Bus Factor — Documentation

What is Bus Factor?

Every business has a bus factor — the number of people who could get hit by a bus (or, more realistically, fall ill, take an extended break, or simply become unreachable) before the business grinds to a halt. If that number is one, and that one is you, Bus Factor is your safety net.

Bus Factor is a succession planning tool that quietly works in the background so your clients, your successor, and your business are protected if you ever become unavailable. You set it up once, keep it updated as things change, and check in periodically to confirm you're okay. If you stop checking in, Bus Factor takes care of the rest.

Getting Started

When you first open Bus Factor, you'll see a dashboard with six tabs:

• Overview — Your Dead Man's Switch and overall readiness
• Vault — Encrypted storage for credentials, hosting info, licenses, and more
• Contacts — The people who should be notified if something happens
• Clients — A directory of your active client relationships
• Notifications — Pre-written email templates for your contacts
• Briefing — A comprehensive handover document for your successor

Your first goal is to get your Succession Readiness score to 100%. The readiness checklist tracks four things:

1. ✅ Activate your Dead Man's Switch
2. ✅ Add at least one contact
3. ✅ Store at least one vault item
4. ✅ Document at least one client

Once all four are done, you're covered. Of course, the more complete your setup, the smoother any transition will be — so don't stop at one of each.

Overview — The Dead Man's Switch

The Overview tab is your command centre. This is where you activate, configure, and monitor your Dead Man's Switch.

Activating the Switch

Click Activate Switch to turn on check-in monitoring. Once active, Bus Factor will expect you to check in at regular intervals. If you stop checking in, the escalation process begins automatically.

Checking In

You can check in two ways:

• From the dashboard — Click the Check In Now button on the Overview tab.
• From your email — Every reminder email includes a secure one-click check-in link. Just click it — no login required.

Each time you check in, your timer resets and a new check-in deadline is calculated.

Switch Settings

Once your switch is active, you can configure it:

Pausing and Resuming

Going on holiday? Click Pause to temporarily stop check-in monitoring. No reminders will be sent and no escalation will happen while paused. Click Resume whenever you're ready to restart.

Switch States

Your switch can be in one of four states:

• Inactive — Not yet activated, or never set up.
• Active — Running normally. Check-in reminders are being sent on schedule.
• Grace Period — You've missed a check-in and the escalation process has started. Check in immediately to stop it.
• Triggered — The full escalation has completed. Your contacts have been notified and vault data has been released to designated recipients. Contact support to reset.

Vault — Your Encrypted Information Store

The Vault is where you store all the critical information your successor would need to keep things running. Everything you save here is encrypted — it can only be read by you while your switch is active, and it's released to designated contacts only if the switch triggers.

Vault Categories

Items are organized into six categories:

• Login Credentials — Usernames, passwords, 2FA recovery codes
• Hosting Details — Server IPs, control panel access, DNS registrars
• License Keys — Software licenses, API keys, subscription details
• SOPs / Procedures — Step-by-step instructions for recurring tasks
• Supplier Contacts — Key vendors, freelancers, or service providers you work with
• Other — Anything that doesn't fit the categories above

Adding a Vault Item

1. Go to the Vault tab
2. Click Add Item
3. Give it a title (e.g., "Cloudflare Admin")
4. Select a category
5. Fill in the content fields (these vary by what you're storing)
6. Save

Editing and Deleting

Click on any vault item to view, edit, or delete it. Changes are encrypted and saved immediately.

Vault Completeness

The dashboard tracks your vault completeness — a percentage showing how many of the six categories have at least one item. Aim for 100% to ensure full coverage.

Tip: Even if you use a password manager, it's worth adding a vault item explaining how to access that password manager. If your successor can't get into your vault of vaults, none of the other passwords matter.

Contacts — Who Gets Notified

The Contacts tab is where you define the people who should be reached if your switch triggers. Each contact has a specific role and behaviour.

Contact Roles

Adding a Contact

1. Go to the Contacts tab
2. Click Add Contact
3. Enter their name, email, and optionally their phone number
4. Select their role
5. Choose a trigger mode:
   • Auto — Notification is sent automatically when the switch triggers
   • Manual — An administrator must manually approve the notification before it's sent
6. Toggle Receives vault data if this contact should receive your encrypted vault contents and briefing document when triggered
7. Optionally link a notification template (from the Notifications tab) to customize the email they'll receive
8. Save

Editing and Deleting

Click on any contact to update their details or remove them.

Tip: Your successor should almost always have "Receives vault data" turned on. That's the whole point — giving them what they need to take over seamlessly.

Clients — Your Client Directory

The Clients tab is a lightweight CRM for documenting your active client relationships. When your switch triggers, this information helps your successor understand who your clients are, what you do for them, and when things are due.

Adding a Client

1. Go to the Clients tab
2. Click Add Client
3. Fill in:
   • Name — The client's name or company name
   • Email — Their primary contact email (encrypted)
   • Service type — What you do for them (e.g., "Website maintenance", "Monthly SEO")
   • Renewal date — When their contract or retainer renews
   • Notes — Any additional context (encrypted)
   • Status — Active or Inactive
4. Save

Editing and Deleting

Click on any client to update their details or remove them from the directory.

Tip: Keep renewal dates up to date. If your successor takes over mid-contract, knowing when things renew helps them plan the transition timeline.

