Technology handover
Preparing for a technology handover
A good handover gives the people involved a clear picture of what the business uses, who manages it and what needs to keep working. This guide can help when changing technology providers or putting a more formal arrangement around existing support.
You can work through it with your providers. Start with what you know, note any gaps and agree who will help fill them.
List the systems the business uses
Build a working list of the services and equipment your business relies on:
- Email, shared files and collaboration tools
- Computers, business phones and network equipment
- Domains, website hosting and the website platform
- Internet, phone services and technology suppliers
- Backup, security and remote-support tools
- Business applications and the connections between them
For each, note the provider, business contact, renewal date and where the account is managed. Highlight the services that would interrupt work if they became unavailable.
Check access and account control
Confirm who can administer each service and how the business can recover access. Check that domain registration details identify the correct business.
Note how multi-factor authentication and recovery contacts are managed. Agree a secure way to transfer access. Keep passwords and recovery codes out of this list and ordinary email.
Check what can be recovered
Ask what information is backed up, where copies are held, how long they are kept and who can restore them. Ask when a restore was last tested and what the result was. If it hasn’t been tested, discuss arranging a test.
Record anything that is not covered. Also confirm what happens to existing backups when the current arrangement ends, including any copies the business needs to retain.
Agree who does what, and when
Bring the outgoing provider, incoming provider and business contact into one handover plan. Include:
- The information and access each person will supply
- Outstanding faults and work already underway
- Notice periods, renewals and services that must stay active
- Who handles support during the transition
- Who approves changes and checks the result
Ask the incoming provider how it protects administrative access and how it would handle a suspected security incident.
Plan the changes and checks
Put the work in an order that protects the services the business relies on. Agree any planned interruption, how staff will be told and what happens if a change doesn’t go to plan.
After each change, test everyday tasks such as signing in, sending and receiving email, opening shared files and reaching the website. Record any unresolved issue, who will handle it and the next step.
Finish the handover
Check that the new access and support arrangements work before ending the old ones. Through the agreed process, remove access that is no longer needed and update the system list, supplier contacts and support instructions.
Keep the completed handover record somewhere the business can access it.