A knowledge transfer plan is different from an offboarding checklist: it isn't about IT access and admin, it's about the actual substance of the role — which knowledge areas are critical, who the key relationships are, and what tacit knowledge otherwise walks out the door with the person.
This template works for any kind of transition: resignation, internal move, parental leave, or extended absence.
Templates
Basic Information
Departing/transitioning person
Receiving person(s)
Role/Position
Transfer deadline
Critical Knowledge Areas
Area 1 — what, why it matters, where documented
Area 2 — what, why it matters, where documented
Area 3 — what, why it matters, where documented
Key Relationships
Client/Stakeholder
Internal contact
External vendor
Systems & Access
System/Tool
Access type
Special notes
Open Risks & Gaps
Risk 1
Mitigation
Owner
Tacit Knowledge
Unwritten rules
Frequently asked questions
Where to find...
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Frequently Asked Questions
The offboarding checklist covers the administrative process (IT, HR, access). The knowledge transfer plan captures the substantive content of the role — what needs doing, who matters, and what only this person knows. Both belong together but cover different risks.
Ideally over several weeks, not in a single sitting. Important knowledge often only surfaces when a concrete situation triggers it — plan for at least two or three conversations.
Fill in the plan anyway and store it centrally. It's far easier to hand an existing document to a new person than to reconstruct it from memory later.