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

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.