Combined Business Continuity Management release notes for upgrades from Xanadu to Zurich

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated August 11, 2026
  • 13 minutes to read
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    Summary of Combined Business Continuity Management Release Notes for Upgrades from Xanadu to Zurich

    This consolidated release notes document guides ServiceNow customers through the key features, changes, and upgrade considerations for Business Continuity Management (BCM) from the Xanadu release family through to Zurich. It highlights new capabilities introduced, important upgrade tasks, and enhancements across multiple release versions to help organizations effectively manage business impact analyses, continuity plans, recovery tasks, and crisis events within ServiceNow.

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    Important Upgrade Information

    • Xanadu: After upgrading, relationship tables in plan records become available once the "Update BCP dependencies" scheduled job runs or via manual update.
    • Yokohama and Zurich: No specific upgrade-related actions are required.

    Key Features Introduced

    Xanadu

    • Create and analyze Business Impact Analyses (BIAs) with up-to-date dependency information, including recovery timeframes and backup needs.
    • Enhanced Business Continuity Plan (BCP) forms with direct navigation and updates to BIAs.
    • Identify primary scope assets and related impacted assets to better understand operational dependencies.
    • Use hierarchical views to detect discrepancies in recovery objectives (RTO, RPO, RT) and address gaps.
    • Manage recovery tasks with execution order previews, error detection for cyclic dependencies, and estimated recovery times.
    • Conduct exercises to assess time and efforts in activated plans and track progress in actual events.
    • Improved PDF templates for BIAs, BCPs, and events with enhanced layout and detailed content.

    Yokohama

    • Use latest assessment templates for conducting BIAs with automated, logic-driven recovery tier and objective calculations.
    • Adopt the new UIB components in the Crisis map for better performance and advanced filtering of alerts.
    • Create nested plans within events, organize tasks hierarchically, and monitor progress with a work-breakdown structure.

    Zurich

    • Set up phases for plans and events to enable logical grouping and progression tracking during exercises and crisis events.
    • Exclude specific tasks from time calculations to improve accuracy in recovery time assessments.
    • View and generate PDFs of approved plans on mobile devices, enhancing BCM manager and planner access.
    • Verify and visually track asset recovery levels with color-coded status updates, improving operational readiness visibility.
    • Use finalized RTO and RPO fields for precise recovery objective calculations and consistency across BIAs, BCPs, and events.
    • Configure recovery tasks for exercises, actual crises, or both, with automatic filtering based on event type.
    • Auto-calculate planned end dates for activated plans and tasks based on start dates, durations, and dependencies.
    • Leverage hierarchical plan structures and Gantt charts for visualizing task dependencies and timelines.
    • Generate standardized Microsoft Word reports for BIAs, BCPs, and events using the Document designer add-in, enabling template management and report customization.
    • Prevent duplicate event tasks by grouping similar tasks during recovery events, with automatic status management.
    • Create action items for ad-hoc tasks and conduct threat assessments using the Smart Assessment Engine during exercises and crises.
    • Revert archived BIAs or BCPs to Draft state to efficiently reuse and revise existing plans.
    • Optimized Crisis map interface supports over 10,000 resources and 1,000+ alerts with customizable impacted area displays.

    Notable Changes and Deprecations

    • Xanadu introduced the ability to add Windows or Linux server assets in specific element definitions but with filtering limitations.
    • The BCM Classic Workspace is deprecated as of Xanadu; customers should transition to the BCM Configurable Workspace for support and compatibility.
    • No feature removals or deprecations occurred in Yokohama or Zurich releases.

    Activation and Requirements

    • Business Continuity Management must be installed via the ServiceNow Store for all releases.
    • Supported browsers include Google Chrome, Firefox (including ESR), Microsoft Edge Chromium, and Safari 12.0+ consistently across releases.

    Accessibility and Localization

    • Xanadu improved screen reader support for key BCM components such as BIAs and asset pickers.
    • Yokohama resolved various Crisis map accessibility issues by implementing an upgraded mapping component.
    • No localization updates were reported for any release.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Enhanced analysis and planning capabilities streamline business impact assessments and continuity planning with more accurate dependency tracking.
    • Improved recovery task management and visual tools aid in efficient crisis response and exercise execution.
    • Mobile access and improved reporting simplify communication and documentation for BCM teams.
    • Upgraded Crisis map functionality helps monitor and manage alerts and impacted areas effectively at scale.

    Consolidated page of all release notes for Business Continuity Management from Xanadu to Zurich.

