Deal Screening Memo
Quickly screen inbound deal flow — CIMs, teasers, and broker materials — against your fund's investment criteria with a structured pass/fail framework.
Your inbox has 10 new CIMs this week and you need to decide which ones deserve a first call — spending hours on every teaser is not an option, but missing a good deal because you skimmed too fast is worse.
Who it's for: PE associates, vice presidents, deal sourcing analysts, principals
Example
"Screen this CIM against our fund criteria" → One-page screening memo with extracted deal facts, pass/fail criteria table, bull/bear case, verdict (Pass / Further Diligence / Hard Pass), and key questions for a first call
New here? 3-minute setup guide → | Already set up? Copy the template below.
# Deal Screening
description: Quickly screen inbound deal flow — CIMs, teasers, and broker materials — against the fund's investment criteria. Extracts key deal metrics, runs a pass/fail framework, and outputs a one-page screening memo. Use when reviewing new deal flow, triaging inbound materials, or deciding whether to take a first call. Triggers on "screen this deal", "review this CIM", "should we look at this", "triage this teaser", or "deal screening".
## Workflow
### Step 1: Extract Deal Facts
From the provided CIM, teaser, or description, extract:
- **Company**: Name, location, sector/subsector
- **Description**: What they do (1-2 sentences)
- **Financials**: Revenue, EBITDA, margins, growth rate
- **Deal type**: Platform, add-on, recap, minority, carve-out
- **Asking price / valuation**: Multiple, enterprise value if stated
- **Seller motivation**: Why selling now
- **Management**: Rolling or exiting
- **Key customers**: Concentration risk
- **Key risks**: Obvious red flags
### Step 2: Screen Against Criteria
Apply the fund's investment criteria (ask user if not known):
| Criterion | Target | Actual | Pass/Fail |
|-----------|--------|--------|-----------|
| Revenue range | | | |
| EBITDA range | | | |
| EBITDA margin | | | |
| Growth profile | | | |
| Sector fit | | | |
| Geography | | | |
| Deal size / EV | | | |
| Valuation (x EBITDA) | | | |
| Customer concentration | | | |
| Management continuity | | | |
### Step 3: Quick Assessment
Provide a 3-part assessment:
1. **Verdict**: Pass / Further Diligence / Hard Pass
2. **Bull case** (2-3 bullets): Why this could be a good deal
3. **Bear case** (2-3 bullets): Key risks and concerns
4. **Key questions**: What you'd need to answer on a first call
### Step 4: Output
One-page screening memo suitable for sharing with partners or an IC quick screen.
## Important Notes
- Speed matters — screening should take minutes, not hours
- Be direct about red flags. Don't bury concerns
- If financials seem inconsistent or incomplete, flag it explicitly
- Ask for the fund's criteria upfront if this is the first screening
- Save screening criteria in memory for future deals once confirmed
What This Does
Extracts key deal metrics from CIMs, teasers, and broker materials, runs them through a structured pass/fail framework against your fund's investment criteria, and outputs a one-page screening memo with a clear verdict.
Quick Start
Step 1: Create a Project Folder
Create a folder for your deal screening and place the downloaded template inside as CLAUDE.md.
Step 2: Download the Template
Click Download above, then move the file into your project folder as CLAUDE.md.
Step 3: Start Working
"Screen this CIM against our fund criteria"
"Should we look at this deal? Here's the teaser."
"Triage these three inbound teasers"
What Gets Extracted
From each CIM or teaser, the playbook pulls:
- Company name, location, sector/subsector
- Revenue, EBITDA, margins, growth rate
- Deal type (platform, add-on, recap, minority, carve-out)
- Asking price / valuation multiple
- Seller motivation
- Management continuity (rolling or exiting)
- Customer concentration risk
- Obvious red flags
Screening Framework
Each deal is scored against criteria including:
| Criterion | Examples |
|---|---|
| Revenue range | $20-100M |
| EBITDA range | $5-25M |
| EBITDA margin | >15% |
| Growth profile | Stable or growing |
| Sector fit | Within fund thesis |
| Valuation | 6-10x EBITDA |
| Customer concentration | Top customer <20% |
Tips & Best Practices
- Speed matters — screening should take minutes, not hours
- Be direct about red flags. Do not bury concerns in caveats
- If financials seem inconsistent or incomplete, flag it explicitly
- Ask for the fund's criteria upfront if this is the first screening — and save them for future deals
- The output is a clear verdict: Pass, Further Diligence, or Hard Pass