Finance workstreams for the first 100 days post-acquisition — chart of accounts alignment, treasury consolidation, payroll integration and combined reporting.
Day 1 Readiness (Financial)
- Bank account access securedSignatories updated on acquired entity’s accounts on day one; dual authorisation controls applied.
- Cash position establishedBalance across all acquired entity accounts confirmed and reported to acquirer’s CFO.
- Payroll: next run identifiedNext payroll run dates confirmed; payroll provider engaged; any immediate changes to headcount processed.
- Urgent accounts payable identifiedAny supplier payments due in the first week identified; approval process confirmed for immediate payments.
- Financial system access grantedFinance team has at minimum read access to acquired entity’s accounting system from day one.
- Legal entity status confirmedEntity confirmed active with no outstanding statutory filings, compliance issues, or undisclosed liabilities.
Financial Reporting Integration (Days 1–30)
- Chart of accounts mappedAcquired entity nominal codes aligned to acquirer’s chart of accounts; mapping document approved.
- Reporting pack template sharedAcquired entity produces first combined management accounts using acquirer’s template and format.
- Intercompany transactions identifiedAll intragroup sales, loans, and recharges identified and recorded consistently across both entities.
- Revenue recognition policies reviewed and alignedWhere policies differ, accounting treatment agreed and adjustments made; auditors notified if material.
- Fixed asset register transferredAcquired entity FAR aligned to acquirer’s depreciation policies; differences in useful lives resolved.
- Opening balance sheet preparedBalance sheet at acquisition date prepared; purchase price allocation initiated with appropriate advisers.
Treasury & Controls Integration (Days 30–60)
- Bank accounts consolidated or closedAcquired entity accounts consolidated into group treasury structure or closed per treasury policy.
- Payment controls appliedDual authorisation and payment limits applied to acquired entity; old payment signatories removed.
- Expense policy communicatedAcquired entity employees briefed on new expense approval process, card policy, and reimbursement timeline.
- Payroll migration progressedOnto acquirer’s payroll system; or parallel payroll confirmed as temporary with migration timeline agreed.
- Insurance reviewedAcquired entity’s insurance policies reviewed; combined or transferred onto group policy where appropriate.
Tax & Legal Integration (Days 60–100)
- VAT group treatment assessedWhether acquired entity should join acquirer’s VAT group registration reviewed with tax adviser.
- Transfer pricing documentedIntragroup charges documented; commercial rates confirmed; transfer pricing policy applied consistently.
- Corporation tax obligations reviewedFiling obligations for acquired entity reviewed; tax agent authority transferred to acquirer’s adviser if required.
- Lease commitments disclosedAcquired entity’s lease obligations disclosed; IFRS 16 treatment confirmed and right-of-use assets recognised.
- Employee benefits reviewedAcquired entity pension scheme reviewed; auto-enrolment compliance and staging dates confirmed.
Synergy Tracking (Days 1–100)
- Cost synergy register establishedEach synergy item logged with named owner, expected saving amount, and delivery timeline.
- Revenue synergy pipeline trackedCross-sell opportunities identified from both customer bases; pipeline added to CRM with owner assigned.
- Integration costs logged separatelyOne-off integration costs coded separately in the P&L; identifiable for adjusted EBITDA reporting to investors.
- First combined board report producedIntegration progress reported to board at Day 30 and Day 100; synergy tracking included in board pack.
