What is The Planning Portal?
The Planning Portal is a web-based application that assists organizations, regardless of size, with each phase of the business continuity management lifecycle. From helping organization’s start a business continuity program, to helping them mature and increase the efficiency of their program, The Planning Portal utilizes a set of integrated modules – including Business Impact Analysis (BIA), Risk Assessment, Planning, Exercising, Training and Notification – to support both initial data gathering and ongoing maintenance of business continuity related information.

What is the product’s most important or unique feature?
The most important feature offered by The Planning Portal is that the tool is highly customizable and configurable WITHOUT the need for extensive technical skills or training. Your organization WILL NEVER be required to modify current business continuity / disaster recovery plan formats and processes or implement unnecessary capabilities. 

Is The Planning Portal compliant with industry standards? If so, which one(s)?
The Planning Portal was designed from the ground up to enable organizational compliance with BS 25999’s Part 2: Specification. Due to the ability to completely customize The Planning Portal, our team can design the tool to be in compliance with any industry accepted business continuity standard, including NFPA 1600. 

What is the relationship between The Planning Portal and Avalution Consulting?
Avalution Consulting designed, developed and currently operates The Planning Portal. The service is 100% owned and managed by Avalution, and all Intellectual Property was created by Avalution’s consulting team based on their many years of experience.

Why would a consulting company offer a business continuity software tool?
Quite frankly, we think the business continuity industry (like many others) focuses too much on software. We are focused on enabling effective business continuity processes for organizations. Business continuity software is just a small piece of that, and accordingly, we think it should be a small piece of your budget.

How does The Planning Portal work?
The Planning Portal is a series of tools and services that operates inside of Microsoft SharePoint 3 technology. Anyone with Microsoft Internet Explorer (or other major browser type) can access and securely work in The Planning Portal - regardless of location. User accounts can be created for any party that requires access to the site and permissions can be set for each individual user, thus controlling what parts of the site each user can access and/or modify.

Do you host The Planning Portal or provide local installation? 
The Planning Portal is available as a hosted solution. As such, additional operating systems and/or database licenses are not required.

How is access and/or use of The Planning Portal priced?
Pricing is dependent on the requirements of the installation, which are specifically tailored to provide the greatest value for each organization. However, The Planning Portal is competitively priced to be the low cost provider of your business continuity software needs. Email us via contactus@avalution.com for a quote specific to your organization.

How is The Planning Portal supported should I need assistance?
Avalution offers a toll-free help line that connects to an on-call support staff 24/7/365 for “emergency” issues.  Support is also offered via email (support@theplanningportal.com). You will normally receive answers via email, although more complex questions or troubleshooting may result in a return call or hosted Webex.

How is the data in The Planning Portal secured?
We take security very seriously. The Planning Portal stores client information in secure databases, located in a SAS 70 Type II data center,  protected by passwords as well as database and network firewalls to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of personal information. In addition, all communications with The Planning Portal are encrypted with a GeoTrust 256bit Security certificate. This ensures your data is completely confidential during its transmission over the internet.

While no security systems are infallible, Avalution will prosecute any unauthorized access to secured information to the fullest extent of the law. We regularly review and update security measures to insure the best possible protections for the membership.

What training is available to learn how to use The Planning Portal? 
Avalution offers a variety of end user and administrator training options to help your organization successfully implement The Planning Portal. Specifically, Avalution can provide:

• On-site small group, hands-on training for administrators and end users
• Computer-based, online, multi-media training modules (embedded in The Planning Portal)
• Detailed user guide reference content
• Detailed administrator guide reference content

How can I be sure The Planning Portal will be available when I need it?
The Planning Portal is located in a SAS 70 Type II certified data center on highly available hardware. It is backed up in real-time at an alternate site over 1,000 miles away. In addition, Avalution offers a service to mail a DVD backup copy of your data on a monthly or quarterly schedule.

How much business continuity-related data can I store in The Planning Portal?
The storage capacity and number of users allowed is virtually unlimited, allowing your organization to meet all storage and access needs.

Whose Intellectual Property (IP) is used in The Planning Portal – mine or Avalution's?
Both. The inherent flexibility of The Planning Portal allows you to use your existing or proposed planning approaches and content, rely on templates and documentation standards that are maintained in The Planning Portal or use a combination of both.