    How to use this page

    To help you prepare for your upgrade, we have combined the cross-family Business Continuity Management release notes onto one page. Read this summary of the new features, changes, and updated information for your product from Xanadu to Zurich.

    Tip:
    If there were no updates for a release notes section in a certain family release, we included a short note for your reference. For example, if a product did not have any updates in Tokyo, the row says "No updates for this release."

    Important information for upgrading Business Continuity Management to Zurich

    Before you upgrade to Zurich, review these pre- and post-upgrade tasks and complete the tasks as needed.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu

    The relationship tables introduced in the plan records are generated by the Update BCP dependencies snapshot scheduled job. After upgrading to the Xanadu release, you can view these tables only after the scheduled job has run or by manually selecting the Update dependencies button.

    Yokohama

    		 No updates for this release.

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    New features

    Between your current release family and Zurich, new features were introduced for Business Continuity Management.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu
    Create a business impact analysis
    Analyze the business impact of an asset's dependencies by using the latest updates from the most recent Business Impact Analysis (BIA) record. You can also determine the recovery time frame and data backup needs for the asset.
    Create a business continuity plan
    Access the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) record from the BIA column in the plan asset form. This column has been updated from a document ID type to a reference type so that you can update the BIA information and navigate to the plan record.
    Identify the assets that are affected when a primary scope is operationally down by marking an asset as a primary scope and identifying its related assets. This way, you get a clear view of the relationships between assets.
    Add asset and scope to the BCP
    Identify the discrepancies between the primary and related assets by using the hierarchical view in the plan record. This way, you can address the gaps in the Recovery Time Objective (RTO), Recovery Point Objective (RPO), or Recovery Tier (RT) values.
    Dependency Configuration records
    Access up-to-date information on the dependencies that are related to the BIA, plans, or events. You can analyze how these dependencies affect your business.
    Add recovery tasks
    Calculate the time that it takes to recover each event asset by tagging the assets to the recovery tasks.
    Create New Recovery task form
    Preview the execution order of the recovery tasks by their dependencies during an exercise or an actual event. You can identify any cyclic dependencies in the recovery tasks that might trigger error notifications and stop further actions on that recovery task. You can also record the estimated time that is required for a recovery task directly on the recovery task form.
    Create an exercise
    Assess the time and effort for an activated plan and the recovery of the impacted assets. You can track the status of an open activated plan and monitor the progress during an actual event.
    Format PDF templates for BIAs, BCPs, and events
    Improve the content in PDFs of BIAs, plans, and events by implementing a new layout:
    • Arrange the various event tasks in a table format.
    • Include the details of the asset owner and the description from the Business Impact Analysis.
    • Display a table that outlines the dependencies of the plan assets.
    • Mark the date of the PDF creation on the front page.

    Yokohama
    Using latest assessment for conducting BIAs
    Conduct a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) by using the latest assessment template. The assessment template enables you to create questions of different types and automate the responses from existing data sources. You can configure the logic for calculating the recovery tier, recovery point objective, recovery time objective, or maximum tolerable downtime.
    Adopting UIB page for improved performance

    Leverage the Crisis map functionality that includes the latest UIB components. By adopting the UIB components, you can help to minimize development efforts and get more configuration options within the Crisis map application.

    You can filter alerts by their state (active or inactive), severity level, location (regions), or source. You can refine your search, perform detailed queries, or edit actions on the alerts, so that it's easier to find both the alerts and assets on the map. Additionally, you can set the secondary values such as urgency, severity, category for the alerts in the Details card.

    Using nested plans

    Create nested plans in an event so that you can activate cross-references to multiple plans. You can use the hierarchical view to organize nested event tasks according to their dependencies with the work-breakdown structure (WBS) functionality. You can also monitor the progress bar to track the creation of related plans, event assets, or event tasks.

    Zurich
    Map recovery tasks and event tasks to the phases

    Set up phases for plans and events using the administrative setup. The base version of the application includes a set of default active phases, provided as seed data.

    The logical grouping of tasks into phases enables clear progression tracking for exercises and crisis events, offering flexible execution and task completion requirements for phase transitions.

