Pixel Haven · Reviewed 2026-10-04
Name the owners
List essential accounts and identify a business owner for each. Ensure the business can recover its domain and email. Use authorised account recovery processes; do not share passwords through an enquiry form.
Give people the access they need
Prefer named accounts and role-based access to a shared login. Enable MFA where supported and store recovery information securely. Review access when a person joins, changes role or leaves.
Make shared files understandable
Agree a folder structure, naming convention and responsibility for maintaining important documents. Separate current work from archived material and restrict access to private records.
Test recovery
A backup is useful only if it can be restored. Agree what is backed up, who checks it, where it is kept and how a restore is requested. Practise with a safe copy and record the result.
Leave a usable handover
Keep a short guide to key systems, access requests and support contacts. Walk a colleague through it. Review the setup when the team or software changes.
A first-week checklist
- Make a short inventory of the domain, email, shared files, finance systems and essential devices.
- Record an accountable business owner and a recovery route for each system without putting passwords in the inventory.
- Pick one shared folder and agree a simple Current / Reference / Archive structure.
- Ask a colleague to find the latest version of a real working document; fix the confusing part of the process.
- Restore a harmless test file from backup, then record the date, method and outcome.
- Write the joining and leaving steps in a checklist someone else can follow.