Critical Functions are functions that your department performs. (Functions related to academic instruction are covered in Documenting Instruction.) Your department has identified these critical functions in the BIA. Use this as your primary resource when inputting data. Examples of Critical Functions include:
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Common Issues/Questions
How do we document critical functions of the department?
- Critical Functions are functions that your department performs. (Functions related to academic instruction are covered in Documenting Instruction.) Your department has identified these critical functions in the BIA. Use this as your primary resource when inputting data. Examples of Critical Functions include:
- Research
- Non-elective surgery
- Purchasing
- Paying employees
- Inpatient care
- Facilities repair
- Providing meals for residents of university housing
- Pharmacy services
- Grant accounting
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To add a Critical Function for your department, select Critical Functions from the left navigation menu. Choose Manage Critical Functions and click Add new Critical Function. Alternatively, click + Add Critical Function in the left navigation menu.
Provide a name for the function and indicate the Level of criticality:
- Critical 1: Must be continued at normal or increased service load. Cannot pause. Necessary to life, health and security. (e.g., inpatient care, police services)
- Critical 2: Must be continued if at all possible, perhaps in reduced mode. Pausing completely will have grave consequences. (e.g., provision of care to at-risk outpatients, functioning of data networks, at-risk research)
- Critical 3: May pause if forced to do so, but must resume in 30 days or sooner. (e.g., classroom instruction, research, payroll, student advising)
- Deferrable: May pause; resume when conditions permit. (e.g., elective surgery, routine building maintenance, training, marketing)
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Once you provide a name for the Function and indicate the level of criticality, click Add Critical Function.
You will be prompted to complete several sections relevant to that function. These sections can be completed out of order, but each must be completed. You may switch between sections using the left navigation menu. The sections are:
- Description: Enter basic information about this Critical Function.
- Peak Periods: Identify months where this function may be more critical.
- Documents: Describe or attach documents that are important for this Critical Function.
- Dependencies: Identify upstream and downstream Dependencies that relate to this Critical Function.
- Consequences: Document key consequences if you are unable to perform this Critical Function.
- How to Cope: Describe methods of coping with disruption to this Critical Function.
- Action Items: Identify actions you can take to become better prepared to handle disruption to this Critical Function.
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After providing information for each section, be sure to click the Save button, if present, at the bottom of the page. For more information on completing these sections, review the Guidance area in the right sidebar of each Critical Functions page.
Repeat this process for each critical function identified in your department.
How do we list IT resources?
- The Information Technology (IT) section of your plan asks you to consider the IT resources necessary to carry out your department’s Critical Functions. You might find it valuable to ask these questions throughout your department to uncover the true scope of technology use.
The IT sections can be completed out of order, but each must be completed. You may switch between sections using the left navigation menu. The sections are:
- Central Applications: Identify critical applications maintained by your central IT department (e.g., PeopleSoft Financials).
- Departmental Applications: Identify critical applications maintained by your own department.
- Servers: Identify servers maintained by your department that are necessary for performing your Critical Functions.
- Workstations: Describe backup and support for departmental workstations.
- How to Restart: Identify known and potential strategies for continuing critical IT functions during adverse events.
- Action Items: Identify actions you can take to become better prepared to handle disruption to your IT resources.
After providing information for each section, be sure to click the Save button, if present, at the bottom of the page. For more information on completing these sections, review the Guidance area in the right sidebar of each Information Technology page.
How do we define critical function of an instructional department?
- Does your department provide academic instruction? The purpose of this section is to help academic departments formulate a plan for continuing instruction during adverse events.
At this time, continuity planning at Case Western Reserve is targeted to business departments. On the Documenting Instruction page, business departments should select No instruction and click Save.
The university’s business continuity team will notify academic departments to complete their plans when appropriate.