Top 20 IT Management Document Templates for 2024

Name of the person reporting the incident

Date and time the incident was reported

A clear and concise description of the problem

System/Application Affected

The specific IT system or application experiencing the issue

The level of disruption caused by the incident (e.g., high, medium, low)

Steps to Reproduce (if possible)

A list of steps that can be taken to consistently reproduce the incident (helpful for troubleshooting)

Workaround (if available)

A temporary solution users can employ while the incident is being resolved

Unique identifier assigned to the incident.

Current status of the incident (e.g., New, Investigating, Resolved).

Severity level of the incident (e.g., High, Medium, Low).

Time the incident was first reported or identified.

Projected time for resolution (constantly updated).

Brief description of the incident, including symptoms and affected services.

Potential consequences of the incident on business operations.

Name and contact information of the person leading the incident resolution.

Chronological record of key events related to the incident.

Workaround/Resolution Steps (if available)

Temporary solutions or ongoing efforts to resolve the incident.

• Identify potential problems from incidents, trends, or proactive monitoring.
• Create a problem record with details like description, category, priority, and linked incidents.

Investigation & Diagnosis

• Conduct a thorough investigation to identify the root cause.
• Utilize tools, logs, and knowledge base to diagnose the problem.
• Document initial findings and develop a temporary workaround (if applicable).

• Develop a permanent resolution to address the root cause.
• Test and implement the resolution to ensure service recovery.
• Close the problem record and update linked incidents.

Knowledge Sharing & Improvement

• Update the knowledge base with documented solutions and workarounds.
• Identify trends and implement preventative measures to avoid similar problems.
• Continuously review and improve the Problem Management process.

Unique identifier assigned to the problem record

Current stage of the problem resolution process (e.g., New, Assigned, In Progress, Resolved, Closed)

Name of the person who reported the problem

Date and time the problem was reported

Detailed explanation of the issue

Observable behaviors associated with the problem

Description of the business impact of the problem

Urgency level assigned to resolving the problem (e.g., High, Medium, Low)

Classification of the problem (e.g., Hardware, Software, Network)

Name of the person or team responsible for resolving the problem

Identified underlying cause of the problem

Temporary solution implemented to mitigate the problem

Permanent fix implemented to address the root cause

Date and time the problem was resolved

Additional information about the closure process

List of incidents associated with the problem

Define the frequency for checking for new patches (e.g., daily, weekly).

Establish a system for prioritizing patches based on severity (critical, high, medium, low).

Allocate a designated timeframe for testing high-priority patches before deployment.

Specify the timeframe for deploying approved patches to different systems (e.g., weekdays during off-peak hours).

Outline the process for reviewing and approving patches before deployment (e.g., IT security team).

Mandate the documentation of all patching activities, including patch details, deployment status, and any encountered issues.

Schedule regular reviews (e.g., quarterly) to assess the effectiveness of the patch management schedule and make necessary adjustments.

Unique identifier for this request.

Date the change request was submitted.

Name and contact information of the person requesting the change.

Project Name (if applicable)

Project associated with the change (if any).

Clearly define the proposed change, including technical details if applicable.

Explain the rationale behind the change request.

Describe the potential impact of the change on various aspects (e.g., budget, timeline, resources, users).

Identify any potential risks associated with the change and propose mitigation strategies.

List the required approvers for the change request (e.g., IT manager, project manager, stakeholders).

Track the approval status for each reviewer.

Outline the steps involved in implementing the change.

Provide a timeframe for implementing the change.

Include any relevant documents (e.g., diagrams, impact analysis reports).

Add any additional comments or clarifications.

Briefly describe the proposed change, including its objectives, scope, and impact.

2. Change Impact Assessment

Identify potential risks and impacts of the change on various aspects, such as systems, users, and workflows.

3. Change Approval Process

Define the approval workflow for changes, including roles and responsibilities for review and authorization.

Detail the steps involved in implementing the change, including timelines, resources required, and rollback procedures.

Outline the communication strategy for informing stakeholders about the change, including the target audience, communication channels, and key messages.

Describe any training required for users to adapt to the new processes or technology introduced by the change.

Identify potential risks associated with the change and define mitigation strategies to address them.

8. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

Establish how the success of the change will be measured, including key metrics and monitoring procedures.

Unique identifier for the change request.

Brief description of the IT change being implemented.

Reference to the original project timeline with key milestones and deadlines.

List of individual tasks impacted by the change.

Originally planned start date for each task.

Originally planned end date for each task.

