Scope
Define systems, processes, time period, and business units covered by the assessment, including any exclusions.
A consistent RAF report reduces ambiguity, centralizes ownership, and preserves evidence of due diligence for internal and external reviewers under regulatory or contractual scrutiny.
Risk management, compliance, internal audit, legal, operations, and executive leadership typically prepare or review Business RAF Reports.
Assigning these roles early ensures accountability, timely updates, and a clear escalation path for unresolved or escalating risks.
The responsible risk manager coordinates assessments, compiles the RAF Report, assigns owners, and monitors remediation milestones. They collect evidence, update risk scores, and brief senior management or the board during review cycles.
The CFO reviews high-impact financial risks, ensures remediation funding is allocated, and confirms the report aligns with financial controls and reporting obligations. CFO approval supports formal acceptance of residual risk.
Define systems, processes, time period, and business units covered by the assessment, including any exclusions.
Describe assessment criteria, scoring scales, data sources, and who performed testing or validation procedures.
List identified risks with descriptions, causes, and business impact statements linked to affected assets or processes.
Document existing controls, control owners, control effectiveness ratings, and testing results.
Prioritize actions with owners, target dates, estimated effort, and status tracking fields for progress updates.
Signed or electronically validated approvals from designated officers confirming acceptance of findings and residual risk.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Risk Description | Mandatory multiline text; 1,000-character limit |
| Risk Rating | Dropdown with configured numeric scale |
| Owner Assignment | Role-based signer; auto-notify assignee |
| Approval Signature | Signature field with timestamp and audit trail |
Choose a platform that supports secure signatures, audit trails, and integrations you rely on for evidence collection.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | Yes, 7-day trial | Yes, limited trial | Yes, limited trial | Yes, limited plan | Yes, limited plan |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Envelope Cap | No cap | 100 envelopes/user/year | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |
A hospital documents vendor access risks and control tests in a central RAF report
A property management firm catalogs operational and cybersecurity risks for tenants and building systems
Complete baseline assessment within the agreed project period, typically 30–90 days from scope approval.
Update high and critical risks quarterly to reflect control changes and new evidence.
Assign and track remediation milestones with target dates; short-term items often targeted within 30–90 days.
Prepare an executive summary annually for board-level risk oversight and strategic decisions.
Review retained evidence and archive per retention policy at prescribed intervals.
Catalog issues discovered through interviews, scans, and testing.
Assess likelihood, impact, and priority using the agreed scale.
Owners implement controls and update status and evidence.
Leadership signs off on residual risk and closes action items.
| Criteria | Business RAF Report | Risk Register |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | formal assessment | operational logging |
| Formality | high, auditable | informal, living |
| Signatures | required for approval | optional |
| Audit Retention | preserved as evidence | shorter-term working file |