Employee handover template
A practical employee handover template covering priorities, decisions, deadlines, contacts and access.
What a useful employee handover contains
A handover should let another person continue the work without reconstructing it from messages. Start with what needs attention next, then explain the decisions and constraints behind it. A folder of links alone does not tell a colleague what to do.
Use the template below for a permanent move, a change of role or temporary cover. Replace each bracketed prompt, remove sections that do not apply and give the recipient access to the linked records.
Fill it in around real work
List each open item with a current status, next action, named owner and due date. Separate an agreed deadline from an estimate. Record the reason for important decisions and who agreed them so your cover does not accidentally undo them.
For example: Supplier review — waiting for revised insurance certificate; next step: ask the supplier on Tuesday; owner: [cover]; deadline: [date]. Keep the approved supplier in place until the certificate is checked.
Check that someone else can use it
Ask the recipient to open the links and explain back the first two actions. Resolve missing permissions before the handover begins. Agree where new decisions and changes will be recorded, and set a review date.
Keep passwords and recovery codes out of the document. Request access through your approved administrator or password manager. Limit personal and customer information to what the recipient needs.
Keep the handover connected
Use Vimbre to maintain role records, decisions, tasks and reviewed handovers together. The template remains useful on its own: keep one current version and update it when the work changes.
Free, reusable template
Download template (.txt)EMPLOYEE HANDOVER Role / team: [ ] Prepared by: [ ] Cover / successor: [ ] Handover dates: [ ] Last updated: [ ] Manager / escalation contact: [ ] 1. START HERE Purpose of the role: [ ] Three immediate priorities: [ ] 2. OPEN WORK (repeat for each item) Item: [ ] Status / last completed step: [ ] Next action: [ ] Owner: [ ] Due date: [ ] Source / document link: [ ] Blocker and escalation point: [ ] 3. DECISIONS AND GUARDRAILS Decision: [ ] Reason: [ ] Agreed by / date: [ ] Evidence link: [ ] What must not change without approval: [ ] 4. ROUTINE WORK Activity: [ ] Frequency / next occurrence: [ ] Steps / checklist link: [ ] Backup owner: [ ] 5. CONTACTS, FILES AND ACCESS Contact / purpose / approved contact channel: [ ] Record / location / access confirmed: [ ] Access requests still needed (no passwords): [ ] 6. ACCEPTANCE Recipient reviewed links on: [ ] Questions / gaps / owner / resolve by: [ ] Manager sign-off if required: [ ] Next review: [ ]
Frequently asked questions
What should an employee handover include?
Include open work, next actions, owners, deadlines, decision reasons, recurring duties, relevant contacts and document links. Confirm access and record any unresolved gaps.
How long should a handover document be?
Make the first page a short summary of immediate priorities. Use linked records for detail and include enough instructions for the recipient to carry out the work safely.
Keep decisions and handovers in one place
Use Vimbre to turn conversations into a shared record of decisions, next steps and who owns them.
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