Anticipated start date for each task after considering the change.

Anticipated end date for each task after considering the change.

Reason for the change in schedule (e.g., additional resources needed, testing delays).

Any other tasks or projects affected by the schedule changes.

Section for relevant personnel (e.g., project manager, change manager) to approve the revised schedule.

List all potential IT risks. (This could include security breaches, hardware failures, software malfunctions, natural disasters, human error, etc.)

For each identified risk:
Likelihood: Evaluate the probability of the risk occurring (e.g., High, Medium, Low).
Impact: Assess the potential severity of the consequences if the risk materializes (e.g., High, Medium, Low).

Calculate a risk score based on the likelihood and impact (e.g., Risk Score = Likelihood x Impact). This helps prioritize which risks need the most immediate attention.

Risk Mitigation Strategies

Develop plans to address the identified risks. This could involve implementing security controls, data backups, disaster recovery plans, staff training, etc.

For certain low-likelihood or low-impact risks, document the decision to accept the risk without further mitigation.

Schedule regular reviews of the risk assessment to ensure it remains current with evolving threats and vulnerabilities.

Clearly identify the project or change for which the backout plan is created.

Define the specific conditions or events that would necessitate activating the backout plan. (e.g., system outage exceeding a certain timeframe, critical data corruption)

Outline the detailed steps for reverting to the previous state. This should include: Actions to stop the ongoing process. Instructions for restoring data from backups. * Steps to reconfigure affected systems.

Rollback Responsibilities

Assign clear roles and responsibilities to team members involved in the rollback process. (e.g., system administrator, data analyst)

Rollback Communication Plan

Define the communication strategy during a rollback. This includes who will be notified (e.g., stakeholders, end-users) and the communication channels to be used (e.g., email, status page).

Rollback Success Criteria

Establish clear criteria to determine when the rollback is successful (e.g., system functionality restored, data integrity verified).

Schedule periodic testing of the backout plan to ensure its effectiveness and identify any potential issues.

Project name, sponsor, manager, start date, target end date

Brief overview of the project goals and objectives

Clear definition of what is included and excluded from the project

List of all tangible outputs expected from the project

WBS (Work Breakdown Structure)

Hierarchical breakdown of project tasks into smaller, manageable activities

Gantt chart or other visual representation of task dependencies and deadlines

Assignment of personnel, equipment, and other resources to specific tasks

Estimated costs associated with completing the project

Defined methods and frequency of communication with stakeholders

Identification of potential risks and mitigation strategies

Signature lines for project sponsor and other relevant stakeholders

Name of the person responsible for the project

Date the register was created/last updated

Unique identifier assigned to each risk

Detailed explanation of the potential risk

Classification of the risk (e.g., technical, schedule)

Reason or event that could trigger the risk

Potential consequences of the risk occurring

How probable it is that the risk will occur (e.g., high, medium, low)

Calculated value based on impact and likelihood

Person assigned to monitor and manage the risk

Strategies to reduce the risk’s likelihood or impact

Specific tasks to implement the mitigation plan

Date by which mitigation actions should be completed

Current state of the risk (e.g., open, closed, mitigated)

Additional information or comments about the risk

Briefly summarizes the key points of the IT strategy.

Analyzes the current IT landscape and business environment.

Defines the high-level business objectives.

Describes the desired future state of IT.

Outlines specific IT goals aligned with business goals.

Details projects and actions to achieve IT objectives.

Identifies resources needed (budget, staff, etc.)

Defines the timeframe for implementing initiatives.

Identifies potential risks and mitigation strategies.

Defines metrics to track progress and success.

Designates who needs to approve the final strategy.

Briefly explains the purpose of the SLA and identifies the parties involved (service provider and customer).

Clearly defines the specific IT services included in the agreement (e.g., email, network uptime, application support).

Details the performance expectations for each service.

This includes metrics (e.g., uptime percentage, response time for incidents) and target levels (e.g., 99.9% uptime, 4-hour response time).

Outlines the specific responsibilities of both parties. This includes what the service provider is obligated to deliver and what the customer is expected to do to support service delivery (e.g., timely reporting of issues).

5. Monitoring and Reporting

Defines how service performance will be monitored and reported. This includes the frequency of reports, the format of reports, and who will receive them.

(Optional) Specifies the consequences for failing to meet agreed-upon service levels. This may include service credits (financial compensation) or other remedies.

Defines the process for escalating unresolved issues and how disputes will be handled.

(Optional) Outlines the process for making changes to the SLA itself.