Notifications — Pre-Written Messages

The Notifications tab lets you write the emails your contacts will receive if the switch triggers. You write them now, while things are calm, so the messages are thoughtful and professional — not hastily composed in an emergency.

Template Types

Dynamic Placeholders

Templates support placeholders that are automatically filled in when sent:

Creating a Template

1. Go to the Notifications tab
2. Click Add Template
3. Select the template type
4. Give it a label (for your own reference)
5. Write the subject line and body — use placeholders where appropriate
6. Set the status to Active (used when triggered) or Draft (not yet ready)
7. Save

Starter Templates

When you first set up Bus Factor, three starter templates are created automatically:

• Secondary Contact — Check-in Request (Active) — Asks your secondary contact to check on you
• Client Notification — Service Transition (Draft) — Informs clients about the transition
• Successor Notification — Succession Activated (Draft) — Notifies your successor with instructions

Review these templates, customize them to match your tone and situation, then set them to Active when you're happy.

Linking Templates to Contacts

After creating a template, go to the Contacts tab and edit a contact to link a specific template to them. This controls exactly which message each person receives.

Briefing — Your Successor Handover Document

The Briefing tab is where you build a comprehensive handover document — a "here's everything you need to know" guide for your successor. Think of it as a letter to the person stepping into your shoes.

Default Sections

Seven sections are provided out of the box. You don't need to fill them all in at once — come back and add to them over time:

Editing a Section

1. Go to the Briefing tab
2. Click on any section to expand it
3. Write or update the content
4. Save

Exporting as HTML

Click Export HTML to download a styled, print-ready version of your entire briefing document. This is useful for keeping an offline backup or sharing it manually.

Tip: Set a calendar reminder to review your briefing once a quarter. Businesses change — make sure your handover document reflects reality.

How the Escalation Works

If you miss a check-in, Bus Factor doesn't immediately sound the alarm. Instead, it follows a gradual escalation ladder designed to reach you through multiple channels before taking any irreversible action.

Here's what happens after your check-in deadline passes:

At any point before Level 4, you can stop the escalation simply by checking in — either from the dashboard or via the email link.

Contacts set to manual trigger mode will not receive notifications automatically at Level 4. Instead, an administrator is notified to review and release them manually.

Note: The day thresholds shown above are the defaults. Your account administrator may have adjusted them.

Troubleshooting

I missed a check-in and got a reminder email

No problem — just click the check-in link in the email or log into your dashboard and click Check In Now. The escalation will stop and your timer resets.

My switch says "Grace Period" — what does that mean?

It means you've missed your check-in deadline and the escalation ladder has started. Check in immediately to stop it and return to "Active" status.

My switch says "Triggered" — can I undo it?

Once triggered, notifications have already been sent to your auto-trigger contacts. Contact support to reset your switch. You may want to reach out to your contacts personally to let them know you're okay.

I can't save vault items or contacts

You may have reached your plan's limit. Check your current usage against your plan's allowances. Upgrading your plan will increase these limits.

The check-in link from my email says it's expired

Check-in links are valid for a generous period, but they do expire. If yours has expired, simply log into your dashboard and check in manually from the Overview tab.

I changed my email address but reminders still go to the old one

Update the Check-in reminder email address in your switch settings on the Overview tab. This is separate from your account email.

I don't see the SMS reminder option

SMS reminders require a Pro or Enterprise plan. On the Basic plan the SMS checkbox will appear disabled with a "(Pro+)" label.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I check in?

That depends on your situation. If clients depend on you daily, a shorter interval (3–7 days) makes sense. If you handle project-based work with longer timelines, 14–30 days might be more appropriate. The key is to choose an interval that balances safety with convenience — you don't want it so short that it becomes annoying, or so long that your clients could be left hanging for weeks.

What happens to my data if I don't trigger?

Nothing — your encrypted vault data, contacts, and briefing stay safely stored. They're only released if the switch reaches Level 4 and triggers.

Can someone else check in on my behalf?

No. Check-in is only available to you — either through the dashboard (when logged in) or via the unique email link sent to your check-in email address.

Is my vault data really encrypted?

Yes. All vault items, contact emails, phone numbers, client emails, client notes, and briefing content are encrypted using industry-standard envelope encryption. Data is encrypted at rest and can only be decrypted with your account's unique encryption key.

Can I choose which contacts receive my vault data?

Absolutely. Each contact has a "Receives vault data" toggle. Only contacts with this option enabled will receive your vault contents and briefing document when the switch triggers.

What's the difference between "auto" and "manual" trigger mode?

• Auto: The contact is notified automatically when the switch triggers — no human intervention needed.
• Manual: An administrator must explicitly approve and release the notification. This is useful for sensitive contacts where you want a human double-check before anything is sent.

Can I pause the switch while I'm on holiday?

Yes! Click Pause on the Overview tab. No reminders will be sent and the escalation ladder won't start while your switch is paused. Click Resume when you're back.

What do the plan tiers include?

Can I export my briefing document?

Yes. Go to the Briefing tab and click Export HTML to download a styled, print-ready version of your entire briefing document.

What placeholders can I use in notification templates?

Five placeholders are available: {{user_name}}, {{successor_name}}, {{client_name}}, {{trigger_date}}, and {{company_name}}. These are automatically replaced with real values when the notification is sent.

I have more contacts/vault items than my plan allows — what happens?

Your existing data is safe and remains accessible, but you won't be able to create new items until you either remove some or upgrade your plan.