    Exclude non-recovery tasks from time calculation
    Exclude specific recovery or event tasks from time calculations by using the Do not include in time calculation field within recovery or event tasks.
    View and generate PDFs of approved plans
    View the continuity and recovery plans directly from your mobile devices. BCM managers can generate PDFs of the approved plans, which BCM planners can then view and download, streamlining access to critical information on the go.
    Verify asset recovery levels

    Track event assets and verify the achieved recovery level of the impacted assets of a task in the Asset recovery level field. Completing specific tasks now automatically updates the corresponding event asset state. Assets are marked as Partially Recovered when they’re operational enough to support dependent assets, and Recovered when they’re fully functional. This change improves visibility into operational readiness and enables coordinators to identify when dependent assets can safely start their recovery process. Color-coded recovery levels of the assets offer visual cues for various recovery progress levels.

    Use finalized RTO and RPO in BIAs, Plans, and Events

    Use the Finalized RTO field to calculate an accurate Recovery Time Objective (RTO) for comparison, using values from the Recovery time objective and Adjusted RTO fields.

    Similarly, use the Finalized RPO field to calculate an accurate Recovery Point Objective (RPO) values for comparison, using values from the Recovery point objective and Adjusted RPO fields.

    A fix script now populates finalized RTO and RPO values in existing Business Impact Analyses (BIAs), ensuring consistency across all records.

    Configure recovery tasks for exercises, events, or both
    Configure recovery tasks with event-specific scopes (exercises, actual crises, or both). When a recovery event is initiated, the system automatically filters tasks by event type: ensuring exercises include necessary setup and validation, and actual crises focus exclusively on actionable recovery work.
    Auto-calculate the Planned end date on activated plans and event tasks
    Enter the Planned start date for exercises and events. The system then calculates the Planned start and end dates for activated plans and event tasks automatically based on the Planned duration field and dependencies.
    Use hierarchical structure in the associated plans
    Use the hierarchical structure in the associated plans, establishing clear upstream-downstream relationships. This hierarchy confirms that only relevant downstream plans are brought into scope. The system automatically handles cyclic dependency checks, confirming that tasks from downstream plans aren’t added as dependencies in the upstream plans.
    Use Gantt chart in the Hierarchy view
    Use the Gantt chart in the Hierarchy view to visualize the planned and actual timelines of event tasks. Task dependencies can now be created directly on the Gantt chart, provided the dependency points to a task scheduled ahead in time. Plans are automatically sorted based on the planned start time of their earliest event task, verifying a clear chronological view.
    Generate reports in a Microsoft Word format using Document designer

    Create standardized reports for business impact analyses (BIAs), business continuity plans (BCPs), and events by using predefined Microsoft Word templates. To use these templates, first establish a template relationship registry and install the necessary add-in to design and configure the templates.

    Then, import the relevant documents and customize their content, including the table of contents, details, impact assessments, dependencies, and attachments, to be included in the reports. Finally, generate the reports and save them to the corresponding application records.

    You can control whether to retain or replace the existing report attachments by configuring the sn_bcm.retain_report_attachments system property.

    Avoid duplicate event tasks by grouping similar event tasks

    Group similar event tasks during recovery events. The system automatically designates the first event task as the original task. When the original task is in progress, the remaining tasks are placed in the On Hold state. After the original task is closed, the other tasks in the group are automatically marked in the Closed duplicate state.

    Tasks with internal dependencies can't be part of the same group. You can also unlink the tasks from their groups, so that the system helps to prevent cyclic dependencies within a group.

    Manage action items for ad-hoc tasks and threat assessments

    Create action items for ad-hoc tasks and send out threat assessments that leverage Smart Assessment during exercises and crises. You can create action items for tasks that support recovery efforts, such as communicating with stakeholders, leadership, or vendors, without directly restoring an asset. Use these action items to conduct threat assessments with the Smart Assessment Engine before, during, or after a recovery event.

    To enable task creation during an ongoing event, the Smart Assessment template must include both an event and an action item within its scope.

    Revert an archived BIA or BCP to the Draft state
    Revert an archived business impact analysis (BIA) or business continuity plan (BCP) to its Draft state by selecting the Edit button on the form. By revising previously completed BIAs, you save time by using a BIA that's already been created.
    Optimized Crisis map interface
    The Crisis map interface has been optimized to handle over 10,000 resources and more than 1,000 alerts without performance issues.
    Customize the display of impacted areas for alerts by using custom shapes or specifying a custom radius. To edit an impacted area, simply select its corresponding card and make the necessary adjustments to the shape. If needed, you can also revert the changes made to an impacted area directly within the map interface.

    Changes

    Between your current release family and Zurich, some changes were made to existing Business Continuity Management features.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu
    Element definitions and variables
    You can now add a Windows server asset in the Windows server element definition or a Linux server asset in the Linux server element definition. However, you can’t add the Windows server asset or the Linux server asset in the filter of the Hardware element definition.

