (also known as BCM Configurable Workspace).  
Typically, the BCM program manager performs the following tasks to respond to a crisis event:

* Create a crisis event. For more information, see [Start a crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/0lf6A9Jup5xjY8QMH0nhdg "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.").
* Add an asset and plan to the crisis event. For more information, see [Track impacted assets and add related plans](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/zwCxz4YUG~QDMcU~NL0pNg "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 an event task to the crisis event. For more information, see [Add a task to the crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/GDh10N6ZkWYLU2O73qkhLQ "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.").
* Submit the event task for the exercise event. For more information, see [Request an approval and approve the crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/fC7Vglx8dGGXMU9Orx2iXg "Approve the crisis event in BCM UIB Workspace.").
{#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__ul_xmz_3ft_byb}

## Additional information on Crisis events {#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__section_q1v_34q_cyb}

* For information on the Crisis events tab in the Home page, see [Home page view](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/RKw29BrakO3pcq6vRwyogA "The Home page in Business Continuity Workspace serves as the landing page of the BCM application.").
* For information on the threats, feeds, and alerts in the Crisis map interface, see [Crisis map interface](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/h0yPmboJSc8v1T080OmdCw "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 the administrative tasks in the Crisis map interface, see [Setup for Crisis map](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/3y_xgGPnNouSQ06carvdBg "The BCM administrator can perform the administrative tasks to set up the Crisis map interface.").
* For information on the crisis events, see [Crisis events](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/dHIaapCZZtyAxpaZsn0qwQ "Managing a crisis event in BCM UIB Workspace helps you to minimize the downtime of critical business functions and processes across your organization. It is also used to minimize the financial, reputation, legal, and regulatory impact during a crisis event.").
{#perform-tasks-to-manage-crisis-events__ul_lbv_4xy_cyb}

## 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 who have editing access to the event record can now perform bulk edits on tasks directly 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 the following 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
following example. If a state transition is not allowed, an error message is displayed to indicate that the update is invalid.  
The following 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 the following 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 following 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/tJxx0vd1cYQsOS2O~YGtZA "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.").
* **[Start a crisis event](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/0lf6A9Jup5xjY8QMH0nhdg)**   
  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/2LJiiI6_2m8DsGzYwYuXDg)**   
  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/zwCxz4YUG~QDMcU~NL0pNg)**   
  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/GDh10N6ZkWYLU2O73qkhLQ)**   
  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/tJxx0vd1cYQsOS2O~YGtZA)**   
  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/Cx_Wm4oFOC8P~~UG89RTIQ)**   
  Starting with BCM release 9.0.x, crisis managers can create action tasks for recovery members or teams anytime during a crisis event or exercise, as long as the event remains open. 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/RhjLQMnWS2AdHoQfW6nglw)**   
  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/fC7Vglx8dGGXMU9Orx2iXg)**   
  Approve the crisis event in BCM UIB Workspace.