Post-Merger Integration (PMI) Checklist

This workflow is designed to walk you through every stage of the post-merger integration process from pre-planning to post-mortem. 

At the latest, this workflow should be run prior to closing while the pre-deal due diligence is still in progress. 

Details in the first two sections that should be decided well in advance are included here for documentation purposes.

For added efficiency, this workflow can be run as soon as negotiations commence to record information as it’s decided. 

INFO: For step-by-step guidance on creating, editing, managing, and running workflows, read Getting Started with Process Street: The 5 Stages of Process Building.

Record the principle details of the post-merger integration process. 

The following task uses Conditional Logic. To learn more about Conditional Logic, read about it in our Knowledge Base or watch the tutorial below.

INFO: If yes is selected, then an additional task will appear to enter the external advisors’ information.

If no is selected, then that task will automatically be skipped.

Provide the relevant details for all external advisors involved in the PMI process. 

INFO: If you want to add or change the form fields in this task, read our guide on using form fields in the Knowledge Base. 

Complete this task once the decision has been made to proceed with the deal. 

INFO: How Do Subtasks Work?

INFO: This section contains an Approval task. Read our Approvals Guide in the Knowledge Base for details on this feature.

The details of your M&A strategy should be clarified at least 3 months before the deal closes. 

Document all assumptions, priorities, targets, and risks in this task. 

Include all items that may be possible, even if they don’t seem to be likely.

Document your solutions to the potential strategy issues. 

In the Integration Planning section, you will be directed to create concrete plans for these issues. 

This task will provide the framework for your integration strategy by clarifying the PMI process. 

Senior executives must agree and formalize on the PMI guiding principles.

INFO: The Approval feature in the following task should be used to ensure all the relevant individuals are informed and approve of the agreed principles. 

Provide the names and contact information of the individuals who will be performing key leadership roles during the PMI process.

PMI Best Practice: Include team members from both Buyer and Target organizations to ensure appropriate knowledge, skills, and expertise of systems and assets is utilized.

Members of the Integration Steering Group are responsible for providing guidance and direction during the PMI process. 

The Integration Management Office (IMO) is the central coordination point for all teams.

All additional teams should be organized by one of the below:

• function
• business unit
• product line 
• process ownership
• geographical location

Use this task to document the specific roles, responsibilities, sequence, and goals for each team during the PMI. 

INFO: To further add, edit, or customize this task, read our guide on How to Edit Workflows. 

During the IMO kickoff meeting, clearly define the boundaries for integration work. This ensures that responsibility overlap is minimized and efficient coordination is fostered. 

This meeting will lay the necessary groundwork for all activities that following during the PMI process. 

Confirm that all the individuals listed below are in attendance. 

Meeting Itinerary

Best Practice: Retention efforts for key personnel should begin before the deal is formally closed. 

Your staffing and retention plans will determine the direction of your company as well as your workforce’s perception of company values. 

It is not uncommon for employees at both the Buyer and Target company to choose to leave during an M&A. 

Mergers and acquisitions are emotionally charged experiences for employees. To successfully merge workforces and retain key individuals, be sure to address their emotional and psychological needs.

INFO: This task uses Conditional Logic. To learn more, read our guide on Conditional Logic. 

Complete the following tasks in order to develop an effective assessment of your future staffing needs:

Your risk management plan should include the following:

• Objectives
• Risk identification
• Risk assessment
• Response strategy
• Monitoring method

INFO: For further guidance on risk management, consult these resources:

The Ultimate Risk Management Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Why You Need a Risk Management Process (+ Free Template)
How to Prevent Project Failure With a Risk Register
Risk Management Process Template

Remember that what is best for everyone is not necessarily what’s best for a specific individual.

Your culture integration plan should focus solely on mission-critical items. 

Do not get sidetracked trying to meet every individual preference. 

A detailed integration communication plan will:

• Reduce employee anxiety and cynicism
• Protect Buyer’s credibility
• Prevent top management from being accused of reneging on promises

Best Practice: Your communication plan needs to be clear, honest, realistic, and transparent. Do not overpromise or preemptively announce successes.

Use this task to outline how and when major resources, assets, and processes will be combined.

This plan needs to provide clarity so that the work seems both logical and achievable. 

A good project integration plan will align with employee expectations and facilitate employee optimism. 

This section will take place starting on Day One and lasting through Day 100 (or longer depending on individual situations). 

During integration execution, it is vital to continuously evaluate and take stock of progress and success metrics. If targets and goals are not being met, you may need to adjust your strategy to accommodate. 

Complete this task once you have executed your Day One plans. 

Best Practice: Remember to ruthlessly prioritize the critical few to maintain momentum.

Best Practice: Ensure financial synergies are prioritized during integration.

Once the merger has been completed, conduct a post-mortem merger examination to evaluate what was successful, any mistakes or obstacles, and what could have been done differently. 

Congratulations! You’ve successfully completed your post-merger integration!

• BCG: Post-Merger Integration
• DealRoom: Biggest Post-Merger Integration Challenges & How to Overcome Them
• DealRoom: The Ultimate Guide to Post-Merger (M&A) Integration Process
• DealRoom: Top 5 Reasons of M&A Integration Failures & How to Prevent Them
• Deloitte: M&A Integration/Separation/Divestiture Checklist for Day One Readiness
• HBR: Don’t Make This Common M&A Mistake
• HBR: The Big Idea: The New M&A Playbook
• IPM: A Matter of Approach: Avoiding M&A Pitfalls
• JITTA: A Framework for Understanding Post-Merger Information Systems Integration
• John Wiley & Sons: M&A Information Technology Best Practices, Appendix B
• Journal of Organization Design: Post-Merger Integration
• LHH: The Seven Worst M&A Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
• M&A Science: Common M&A Pitfalls and Problems
• McKinsey & Company: A Blueprint for M&A Success
• McKinsey & Company: M&A Strategy & Due Diligence
• McKinsey & Company: The Six Types of Successful Acquisitions
• Midaxo: M&A Guide: Integration
• Priori Legal: M&A Due Diligence Checklist
• Pritchett, LP: M&A Integration Strategy and Guiding Principles
• Pritchett, LP: The 5 Critical Elements of an M&A Integration Plan
• Process Street: 8 Critical Change Management Models to Evolve and Survive
• Process Street: How to Make a Change Management Strategy (and Defuse the Growth Time Bomb)
• Process Street: How to Prevent Project Failure With a Risk Register
• Process Street: Prioritization Matrix 101: What, How & Why? (Free Template)
• Process Street: Risk Mitigation: What It Is and How to Implement It (Free Templates)
• Process Street: The Ultimate Risk Management Guide: Everything You Need to Know
• Process Street: Why You Need a Risk Management Process (+ Free Template)
• Red Rocket: Preparing for a Due Diligence Process
• SmartSheet: The Ultimate Guide to the M&A Process for Buyers and Sellers
• Thomson Reuters: Information Exchange and Integration Planning in M&A: Antitrust

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