This section captures the fundamental details of the acquisition to set the context for integration planning.
Acquisition closing date
Acquired entity name
Acquiring entity name
Type of acquisition
Asset acquisition
Stock acquisition
Merger
Joint venture
Other
Total transaction value
Was this a hostile acquisition?
Primary strategic rationale for acquisition
Are there regulatory approvals pending?
Define the overarching integration strategy and measurable objectives to guide all integration activities.
Integration approach
Full integration
Partial integration
Hold separate
Reverse integration
Other
Key integration objectives
Revenue synergies
Cost synergies
Technology integration
Market expansion
Talent retention
Culture alignment
Process standardization
Brand consolidation
Other
Describe the vision for combined entity in 12 months
Expected synergy realization timeline (months)
Target annual cost synergies
Target annual revenue synergies
Are there any 'no-go' integration areas?
Rate critical success factors
Not important | Slightly important | Moderately important | Very important | Critical | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Speed of integration | |||||
Employee retention | |||||
Customer retention | |||||
System integration | |||||
Cultural alignment | |||||
Regulatory compliance |
Establish the organizational framework and governance model for the integrated entity.
Post-integration reporting structure
Acquired entity reports to acquirer
Parallel reporting
Reverse reporting
New structure
TBD
Will the acquired entity retain its brand identity?
Will key executives from acquired entity stay?
Integration committee composition
Executive leadership
HR representatives
IT representatives
Finance representatives
Operations representatives
Legal representatives
External consultants
Other
Integration leader name
Integration management office (IMO) structure
IMO team size (number of members)
Will there be cross-functional integration workstreams?
Assess human capital implications and cultural integration challenges.
Total employees in acquired entity
Total employees in acquiring entity
Are there any unionized workforces?
Assess cultural alignment across dimensions
Very different | Different | Somewhat similar | Similar | Very similar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decision-making style | |||||
Communication style | |||||
Risk tolerance | |||||
Innovation focus | |||||
Work-life balance | |||||
Hierarchical structure | |||||
Performance orientation |
Will there be workforce reductions?
Are there key talent retention programs?
Compensation philosophy approach
Standardize to acquirer
Maintain acquired entity
Hybrid approach
Market-based new structure
TBD
HR integration priorities
Payroll integration
Benefits harmonization
Performance management alignment
Career path integration
Training program integration
Policy standardization
Other
Target date for HR systems integration
Are there expatriate employees involved?
Evaluate technology landscape and integration requirements.
Primary systems requiring integration
ERP
CRM
HRIS
Financial systems
Supply chain systems
Customer support systems
Data warehouse
Security systems
Other
Are systems compatible?
System integration approach
Rip and replace
Best of breed
Gradual migration
Parallel systems
Reverse migration
Other
Are there cybersecurity concerns?
Estimated IT integration budget
Target system cutover date
Are there data migration requirements?
Cloud infrastructure status
Both entities fully cloud
Acquirer cloud, target on-premise
Target cloud, acquirer on-premise
Both partially cloud
Both on-premise
Are there any technology licensing issues?
Rate system integration complexity
Very simple | Simple | Moderate | Complex | Very complex | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Data architecture | |||||
Application interfaces | |||||
Security protocols | |||||
User experience | |||||
Performance requirements | |||||
Compliance requirements |
Assess financial integration requirements and accounting implications.
Will there be chart of accounts consolidation?
Accounting method alignment
GAAP to GAAP
IFRS to IFRS
GAAP to IFRS
IFRS to GAAP
Local to international standards
Other
Are there transfer pricing considerations?
Annual procurement spend of acquired entity
Will there be treasury integration?
Number of legal entities to integrate
Are there any contingent liabilities?
Financial reporting timeline
Immediate consolidation
End of current quarter
End of current year
Next fiscal year
Other
Rate financial integration complexity (1-5)
Accounting standards alignment | |
Tax implications | |
Currency exposure | |
Intercompany eliminations | |
Audit requirements | |
Management reporting |
Evaluate customer-related integration impacts and market positioning.
Total number of customers (combined)
Number of overlapping customers
Are there customer concentration risks?
Brand strategy post-integration
Single brand
Dual brands
Acquired brand phased out
New brand created
Market-specific approach
TBD
Will pricing strategies be harmonized?
