Creating action items in events
concept australia Updated Sep 10, 2026 3 min read creating-action-items-in-events.md
Starting with BCM release 9.0.x, crisis managers can create action tasks for recovery members or teams during a crisis event or exercise. These tasks can be created on the fly without mapping them to event assets or recovery plans. Action tasks are not included in the event recovery timeline and can be created while the event remains open.
Action items in real-time
Action items can be used to assign tasks in real-time. For example, a crisis manager can assign an action item to verify that there are no injuries at a specific office location after an exercise. They can also request someone to review the business continuity plan before proceeding to the next steps.
You can also use action items to conduct assessments during a crisis event. For example, in the event of a fire, you can assign an action item to assess the situation, determining the severity, and identify affected employees and buildings. You can perform an assessment and assign an action item.
Fields and states associated with Action items
The Action items tab contains these details related to the ad-hoc tasks:
- Actual start date
- Actual end date
- Total time taken
- Event (Reference)
- Short description
- Description
- Due date
- Task numbers
- Type
- Task
- Assessment
The states associated with action items are listed in the table.
| State | Description |
|---|---|
| Open | First state of the action item. |
| Work in progress | State of the action item when its work begins. When an action item moves to the Work in progress state, the system auto-captures its start time. |
| Skipped | Assigned state of the action item when it is not relevant. When an action item is skipped and considered not relevant, its time fields are removed, resulting in a total time of 0. |
| Closed (complete, incomplete) | Final state of the action item task. When an action item has been completed, the system auto-captures its end time. |
BCM managers or planners can update the action items and can re-open the ad-hoc tasks associated with them.
You can assign the action item tasks to the groups or team members by using these fields:
- Assignment group
- Assigned to
- Additional assignee list
Comparison between event tasks and action items
The action items are distinct from the event tasks in crises and events. The table outlines the differences between event tasks and action items.
|
Fields/Criteria |
Event task |
Action items |
|---|---|---|
|
Details |
|
|
|
Assignment |
|
|
|
Access |
|
|
|
Workflow |
Pending -> Open -> Work in progress -> Skipped -> Closed (complete, incomplete, failed) |
Open -> Work in progress -> Skipped -> Closed (complete, incomplete) |
|
Dependencies |
Yes |
No |
|
Automation |
Yes |
No |
|
Orders |
Yes, auto calculated based on dependencies. |
No. Order is not calculated for the action item tasks. |
|
Time calculation |
Event tasks time is rolled up to activated plans, and impacted assets |
No. Time is not rolled up for the action item tasks. |
The roles associated with action items are listed in the table.
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Plan owner | Can create, read, update, and delete action items when the plan owner is the event owner. |
| Program managers | Can create, read, update, and delete action items for all events. |
| Viewers | Can read all action items. |
| Recovery event/Plan owner | Can read and update all action items that they are assigned to. |
- Action item collaborator synchronization with Smart Assessment
When users are assigned to a recovery action item, they are automatically synced as collaborators on the linked Smart Assessment instance. - Create task and assessment-type action items in events
Use integration of events and Smart Assessment for creating necessary action items related to an event.
