Run book 1 of 5
Set up and inventory
Stand up the system of record, load every business application into it, and put a name beside each one. Everything downstream depends on this foundation.
In GetInSync, the working structure is simple: a workspace for your organization, portfolios to group applications, and one record per application. A business unit you plan to engage maps to a workspace or a portfolio - pick one convention and stick to it.
1 Set up your workspace Your GetInSync workspace is ready to receive applications — the system of record is live.
IT lead or administrator · 15-30 minutes
- In Settings → Workspaces in Namespace, click Add Workspace and name it for your organization or the group running the assessment (the slug is auto-generated).
- Create at least one portfolio under Settings → Portfolios — portfolios are the grouping you'll score against, and they can nest.
- Invite the IT staff who will manage the assessment from Settings → Users (email invitations, valid for 7 days).
- Confirm at least one administrator can log in, see the empty portfolio, and add a test record.
Done when: One user can log in, see an empty portfolio, and add a test application.
2 Import or enter your application inventory Every known business application has a record in GetInSync.
IT lead or analyst · First pass typically one to two weeks
- Pull your current application list from every source you have: CMDB, asset register, finance records, team spreadsheets.
- Use the How to Spot a Business Application guide (in the Workshop Kit) to filter what counts — business applications, not infrastructure or personal productivity tools.
- Reconcile duplicates and obvious noise before loading — different teams keep different lists, and resolving them is itself part of the value.
- Bulk-load via Settings → Import Applications: download the CSV template, fill it in (only Application Name is required — every other column is optional), and upload. You'll get a row-by-row preview before anything commits, and a full import can be undone from Import History.
- Or add applications one at a time with the New Application button — a four-question wizard that starts with just the name.
Done when: Every known business application has a record. Coverage needs to be reasonable, not perfect.
Import is CSV format. If your inventory lives in Excel, save as CSV first — and let the template's column names do the mapping for you.
3 Name a business owner for every application Each application has a named business owner with contact information.
IT lead, supported by BRM if active
- On each application's page, use the Who's Responsible section to add a contact in the Business Owner role (contacts live in Settings → Contacts, with a Department field for org context).
- If the owner is unknown, flag the application for resolution rather than assigning a placeholder.
- Resist assigning IT as the owner — the owner sits on the business side; IT is the support contact (a separate role on the same panel).
- Watch the ownership roll-up on App Health to see which applications are still unassigned.
Done when: At least 90% of applications have a named business owner with contact info.
Shadow IT surfaces here — applications departments run that IT didn't know about. Capture them too; that's part of the point.
Take the kit with you
The Workshop Kit bundles every handout in this guide — question sets, email templates, the one-pager, and printable run books — plus the full playbook.