succession_and_emergency_planning_worksheet.pdf
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If you (or another key person) could not be involved in operations for an extended period of time, what would happen? Would others be able to step in and run payroll? Access computer accounts? Stay on top of the to-do list? Find contact information for customers/clients and vendors/strategic partners? Follow your processes and procedures? Pay bills, issues invoices, and collect?

General Responsibility        >>

  1. Complete Entity Name (as registered with the Secretary of State):
  2. Trade Names / Fictitious Names and renewal dates:
  3. Business Address:
  • Physical Address:
  • Mailing Address (if different):
    4. Telephone Number(s):
   5. Business Email:
   6. Website
   7. Federal Employer ID Number:
   8. Fiscal Year:
   9. Registered Agent and Address:
   10. Tax Status (C Corp, S Corp, Partnership, Tax-Exempt Non-Profit, Disregarded Entity):
   11. Affiliated entities and subsidiaries:
   12. Ownership/Directors:
  • For Profit Entities: Full names of each owner, their percentage interest or number of shares/units, and complete contact  information for each owner
  • Nonprofit Entities: Full names of current board members and officers and complete contact information for each director/officer
   13. Outside Advisors and their contact information (accountant, attorney, banker, bookkeeper, insurance agent, tech support, etc.):

​​Business Records                 >>

​Either include copies of critical documents with this worksheet or identify where current copies can be located.
  1. ​​Operating Agreement, Bylaws, Partnership Agreement, Stock / Unit Certificates
  2. Minute Book (If you have business partners, we highly recommend keeping minutes of regular partnership meetings.)
  3. Strategic Plans (mission and vision statements, strategic planning documents, business plans, etc.)
  4. Buy-Sell or Shareholder Agreement(s)
  5. Employment Contracts / Independent Contractor Agreements
  6. Employee Handbook or Policies
  7. Non-Compete/Non-Solicitation Agreements
  8. Confidentiality Agreements
  9. Retirement Plan Documents (e.g., Profit Sharing, 401(k), Employee Stock-Ownership Plans)
  10. Deferred Compensation Agreements
  11. Organizational Chart and Job Descriptions
  12. Employee/Contractor List (include full name; title or position (including whether full or part-time); hire date; current salary or wage; commission, bonus, or other incentive-based compensation; any other measure of compensation, including any employee benefits; exempt or non-exempt status; and a description of any fringe benefits)
  13. Owner’s or Executive Director’s Assessment
  • Identify which employees are key, their strengths and weaknesses, and their relationships with key individuals in the              organization.
  • If any key persons (founder, owners, key employees) stepped away for any reason (whether temporarily or permanently), how would the organization replace that individual and their organizational knowledge?
  • Are key policies and procedures documented? Think about what someone would need to know to fill-in for any of the key persons you have identified.
   14. Real Estate (identify real estate owned or leased by the organization; include copies of current lease agreements)
   15. Insurance Policies
   16. For Profit Entities: Formal valuations or appraisals of the business, if any
   17. Key Contracts

Financial Details                 >>

  1. Bank Accounts (including lines of credit/credit cards):
  • Bank Name
  • Account Number
  • Routing Number
  • Account Signers (Sole Proprietors: Keep in mind that your bank may not accept your personal financial power of attorney to give  someone else access to your business bank accounts.)
   2. Current and three years’ prior financial statements and tax returns
   3.  Payroll Service Provider:
  • Does the organization use timekeeping software?
  • How often is payroll run?
  • How is any paid-time off tracked?
   4. Billing / Accounting Software:
   5. Invoicing and Collections Procedures:

Customer/Client Details        >>

  1. Where would a successor find a list of current and prospective customers/clients?
  2. Where would a successor find the written agreement(s) with each customer?
  3. Where would a successor find a list of project deadlines/to-do lists?

Information Security        >>

  1. Where would a successor find a list of critical passwords? (Think about the physical devices and software/online services you log-in to every day that a successor would need to access in your absence).
  2. Who updates the organization’s website and social media? What service is used to maintain the website or social media? How would a successor get access?

Disaster Planning                >>

  1. Does the organization have a work from policy? Does the policy address temporary changes due to a natural disaster?
  2. What system is used to backup computers and electronic files?
  3. If a disaster limited your physical access to anything in this worksheet, are there cloud backups? Do key persons (founder, owners,  key employees) know how to access this key information remotely?
  4. Are any critical files stored at the business location or off-site? Are these files accessible electronically?
​What else would someone need to know if you suddenly couldn’t run the business or non-profit today?