M&A Due Diligence Documentation
Structure M&A and partnership due diligence with evaluation frameworks, risk assessment, and integration planning documentation.
Download this file and place it in your project folder to get started.
# 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."