    Yokohama
    Using latest assessment for conducting BIAs
    You can use the latest assessment template to conduct the Business Impact Analysis (BIA).

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    Removed

    Between your current release family and Zurich, some Business Continuity Management features or functionality were removed.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu

    		 No updates for this release.

    Yokohama

    		 No updates for this release.

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    Deprecations

    Between your current release family and Zurich, some Business Continuity Management features or functionality were deprecated.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu
    • The BCM Classic Workspace isn’t compatible with the new features and enhancements that were introduced with the Xanadu release. Any issues and errors encountered with its continued use aren't supported. To avoid any disruptions, transition to the BCM Configurable Workspace.
      Note:
      Although the BCM Classic Workspace is still available through the URLs after its deprecation, it doesn't appear in the navigation menu.

    Yokohama

    		 No updates for this release.

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    Activation information

    Review information on how to activate Business Continuity Management.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu

    Install Business Continuity Management by requesting it from the ServiceNow Store. Visit the ServiceNow Store website to view all the available apps and for information about submitting requests to the store. For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the ServiceNow Store version history release notes.

    Yokohama

    Install Business Continuity Management by requesting it from ServiceNow Store. Visit the ServiceNow Store website to view all the available apps and for information about submitting requests to the store. For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the ServiceNow Store version history release notes.

    Zurich

    Install Business Continuity Management by requesting it from the ServiceNow Store.

    Additional requirements

    If any additional requirements were introduced or changed for Business Continuity Management we have noted them here.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu

    		 No updates for this release.

    Yokohama

    		 No updates for this release.

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    Browser requirements

    If any specific browser requirements were introduced or changed for Business Continuity Management we have noted them here.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu
    Business Continuity Management requires the following browsers:
    • Google Chrome
    • Firefox and Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR)
    • Microsoft Edge Chromium
    • Safari 12.0 and later versions

    Yokohama
    Business Continuity Management requires the following browsers:
    • Google Chrome
    • Firefox and Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR)
    • Microsoft Edge Chromium
    • Safari 12.0 and later versions

    Zurich
    Business Continuity Management requires the following browsers:
    • Google Chrome
    • Firefox and Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR)
    • Microsoft Edge Chromium
    • Safari 12.0 and later versions

    Accessibility information

    Review details on accessibility information for Business Continuity Management, such as specific requirements or compliance levels.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu

    Accessibility improvements for the Business Continuity Workspace include the following updates.

    Screen reader support has been improved for the following features:
    • Business impact analysis assessment
    • Business impact analysis dashboard
    • Contributors side panel
    • Assets tab in the plans and events (Element picker)

    Yokohama

    Various accessibility issues in the Crisis map application have been resolved with the implementation of the Geomap [sn_geo_map] component, which has replaced the FAM Map [sn-fam-map] component.

    Zurich

    Localization information

    If there are specific localization considerations for Business Continuity Management we have noted them here.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu

    		 No updates for this release.

    Yokohama

    		 No updates for this release.

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    Highlight information

    If there are specific highlight considerations for Business Continuity Management we have noted them here.

    Release Release notes

    Xanadu
    • Review the types, relationships, and sources of relationships for an asset through updated plan records.
    • Access the most current information on the dependencies that are related to the Business Impact Analysis (BIA), plans, or events.
    • Manage and assess the recovery tasks that are listed within your plan. You can organize the tasks by their dependencies.

    See Business Continuity Management for more information.

    Yokohama
    • Use the latest assessment template to perform a Business Impact Analysis.
    • Create nested plans in an event so that you can activate cross-references to multiple plans.
    • Use the hierarchical view in the plans to organize nested event tasks according to their dependencies.
    • Use the Crisis map functionality that includes the latest UIB components.

    See Business Continuity Management for more information.

    Zurich
    • Set up phases in recovery tasks and event tasks for recovery event management.
    • Calculate more accurate RTO and RPO with the finalized RTO and RPO columns in BIAs, BCPs, and events.
    • View plans from the enhanced BCM Mobile application.
    • Manage templates and generate Microsoft Word reports for business impact analyses (BIAs), business continuity plans (BCPs), and events by using the Document designer add-in.
    • Avoid duplicate event tasks by identifying and grouping similar tasks in exercises and crises.
    • Create action items and send out threat assessments by leveraging Smart Assessment during exercises and crises.

    See Business Continuity Management for more information.