Role Handover Document Template
Copy this template once per role — not per person — and keep it current on a quarterly schedule. It is written to be useful in both a planned handover and a sudden absence. Italicised prompts describe what to write; replace them with your content.
1. Role snapshot
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Role title | As per role description |
| Purpose | One sentence — why the role exists |
| Current holder | Name, start date |
| Reports to | Name / role |
| Last updated | Date + initials — update quarterly |
2. Recurring tasks
List every recurring task with rhythm and procedure link. One line each.
| Task | Rhythm | Procedure location |
|---|---|---|
| e.g. Payroll run | Weekly, Tuesday | Link / folder path |
| e.g. Supplier reconciliation | Monthly, first week | Link / folder path |
3. Systems and access
Every account this role uses. This table is also your offboarding list — close access from here, not from memory.
| System | Purpose | Access level | Administered by |
|---|---|---|---|
| System name | What it is used for | User / admin | Who can grant/revoke |
4. Key contacts
| Contact | Organisation | Relationship context |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Supplier / client / internal | What they matter for, current state of relationship |
5. In-flight work
Only filled at handover time: everything currently mid-stream, its status, and the very next step. Sudden-absence readers start here.
- Item — status — next step — deadline
6. Where things live
Locations, not descriptions: folder paths, drive links, physical locations of anything the role owns.
7. Quirks and context
The unwritten knowledge: which supplier needs chasing twice, which report the accountant actually reads, what always breaks in December. This section is the difference between a handover and a folder of files.