A business continuity plan is a word or pdf document that outlines how a business will continue operating through an unplanned service interruption. It’s more complete than a disaster recovery plan and contains possibilities for business processes, assets, human resources available and business stakeholders – every aspect of the business might be affected.
Business Continuity Plans typically include a checklist that includes equipment and supplies, backup site locations, and data backups. Plans can also include contact information in case of emergency and identify plan administrators, key staff, and backup data providers. The Business Continuity Plan may provide detailed strategies on how business operations can be maintained for both short-term and long-term outages.

One of a key element of a business continuity plan is a disaster recovery plan, including strategies for handling Information Technology (IT) disruptions to networks, personal computers, mobile, and servers. The Business Continuity Plan also covers how to re-establish office productivity and enterprise software to meet key business needs. Manual process manuals should be outlined in the plan, so operations can continue until computer systems can be restored.