How Do I Create a Merger Timeline?

Mergers timelines help move handshake agreements to integration success.

Successful companies expand their profits and sales by implementing growth strategies. Expansion can occur through organic growth or through a merger with another company. Combining two companies can be a daunting task due to the complexity of financial, personnel and physical migration requirements that are often involved. The best way to minimize disruptions and help create a smooth transition is by creating a detailed merger timeline.

Instructions

1. Pinpoint important merger dates. Look for contractually obligated dates, regulatory agency date requirements and business cycle dates such as quarterly reporting needs. After identifying firm dates, determine helpful guide point dates for items such as employee-related migrations for insurance, production management transfer dates and physical move goals.

2. Draw a physical timeline on paper and then transfer it to a computer-based program. You can opt for timeline specific software, project management software or a standard office productivity software product to create your timeline. The goal is to create a document that can be shared with multiple parties and which reduces any confusion that may be caused by handwritten documents.

3. Add identified dates to your timeline. Highlight firm dates in one color and in a bold font to help them quickly stand out. Utilize a color-based system to highlight other groups of dates by categories such as employee-related dates, financial-related dates and technology-related dates.

4. Append additional dates for projected intermediary requirements necessary to meet the large date-specific requirements. Obtain these dates from department heads and others who will perform the merger work.

5. Create breakout merger timelines. Make separate merger timelines that can be distributed according to functional need. For example, provide a merger timeline for information technology requirements, for financial requirements and for human resource tasks. These separate timelines will aid departments by allowing them to quickly assess their merger requirements and deadlines.

6. Adjust the dates as the merger progresses to maintain an up-to-date reference that can help ensure a smooth transition process. If possible, integrate your merger timeline data into your company's calendar system or workforce management tool to ensure that all parties have visible reminders of merger timeline requirements.

References

• BNET: How to Execute a Merger
• AJC: How to Merge Two Firms into One--the Right Way
• Investopedia: Mergers and Acquisitions Introduction