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Free business impact analysis (BIA) template
A ready-to-use BIA template for Excel, Google Sheets or CSV — with 5×5 risk scoring built in and a filled-in example for a modern cloud stack. No email required.
Using Google Sheets? Upload the Excel file to Drive and open it with Sheets.What's inside the workbook
- BIA Register — 100 blank rows with dropdowns and automatic risk score and severity.
- Example (SaaS) — payroll, CRM, identity provider and data warehouse, already rated.
- 5×5 Scoring guide — the colour-coded matrix and what each score means.
Preview: example register
| Department | Application | C | I | A | Impact | Likelihood | Risk | Max outage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance | Payroll Portal | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 15 · High | Up to 4 hours |
| Sales | Customer CRM | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 12 · High | Up to 1 day |
| IT | Identity provider | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 10 · Moderate | Up to 1 hour |
| Operations | Data warehouse | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 · Moderate | Up to 3 days |
How to run a BIA with this template
- List each department and the applications it uses — one row per application.
- Name an owner and note what each application depends on.
- Rate confidentiality, integrity and availability from 1 to 5.
- Score the impact of an outage and how likely it is; the risk score follows.
- Record the longest outage the business can accept, and mark your crown jewels.
- Sort by risk score and agree priorities with the owners.
New to this? Read what a BIA is first.
Frequently asked questions
What should a BIA template include?
Each application or service, its owner and department, what it depends on, confidentiality, integrity and availability ratings, impact and likelihood scores, and the longest outage the business can accept.
How is the risk score calculated?
Impact (1–5) multiplied by likelihood (1–5). 20–25 is Critical, 12–19 High, 6–11 Moderate and 1–5 Low. The Excel template calculates this for you.
Does this template support ISO 22301?
ISO 22301 asks you to identify critical activities, their dependencies and acceptable outage times. The template captures all of these, so it is a practical starting point for an ISO 22301 or SOC 2 business impact analysis.
Can I use it in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the Excel file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets — the formulas and dropdowns carry over.
When should I stop using a spreadsheet?
When several teams need to contribute, ratings need approval, or the register has to stay current. Import your sheet into Meridian and it becomes a living register with a dependency map and board report.