Committee Officer Handover Checklist

Who this is for

Everything an officer passes on. When a chair, secretary or treasurer stands down, this list walks both people through the records, the money, the keys and logins, the contacts and the jobs still open, and ends with both of them signing it off.

Outgoing and incoming chairs, secretaries and treasurers of clubs, small charities and community groups, usually in the weeks after an AGM.

What this helps you track

• The documents and records the new officer needs to hold
• Bank mandates, cheque books, floats and unpaid invoices
• Keys, passwords, email accounts and storage
• The funders, hirers and suppliers who need a new contact
• Grants, bookings and renewals still in progress

How to use it

1. Write the organisation, the role, both officers' names and the handover date at the top.
2. Go through each group of items together, ticking what has been handed over and leaving unticked anything still to do.
3. Use the table to record where each item is kept and anything the new officer needs to know about it.
4. Change passwords and bank mandates rather than simply passing them on, and note when each change was made.
5. Both officers sign at the foot of the printed list when it is complete; keep a copy with the minutes.
6. Print it for a handover meeting, or fill it in online, where it saves in your own browser.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

When should the handover happen?

As soon after the election as both people can meet. Bank mandate changes can take weeks, so starting those first helps. Your own constitution may say when a new officer takes office.

Should passwords be written on the sheet?

No. Record where each login is used and that it has been changed or transferred, not the password itself. Pass passwords on in person or through a password manager and change them afterwards.

What if the outgoing officer is not available?

The chair or another committee member can work through the list with the new officer, marking what could not be found. The gaps then become actions for the next meeting.

Does it work for roles other than the three officers?

Yes. Membership secretaries, bookings secretaries and welfare officers hold records and keys too. Tick what applies and add your own items in the browser version.