For outgoing and incoming officers
Society committee handover checklist.
Leave a working society.
Not a guessing game.
Find the missing records, transfer access safely and give every unfinished task an owner.
No sign-up to read. Follow your union’s requirements.
I’m handing over
Share the records, access and context so the next committee can continue the society’s work. Demonstrate the systems, explain decisions and name an incoming owner for each open item.
I’m taking over
Ask for the records, test your own access and understand outstanding commitments. If something is missing, agree who will find it, what you need next and when you will review it.
Main priority
Start with what could block the next committee.
Status choices stay on this page only and reset on reload. Print a copy to keep your checks. Nothing is saved or sent to SocietyDen.
Confirm the official transition date
Check your constitution and union guidance for when roles formally change, who must approve the change and which deadlines apply. Record the confirmed date in your secure handover copy.
Check union registration and training
List any re-registration, officer training and finance requirements. Confirm the incoming officers know where to complete them. This checklist does not complete union registration.
Identify money owed and live commitments
Reconcile the balance, unpaid invoices, deposits, bookings and subscriptions. Record restrictions on funds and the approved payment process. Name an owner for every unresolved commitment.
Verify incoming access
List each account and use its official transfer process. Ask incoming officers to sign in with their own accounts and perform the relevant task before outgoing access is removed.
Assign owners to unfinished tasks
For each open item, record the secure source, incoming owner, status, next action and due date. If a record is missing, name who will obtain it and by when.
A checkbox is not proof. Confirm access and link the relevant record in your own secure copy.
Your role. Your handover.
President
- ResponsibilitiesLead the committee, represent the society and agree who owns each task.
- Deadlines and live decisionsMeetings, budget approvals, key dates and decisions still to make.
- Union contactsYour union adviser, key contacts and official support services.
Walk through it together
Walk through the current priorities, constitution, formal transition date and unresolved commitments. Confirm that incoming officers know where decisions and records are kept.
Treasurer
- Confirmed balanceReconcile the account, receipts, deposits and outstanding payments.
- Restrictions and liabilitiesExplain grant conditions, financial limits and live commitments.
- Approved payment processFollow the union’s rules for authorisation, records and payment access.
Walk through it together
Use the official finance system to verify records and access. Do not copy bank credentials or payment details into general notes. Explain ongoing subscriptions and who remains responsible for them.
Secretary
- Constitution and minutesLocate the current constitution, policies, decisions and meeting records.
- Key datesExplain election, meeting, reporting and union deadlines.
- Record locationsShow where approved documents are kept and who has access.
Walk through it together
Demonstrate how the next committee records decisions and finds previous approvals. Review document permissions, retention requirements and any actions still open.
Events
- Bookings and suppliersList agreed dates, deposits, cancellation terms and supplier contacts.
- Approvals and risksLocate required approvals and the relevant risk assessments.
- Event lessonsExplain access needs, attendance expectations and what to improve.
Walk through it together
Walk through the next event using the official union process. Keep private attendee information in approved systems, not a shared general handover document.
Publicity
- Accounts and ownershipList social, email, website and other publishing accounts.
- Content and permissionsExplain scheduled posts, image permissions and brand resources.
- Links and updatesCheck joining links, event details and who updates each channel.
Walk through it together
Use official account invitations or ownership-transfer features. Test access from an incoming officer’s own account and arrange recovery contacts through approved procedures.
Welfare
- Official support routesIdentify trained university and union support contacts.
- TrainingExplain relevant safeguarding, inclusion and reporting requirements.
- Access and confidentialityConfirm who is authorised to hold restricted information.
Walk through it together
Use official confidential transfer routes, not general handover notes. Do not include case histories, sensitive member information or private reports in this checklist or its template.
Roles vary by constitution. Welfare: use official confidential transfer routes, not general handover notes.
Know where the records live.
Society records
Current constitution, policies, meeting minutes and recorded decisions. Keep the approved version and its secure location clear.
Finances and commitments
Approved financial records, invoices, outstanding payments and grant conditions. Record locations rather than bank credentials.
Events and contacts
Event plans, booking terms and approved supplier or union contacts. Keep private member data in authorised systems.
Equipment and storage
Equipment inventory, venue storage, return dates and access arrangements. Transfer physical keys or access codes through the approved process.
Accounts and ownership
Social media, email, website, domain and cloud storage account ownership. Use official transfers and test access. Never put passwords or recovery codes in this template.
Training and next steps
Required inductions, union training, deadlines and follow-up actions. Record who will obtain anything that is missing and by when.
Can’t find a record? Name who will obtain it and by when in your own secure copy.
Transfer access.
Don’t circulate passwords.
- Identify the account
List what needs transferring and the current owner.
- Use the official transfer
Follow the service and your union’s approved processes.
- Incoming officer tests
Confirm they can perform the required task using their own account.
- Remove outgoing access
Do this at the agreed time after the transfer has been confirmed.
Transfer recovery ownership through approved settings. Do not put recovery codes or private credentials in shared handover notes.
One record for what still needs doing.
Use these headings in your own approved document. The rows below are examples, not live records. Keep sensitive information in its authorised system and record only its secure location.
| Item | Secure record location | Incoming owner | Status | Next action | Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website ownership | Approved account records | Incoming president | Not checked | Confirm access and billing responsibility | Agree a date |
| Venue deposit | Union finance system | Incoming treasurer | Not checked | Check booking terms and payment | Agree a date |
| Union training | Training portal | Incoming secretary | Not checked | Confirm requirements | Agree a date |
| Item: | |||||
| Item: |
Never enter passwords, recovery codes, bank details or sensitive member information here. The template is read-only and does not store information.
Make the meeting a walkthrough.
- Review commitments
- Demonstrate key systems
- Test incoming access
- Assign remaining actions
- Agree follow-up
Let incoming officers try the job through a planning meeting or an approved union process. Local permissions apply.
Ready to sign off?
Personal checks for this page only. They are not formal union approval or evidence of account access.
FAQs
When should handover start?
Start before the official transition so there is time to find records and test access. Your constitution and union set the relevant dates and permissions. Arrange a follow-up for anything that cannot be finished before the change.
What should the treasurer include?
The reconciled balance, outstanding payments, deposits, restrictions on funds, live subscriptions and the approved payment process. Keep financial details in authorised systems and refer to their secure locations rather than copying credentials.
Can we put passwords in the document?
No. Use official ownership transfers, account invitations and approved recovery procedures. Do not put passwords, recovery codes or sensitive member records in general handover notes.
Is this our union’s official form?
No. Use your union’s required documents and processes. This checklist helps organise the work; it does not complete training, re-registration, account transfers or financial approval.
Are my checklist choices saved?
No. They stay on this page only and reset on reload. Nothing is sent to SocietyDen. Use Print checklist or your browser’s print command to keep a copy, and maintain the authoritative record in your own approved system.
What if an outgoing officer cannot be reached?
Contact your union and the relevant service through their official account recovery or ownership process. Do not guess credentials or bypass permissions. Give each unresolved item an owner and a review date.