--- 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 --- # General administration setup for BCM # General administration setup for BCM {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Yokohama * * Updated July 31, 2025 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read 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 following example. The Business Continuity Management administrator with the sn_bcm.admin role is responsible to perform the administrative tasks that are associated with the Business Continuity Management application. Typically, the Business Continuity Management administrator performs the following administrative tasks: * Configure the impact categories. For more information, see [Configure impact category for BIA](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Qp5M6ou06NPKxPBv_gn1Vw "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."). * Configure the documentation sections. For more information, see [Configure documentation section](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/xQW27VfceDn1FtTKRA_lVg "Configure the documentation section to describe your plan through structured components: a high-level checklist, purpose, scope, and coverage areas."). * Configure the element definitions. For more information, see [Configure element definition](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/iq6aIlWXDgi3lPjKCq~SFA "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 the loss scenarios. For more information, see [Configure loss scenarios in the plan](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Aje~3RKgkU4Jo6x4rG5wBQ "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 the impact ratings. For more information, see [Configure impact ratings](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/mdVG_q4~x_acTB_Wbo2OKQ "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. For more information, see [Configure recovery tiers for BIA](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/g6EwSdgi4AiG61ieKjyLZA "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."). * Configure the recovery timeframes. For more information, see [Set up recovery timeframes](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/4CAa_F8zrCr1lSzS7KRcmg "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 the element variables. For more information, see [Configure element variables for element definitions](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/X34QrahUL1LAtL_DVmxphQ "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."). * View the My tasks page configurations module. For more information, see [My tasks page configurations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/A4OV6iTmlPyAov8eXUw66g "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."). * Configure the approval configurations. For more information, see [Approval configuration](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/6WiTGtYJosS_HaopQowTrA "Approver configurator provides you with capabilities to define multiple levels of approvals based on business rule definitions."). * Configure the properties. For more information, see [BCM properties](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/L63J5D2WbKQiCV3Xms~vzQ "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/OwMbWJo~Zm_wgn_1euZmvw "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/7lBQSUpdekwUe~OuTY4MiA "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} ## 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 following example. For more information on configuring a BIA template, see [Configure BIA templates with legacy assessment](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/sFrBswvWqHRuHDNV~6Tn8g "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} Typically, 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 following example. For more information on configuring a business continuity plan template, see [Configuring plan template](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PL345aevsD_9dgiumDXxSA "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/aii~vFFxZbvwJJPShqJriw)** The BCM administrators configure the Dependency Configuration records. * **[Configure impact category for BIA](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Qp5M6ou06NPKxPBv_gn1Vw)** 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/qPUegK3wapEf7AR7sdcN_w)** 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/iq6aIlWXDgi3lPjKCq~SFA)** 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/X34QrahUL1LAtL_DVmxphQ)** 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/Aje~3RKgkU4Jo6x4rG5wBQ)** 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/mdVG_q4~x_acTB_Wbo2OKQ)** 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/g6EwSdgi4AiG61ieKjyLZA)** 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/4CAa_F8zrCr1lSzS7KRcmg)** 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/7lBQSUpdekwUe~OuTY4MiA)** 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/OwMbWJo~Zm_wgn_1euZmvw)** 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/A4OV6iTmlPyAov8eXUw66g)** 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/6WiTGtYJosS_HaopQowTrA)** Approver configurator provides you with capabilities to define multiple levels of approvals based on business rule definitions. * **[BCM properties](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/L63J5D2WbKQiCV3Xms~vzQ)** You can configure the BCM properties in the Properties module. * **[Properties installed with BCM](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/G4u8DUsYSjLxapRNmL4Qjw)** Properties are added with the activation of Business Continuity Management.