Customer-facing integration priorities
Contract consolidation
Billing system integration
Support channel integration
Loyalty program integration
Sales force integration
Service level alignment
Other
Are there channel partner conflicts?
Expected customer sentiment impact
Product quality perception | |
Service quality expectation | |
Brand loyalty impact | |
Pricing satisfaction | |
Overall satisfaction |
Target date for customer communication
Assess operational integration requirements and supply chain optimization opportunities.
Manufacturing footprint overlap
No overlap
Partial overlap
Complete overlap
Complementary facilities
TBD
Will there be facility consolidations?
Are there supplier overlaps?
Combined supplier base count
Procurement integration approach
Centralized
Decentralized
Hybrid
Category-based
TBD
Are there inventory management system differences?
Rate operational integration complexity
Very simple | Simple | Moderate | Complex | Very complex | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manufacturing processes | |||||
Quality systems | |||||
Safety standards | |||||
Environmental compliance | |||||
Logistics networks | |||||
Distribution channels |
Target for operational KPI alignment
Identify legal and regulatory considerations for the integration.
Regulatory approvals required
Antitrust
Foreign investment
Industry-specific
Data privacy
Environmental
Employment
Other
Are there pending litigations?
Are there intellectual property considerations?
Contract assignment requirements
Customer contracts
Supplier contracts
Employment contracts
Lease agreements
License agreements
Loan agreements
Other
Are there data privacy compliance requirements?
Number of jurisdictions involved
Are there any change of control clauses?
Regulatory approval deadline
Rate legal integration complexity (1-5)
Contract assignments | |
Regulatory compliance | |
Permit transfers | |
License renewals | |
Litigation exposure | |
IP integration |
Define communication strategies for all stakeholders throughout the integration.
Key stakeholder groups
Employees
Customers
Shareholders
Regulators
Media
Community
Suppliers
Channel partners
Industry analysts
Other
Communication tone for employees
Transparent and frequent
Conservative and limited
Business as usual
Transformation focused
TBD
Will there be town halls or all-hands meetings?
Key messages for customers
Is there a dedicated integration website?
Communication channels to use
Intranet
Town halls
Webinars
Social media
Press releases
Direct mail
SMS
Mobile app
Other
Are there any communication blackout periods?
Rate stakeholder concern level (1-5 stars)
Employee morale | |
Customer retention | |
Investor confidence | |
Supplier relationships | |
Regulatory relations | |
Media perception |
Designated spokesperson name
Identify and plan mitigation strategies for integration risks.
Top integration risks
Customer churn
Talent loss
System failures
Regulatory delays
Culture clashes
Cost overruns
Synergy shortfall
Operational disruption
Competitive response
Other
Risk impact assessment
Very low | Low | Medium | High | Very high | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Financial impact | |||||
Operational impact | |||||
Reputational impact | |||||
Regulatory impact | |||||
Customer impact | |||||
Employee impact |
Is there a formal risk management framework?
Describe contingency plans for top 3 risks
Are there insurance policies covering integration risks?
Next risk review date
Are there any 'deal-breaker' risks?
Overall integration confidence level (1-10)
Define key milestones and timeline for the integration process.
Integration kickoff date
Day 1 (close date)
100-day plan completion target
Full integration completion date
Is there a phased integration approach?
Key milestones tracker
Milestone | Target Date | Owner | Priority (1 = Low, 5 = Critical) | Critical Path | Dependencies | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Systems integration complete | 9/30/2025 | IT Director | Yes | Data migration | ||
HR policies aligned | 8/15/2025 | CHRO | Compensation review | |||
Are there hard deadlines for regulatory reasons?
Total integration program duration (months)
Define how integration success will be measured and monitored.
Primary success metrics
Synergy realization
Employee retention
Customer retention
System uptime
Cost savings
Revenue growth
Market share
Integration costs
Timeline adherence
Other
Will there be regular integration scorecards?
Define success criteria: Rate the outcome of this objective on a scale of 1–5.
Rating Key: 1: Below | 2: Meets | 3: Exceeds | 4: Significantly Exceeds | 5: Transformational
Employee engagement | |
Customer satisfaction | |
Financial performance | |
Operational efficiency | |
Cultural integration | |
Systems performance |
Target employee retention rate (%)
Target customer retention rate (%)
Target monthly cost savings by month 12
Will success metrics be linked to compensation?
First post-integration review date
Describe lessons learned capture process
Will there be external benchmarking?