Parent Topic:Structured workflows for exercises
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--- title: Creating action items in events description: Starting with BCM release 9.0.x, crisis managers can create action tasks for recovery members or teams during a crisis event or exercise. These tasks can be created on the fly without mapping them to event assets or recovery plans. Action tasks are not included in the event recovery timeline and can be created while the event remains open. locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/governance-risk-compliance/creating-action-items-in-events.html release: australia topic_type: concept last_updated: "2026-09-10" reading_time_minutes: 3 breadcrumb: [Structured workflows for exercises, Manage, Business Continuity Management, Governance, Risk, and Compliance] --- # Creating action items in events Starting with BCM release 9.0.x, crisis managers can create action tasks for recovery members or teams during a crisis event or exercise. These tasks can be created on the fly without mapping them to event assets or recovery plans. Action tasks are not included in the event recovery timeline and can be created while the event remains open. ## Action items in real-time Action items can be used to assign tasks in real-time. For example, a crisis manager can assign an action item to verify that there are no injuries at a specific office location after an exercise. They can also request someone to review the business continuity plan before proceeding to the next steps. You can also use action items to conduct assessments during a crisis event. For example, in the event of a fire, you can assign an action item to assess the situation, determining the severity, and identify affected employees and buildings. You can perform an assessment and assign an action item. ## Fields and states associated with Action items The Action items tab contains these details related to the ad-hoc tasks: - Actual start date - Actual end date - Total time taken - Event \(Reference\) - Short description - Description - Due date - Task numbers - Type - Task - Assessment The states associated with action items are listed in the table. |State|Description| |-----|-----------| |**Open**|First state of the action item.| |**Work in progress**|State of the action item when its work begins. When an action item moves to the **Work in progress** state, the system auto-captures its start time.| |**Skipped**|Assigned state of the action item when it is not relevant. When an action item is skipped and considered not relevant, its time fields are removed, resulting in a total time of 0.| |**Closed \(complete, incomplete\)**|Final state of the action item task. When an action item has been completed, the system auto-captures its end time.| BCM managers or planners can update the action items and can re-open the ad-hoc tasks associated with them. You can assign the action item tasks to the groups or team members by using these fields: - **Assignment group** - **Assigned to** - **Additional assignee list** ## Comparison between event tasks and action items The action items are distinct from the event tasks in crises and events. The table outlines the differences between event tasks and action items. <table id="table_gtp_vfc_zfc"><thead><tr><th> Fields/Criteria </th><th> Event task </th><th> Action items </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td> Details </td><td> - Short description - Description - Task numbers - Dependencies - Activated plan - Impacted assets - Task ID </td><td> - Short description - Description - Task numbers - Type </td></tr><tr><td> Assignment </td><td> - Assignment group - Assigned to - Recovery team - Additional assignee list </td><td> - Assignment group - Assigned to - Additional assignee list </td></tr><tr><td> Access </td><td> - Plan owner, Program manager can create/update/delete action items. - Event recovery members can read/update action items that they are assigned to. </td><td> - Plan owner, Program manager can create/update/delete action items. - Event recovery members can read/update action items that they are assigned to. </td></tr><tr><td> Workflow </td><td> Pending -> Open -> Work in progress -> Skipped -> Closed \(complete, incomplete, failed\) </td><td> Open -> Work in progress -> Skipped -> Closed \(complete, incomplete\) </td></tr><tr><td> Dependencies </td><td> Yes </td><td> No </td></tr><tr><td> Automation </td><td> Yes </td><td> No </td></tr><tr><td> Orders </td><td> Yes, auto calculated based on dependencies. </td><td> No. Order is not calculated for the action item tasks. </td></tr><tr><td> Time calculation </td><td> Event tasks time is rolled up to activated plans, and impacted assets </td><td> No. Time is not rolled up for the action item tasks. </td></tr></tbody> </table>## Roles associated with action items The roles associated with action items are listed in the table. |Role|Description| |----|-----------| |Plan owner|Can create, read, update, and delete action items when the plan owner is the event owner.| |Program managers|Can create, read, update, and delete action items for all events.| |Viewers|Can read all action items.| |Recovery event/Plan owner|Can read and update all action items that they are assigned to.| - **[Action item collaborator synchronization with Smart Assessment](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/governance-risk-compliance/action-item-collaborators-smart-assessment-sync-events.md)** When users are assigned to a recovery action item, they are automatically synced as collaborators on the linked Smart Assessment instance. - **[Create task and assessment-type action items in events](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/governance-risk-compliance/create-action-items-in-events.md)** Use integration of events and Smart Assessment for creating necessary action items related to an event. **Parent Topic:**[Structured workflows for exercises](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/governance-risk-compliance/performing-tasks-to-manage-exercise-events.md)
| title | Creating action items in events |
| description | Starting with BCM release 9.0.x, crisis managers can create action tasks for recovery members or teams during a crisis event or exercise. These tasks can be created on the fly without mapping them to event assets or recovery plans. Action tasks are not included in the event recovery timeline and can be created while the event remains open. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/governance-risk-compliance/creating-action-items-in-events.html |
| release | australia |
| topic_type | concept |
| last_updated | 2026-09-10 |
| reading_time_minutes | 3 |
| breadcrumb | Structured workflows for exercisesManageBusiness Continuity ManagementGovernanceRiskand Compliance |