Name the systems that have to work first
A useful recovery plan starts with the workflows leasing, accounting, maintenance, and leadership need. Do not treat every system as equally urgent.
- Microsoft 365 email, shared mailboxes, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.
- Shared files, property applications, and any servers still in use.
- Workstations, printers, and the business internet at offices and leasing locations.
- Vendor contacts for internet, Microsoft 365, backup tools, and software environments.
Confirm backup ownership and restore testing
A backup job is not the same as a recovery plan. Someone should know what is covered, who owns the tool, and whether a restore has been tested.
- Record what is backed up, where it is stored, and who can start a restore.
- Include cloud email and files, servers where present, and workstations with unique local data.
- Test a restore where the platform supports it and write down what was learned.
- Do not publish recovery-time promises unless a tested process actually supports them.
Plan for the incidents that actually stop operations
Property management teams are more often blocked by internet outages, unavailable offices, and compromised accounts than by a formal disaster scenario.
- Define how the team works if an office or leasing location is unavailable.
- Write the first steps for a compromised Microsoft 365 account or suspicious vendor email.
- Keep an escalation path for leadership, IT, internet providers, and key vendors.
- Assign communication owners so employees know where to get updates and how to request help.
Questions to ask
Does this checklist include a recovery-time guarantee?+
No. Recovery timing depends on the systems, backups, vendors, and access available at the time. ArcTechOne does not publish SLAs or recovery-time promises here.
What should be documented even if we cannot test everything yet?+
Document critical systems, backup owners, vendor contacts, communication steps, recovery priorities, and the next test date.
Is disaster recovery only a backup issue?+
No. Account compromise, internet failure, and an unavailable office can stop work even when backups exist. The plan should cover those events too.
