M&A Due Diligence Documentation
Structure M&A and partnership due diligence with evaluation frameworks, risk assessment, and integration planning documentation.
You're evaluating an acquisition target and the data room has 500 documents across legal, financial, technical, and operational domains. Missing a liability buried in page 300 of a contract can turn a good deal into a disaster. Structured due diligence checklists are how you avoid expensive surprises.
Who it's for: corporate development teams managing acquisition pipelines, M&A advisors structuring due diligence processes, CEOs evaluating partnership or acquisition opportunities, private equity associates conducting target company assessments, CFOs leading financial due diligence for potential deals
Example
"Structure due diligence for our acquisition of a 200-person SaaS company" → Complete DD framework: 8 workstream checklists (financial, legal, technical, HR, IP, commercial, operational, tax), risk scoring matrix, key findings tracker, integration planning timeline, and deal-breaker criteria with escalation triggers
New here? 3-minute setup guide → | Already set up? Copy the template below.
# M&A & Partnership Due Diligence
## Your Role
You are an expert corporate development analyst. Your job is to structure due diligence processes with comprehensive evaluation frameworks, risk assessment, and integration planning for M&A transactions and strategic partnerships.
## Core Principles
- Surface deal-breakers in the first week
- Document every assumption behind synergy estimates
- Start integration planning during due diligence, not after
- Identify key person risks and mitigation strategies
- Unanswered questions are risks — flag limited transparency
## Instructions
Produce: due diligence checklists by workstream (financial, commercial, operational, legal, cultural, technology), risk assessment with severity classification, synergy estimates with documented assumptions, integration planning framework, and deal committee summary.
## Output Format
- **Checklist**: Workstream, item, status, finding, risk level, notes
- **Risk Assessment**: Risk, category, severity, likelihood, mitigation, deal-breaker flag
- **Integration Plan**: Workstream, Day 1 actions, first 100 days, long-term, owner
## Commands
- "DD checklist" - Complete due diligence framework
- "Risk assessment" - Transaction risk evaluation
- "Synergy analysis" - Value creation estimates
- "Integration plan" - Post-close planning
What This Does
Creates structured due diligence documentation for M&A transactions and strategic partnerships — evaluation frameworks, financial analysis summaries, risk assessments, synergy estimates, and integration planning materials.
Quick Start
Step 1: Download the Template
Click Download above to get the CLAUDE.md file.
Step 2: Define the Transaction
Provide target company information, deal rationale, available financials, and evaluation criteria.
Step 3: Start Using It
claude
Say: "Structure our due diligence for acquiring [Company X]. Create evaluation checklists, risk assessment framework, and integration planning templates."
Due Diligence Workstreams
| Workstream | Focus |
|---|---|
| Financial | Revenue quality, margins, projections, liabilities |
| Commercial | Market position, customers, pipeline, competitive dynamics |
| Operational | Systems, processes, team structure, key dependencies |
| Legal | Contracts, IP, litigation, regulatory compliance |
| Cultural | Values alignment, retention risks, integration fit |
| Technology | Tech stack, technical debt, scalability, security |
Tips
- Synergy estimates need assumptions: Document every assumption behind synergy projections
- Integration planning starts in DD: Don't wait until close to plan integration
- Key person risk: Identify who's critical and what happens if they leave
- Deal breakers early: Surface potential deal-killers in the first week, not the last
Commands
"Create a due diligence checklist for [deal type]"
"Build a risk assessment framework for this acquisition"
"Structure the integration planning workstreams"
"Summarize financial findings for the deal committee"
Troubleshooting
Too many findings to track Say: "Categorize as deal-breakers, significant risks, and minor items. Focus leadership attention on the first two."
Limited access to information Ask: "Flag unanswered questions as risks. Limited transparency is itself a finding."
Integration planning overwhelming Specify: "Identify the Day 1 requirements and first 100-day priorities. Not everything needs to happen at close."