Specifies the duration of the SLA and the conditions under which it can be terminated.

Includes signature lines for authorized representatives of both parties.

Criteria for vendor selection (e.g., experience, qualifications, pricing, references)

Weighting of each criterion

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Detailed description of the IT needs

Functionality requirements

Security and compliance considerations

Timeline and budget expectations

Evaluation matrix to compare proposals against criteria

Scoring system for weighted evaluation

Key terms and conditions (e.g., service level agreements, pricing, termination clauses)

Risk mitigation strategies

Process for setting up new vendors (e.g., account creation, security access)

Training on IT infrastructure and protocols

Vendor Performance Management

Key performance indicators (KPIs) to track vendor effectiveness (e.g., uptime, response time, resolution rates)

Reporting schedule and format

Vendor Relationship Management

Communication plan for maintaining positive relationships with vendors

Process for escalating issues and concerns

Procedures for terminating vendor relationships (e.g., data transfer, knowledge handover)

Unique identifier for the incident

Date and Time of Detection

When the incident was first identified

Name of the person who reported the incident

(e.g., Phishing attack, Malware infection, Unauthorized access)

Specify the systems and/or data impacted by the incident

(e.g., Low, Medium, High, Critical)

Describe the potential consequences of the incident

Containment Actions Taken

Ongoing Mitigation Efforts

Actions being taken to address the incident and prevent future occurrences

Findings and Root Cause Analysis

Summarize the investigation results and identify the root cause of the incident

Actions taken to restore affected systems and data

Key takeaways and recommendations to improve security posture

Attachments (Screenshots, Logs)

Include relevant evidence to support the report

Any additional details not covered in the above sections

Briefly explains the purpose and scope of the security policy.

Clearly defines the organization’s commitment to information security.

Provides clear explanations of key security terms used in the document.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

Outlines the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders (e.g., management, IT staff, users) in upholding the security policy.

Details specific security controls implemented, such as:

* Security awareness training

Describes the consequences of violating the security policy.

Specifies the process for regularly reviewing and updating the security policy.

(Optional) Includes additional resources or references.

Briefly outline the purpose, scope, and key recovery objectives of the DR plan.

Lists all sections of the plan for easy navigation.

Provides an overview of the DR plan, its importance, and the organization it applies to.

Identifies potential threats and vulnerabilities that could disrupt IT operations (e.g., natural disasters, cyberattacks, power outages).

3. Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

Analyzes the criticality of IT systems and data to core business functions, determining the acceptable downtime for each.

4. Recovery Time Objective (RTO) & Recovery Point Objective (RPO)

Defines the targeted timeframe for restoring critical systems (RTO) and the maximum acceptable data loss (RPO) after a disaster.

Outlines the chosen recovery approach (e.g., hot site, warm site, cold site, cloud-based backup).

Details the step-by-step process for recovery, including roles and responsibilities of personnel, communication protocols, and data restoration procedures.

7. Testing and Maintenance

Defines the schedule for testing the DR plan through simulations and revisions to ensure its effectiveness.

Includes supplementary information such as vendor contracts, contact lists, and detailed recovery procedures for specific systems.

User access controls implemented (e.g., least privilege)

Ensures only authorized users have access to specific systems and data.

Strong password policies enforced

Minimizes unauthorized access through weak passwords.

User activity monitored and logged

Enables detection of suspicious activity.

Sensitive data encrypted at rest and in transit

Protects confidentiality of sensitive information.

Data classification and handling procedures documented

Ensures appropriate handling of different data types based on sensitivity.

Data backup and recovery procedures established

Guarantees data availability in case of incidents.

Formal change control process implemented

Ensures controlled and documented introduction of modifications to IT systems.

Impact assessments conducted before significant changes

Identifies potential risks associated with changes.

Change approval process defined and followed

Maintains control and accountability for changes.

Incident response plan documented and communicated

Establishes a clear plan for identifying, containing, and recovering from security incidents.

Procedures for reporting and investigating incidents defined

Ensures timely response and investigation of security breaches.

(Add additional sections relevant to your specific compliance requirements)

Unique identifier assigned to each asset

Hardware, Software, Peripheral, etc.

Specific model name or number of the asset

Unique serial number assigned by the manufacturer

Brand that produced the asset

Date the asset was acquired by the organization

Date the manufacturer’s warranty expires

Physical location of the asset within the organization

Name of the person currently using the asset

Operational, Inoperable, Lost, etc.

Additional information about the asset (optional)