Top 7 Incident Report Templates for Software Developers

For software developers, incident reports serve as a record of issues or errors that have occurred, providing valuable insight into system vulnerabilities and areas for improvement. An Incident Report template can help streamline the documentation process, ensuring all necessary details are captured systematically and can be easily accessed for future reference or analysis.

Before you start creating your own Incident Report template, check out these templates to make the process easier.

What Should Incident Report Templates Include?

Choosing the right Incident Report Template is crucial for efficiently tracking and resolving software development issues. Here are key components to look for in a high-quality template:

Clear Incident Identification: The template should have a dedicated section for clearly identifying the incident number, date, and reporter. This ensures easy tracking and referencing.
Detailed Description Field: A comprehensive area for describing the incident helps in understanding the issue fully. It should allow for detailed text entries.
Impact Assessment: It's important that the template includes a section to evaluate the impact of the incident on operations. This helps in prioritizing incident handling.
Resolution Steps: There should be a structured format for documenting the steps taken to resolve the incident, including timelines and personnel involved.

Selecting a template with these components will streamline the incident management process, making it easier to mitigate issues and maintain software quality.

What Should Incident Report Templates Avoid?

Choosing the right incident report template is crucial for effective incident management. However, certain elements can hinder rather than help. Here are three key components to steer clear of:

Overly Complex Fields: Templates with too many detailed fields can be time-consuming and may discourage timely reporting. Opt for simplicity to ensure quick and efficient use.
Technical Jargon: Avoid templates laden with technical terms that might be unclear to all team members. Clarity is key to ensuring that everyone understands the report.
Irrelevant Sections: Some templates include unnecessary sections that do not apply to every incident. Choose a template that allows customization to fit the specific needs of your team.

Remember, the best templates are those that make the reporting process as straightforward and accessible as possible for every team member.

1Incident Report

Store detailed incident reports for troubleshooting, communication with other teams and post-mortem analysis.

2Pentest Journal

This template is designed to streamline the documentation process during penetration testing. It is divided into three main sections: Machines, Credentials, and Journal. The key to effectively using this template is to continuously update each section with new findings and details as your exploration progresses.

3Incident Post-mortem Template

This template provides a simple, structured approach to write an incident post-mortem. It's easy to complete, and easy to read which makes it ideal for organizations who want to use these documents for learning.

A template preview for Incident Post-mortem Template

4Data Dictionary

This template consists of 3 databases linked together: a Metrics database, a Reports database and a Incidents database. The Metrics and Reports database can interlink so you can see if a metric is used in multiple reports. The Incidents database allows you to file an incident report and link together impacted reports.

5CTF Notes

This Capture the Flag (CTF) notes template assists in efficiently documenting and organizing information discovered during a CTF challenge. It includes sections for tags, time frame, IP, open ports, operating system, resources, and notes, thereby ensuring that key details are systematically recorded and easily accessible throughout the challenge.

6Run Retrospectives with Rootly

A good retrospective is key to helping companies improve their overall system reliability. This template provides incident response teams with a quick and an organized way to create retrospectives following an incident. This will not only save time for the team, but also document all content in a consistent manner.

A template preview for Run Retrospectives with Rootly

7Incidents Post Mortem

When things go awry in the tech world, it's crucial to learn from the mishaps and prevent them from happening again. Our Postmortem Template for Tech Incidents is a comprehensive guide designed to help you and your team thoroughly analyze, document, and learn from these critical incidents.

Created with clarity and precision in mind, this Notion template is carefully structured to guide you through the process of documenting an incident. It includes sections for Summary, Impact, Root Cause Analysis, Timeline of Events, Resolution and Recovery, Corrective and Preventative Measures, and Lessons Learned.

But that's not all. We understand that starting with a blank slate can be intimidating. That's why we've included a detailed, AI-generated example to guide you through the process. This fictional example illustrates how each section can be filled out in a real-world scenario, providing useful guidance for completing your own postmortem report.

Whether you're dealing with a minor hiccup or a major outage, this template is an essential tool for turning setbacks into opportunities for improvement. Embrace a proactive approach to incident resolution, and foster a culture of transparency and continuous learning in your team with our Postmortem Template for Tech Incidents.

A template preview for Incidents Post Mortem

Closing Thoughts

Utilizing these templates streamlines the documentation process, ensuring that all critical information is captured systematically. This consistency aids in quicker resolution and analysis.

Adopting these templates can significantly enhance your team's efficiency and response times. Don't hesitate to integrate them into your workflow to see immediate improvements in incident handling.

What is a Root Cause Analysis?

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a method used to identify the underlying reasons why an incident occurred, aiming to prevent future occurrences.

What is a Postmortem Report?

A Postmortem Report is a detailed review created after an incident, documenting what happened, why it happened, and what can be done to prevent it in the future.

What is a Severity Level?

Severity Level refers to a classification that indicates the impact and urgency of an incident, guiding the response and prioritization efforts.