[BCM] [BT] [E3] [BIA] [T2] [CBF] [4] Billing, Finance and Vendor Management

BIA Questionnaires 

Part 3: Impact Over Time of Business Functions

Notes for BCM Institute's Course Participants: This is the template for completing the "Part 3: Impact Over Time of Business Functions."

CBF-4: Billing, Finance & Vendor Management

The Billing, Finance & Vendor Management function (CBF-4) plays a pivotal role in maintaining the financial integrity, operational continuity, and stakeholder trust of Bandtree.

This function oversees critical activities, including customer billing, financial reporting, regulatory compliance, vendor relationships, and risk financing.

As a government-linked company entrusted with managing national infrastructure assets, any disruption in these processes could significantly impact the company’s liquidity, service delivery, legal standing, and corporate reputation.

Purpose of Chapter

This chapter evaluates the potential business impact of disruptions to the sub-functions under CBF-4 over a defined time horizon.

Using a standardised impact scale from 1 (lowest impact) to 5 (highest impact), the analysis measures the consequences of downtime across various time intervals, from 4 hours up to 60 days.

It also identifies the Recovery Time Objectives (RTO), Maximum Tolerable Period of Disruption (MTPD), and specific vulnerable periods for each sub-function.

This assessment ensures that Bandtree can prioritise resources and response efforts appropriately, reinforcing resilience and regulatory compliance in the face of operational interruptions.

Here is a comprehensive table for the Critical Business Function: CBF-4 Billing, Finance & Vendor Management for Bandtree, showing the impact over time of each sub-function based on a 1–5 scale (1 = Lowest Impact, 5 = Highest Impact), as well as RTO, MTPD, and the vulnerable period:

Table 3: [BIA] [P3] Impact Over Time of Business Functions (Sub-CBF) for CBF-4 Billing, Finance & Vendor Management

Legend – Impact Scores

• 1 = Negligible Impact (Very Low)
• 2 = Minor Impact (Low)
• 3 = Moderate Impact (Medium)
• 4 = Major Impact (High)
• 5 = Critical/Catastrophic Impact (Very High)

Key Notes

• RTO (Recovery Time Objective): Indicates the acceptable downtime before severe impact begins.
• MTPD (Maximum Tolerable Period of Disruption): Maximum allowable time the sub-function can be disrupted before irrecoverable consequences occur.
• Vulnerable Period: Timeframes in which disruption has amplified effects (e.g., audits, contract renewals, public reporting).

Summing Up... Part 3

The impact assessment for CBF-4: Billing, Finance & Vendor Management highlights the time-sensitive nature of financial operations and the interdependency between revenue management, vendor support, and regulatory compliance.

Sub-CBF, such as Customer Billing, Payment Collection, and Compliance Management, reveal escalating impact scores within the first few days of disruption, underscoring the need for prompt restoration measures.

By quantifying the severity and timing of impacts across each sub-function, Bandtree Brunei is better equipped to develop targeted recovery strategies and allocate resources effectively.

This analysis provides a critical foundation for enhancing the organisation’s Business Continuity Management framework, ensuring that financial operations remain resilient, transparent, and aligned with national infrastructure objectives,  even in times of crisis.

 BIA Questionnaires 

Part 4: Supporting IT Systems and Applications

Notes for BCM Institute's Course Participants: This is the template for completing the "Part 4: Supporting IT Systems and Applications."

CBF-4: Billing, Finance & Vendor Management

The continuity and efficiency of Bandtree Sdn Bhd’s Billing, Finance & Vendor Management operations heavily depend on the availability and resilience of its IT systems and applications.

These systems facilitate critical financial processes, including customer billing, payment reconciliation, vendor payments, budget planning, regulatory reporting, and risk management.

Given the nature of these functions, even minor system disruptions can result in delayed transactions, financial inaccuracies, non-compliance risks, and reputational damage.

Purpose of Chapter

This part (section) identifies and outlines the primary IT systems and applications that support the Sub-CBFs under CBF-4. It also defines the Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) and System Recovery Time Objectives (System RTO) for each sub-process, ensuring alignment with business continuity requirements.

Understanding these dependencies is essential for effective disaster recovery planning, IT resource allocation, and sustaining the operational integrity of Bandtree’s financial and vendor-facing functions.

The table for CBF-4: Billing, Finance, and Vendor Management, with all Sub-CBFs listed, is formatted with placeholders where specific details (e.g., IT systems, RPO) will be filled in during your BIA or technical assessment phase.

Table 4: [BIA] [P4] Supporting IT Systems and Applications for CBF-4 Billing, Finance & Vendor Management

Summing Up ... for Part 4

The IT systems and applications that underpin CBF-4: Billing, Finance & Vendor Management are vital enablers of Bandtree’s financial integrity, regulatory compliance, and vendor relations.

By identifying the technical dependencies and recovery expectations of each sub-process, this chapter supports the development of targeted recovery strategies and infrastructure resilience measures.

Proactive investment in system redundancy, secure access, and timely data backups will ensure that financial operations remain functional or are restored swiftly in the face of disruption.

As Bandtree continues to modernise its financial ecosystem, maintaining a strong alignment between business functions and supporting IT infrastructure remains a strategic priority for safeguarding continuity and service excellence.