Mutual close plan template
A mutual close plan, also called a mutual action plan, is a shared list of every step between today and a signed contract, with an owner and a date on each, agreed by the seller and the buyer. It turns "we'll get back to you" into a plan both sides can see slipping.
- Who owns it
- The AE writes the first draft. The champion edits it until it's theirs.
- When to use it
- After discovery, once the buyer has agreed there's a problem worth solving
- When a deal has more than two people who need to say yes
- When the buyer names a date they need to be live by
The template
| Step | Owner | By | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agree the problem and how we'll measure success | Marcus (Northwind), Sam (AE) | Week 1 | Done |
| Demo for the operations team | Sam, your SC | Week 2 | Done |
| Technical scoping and integration review | Raj (Northwind IT), your SC | Week 3 | Done |
| Business case shared with finance | Marcus | Week 3 | In progress |
| Security questionnaire returned | Your security lead | Week 4 | Not started |
| Commercial proposal reviewed | Helen (CFO), Sam | Week 5 | Not started |
| Legal review of the contract and DPA | Northwind legal | Week 6 | Not started |
| Supplier set-up with procurement | Northwind procurement | Week 7 | Not started |
| Contract signed | Helen | Week 7 | Not started |
| Kick-off, with a go-live date | Both customer success teams | Week 8 | Not started |
Northwind and the people in it are made up. Start from the buyer's go-live date and work backwards.
What good looks like
- Every step has one named owner, and half of them are on the buyer's side
- Dates are worked back from the date the buyer needs to be live, not forward from today
- Legal, security and procurement are on it from the first draft, not discovered in week six
- The buyer has edited it. If only you have touched it, it's your forecast, not their plan
In a Deal Room
In a Deal Room the close plan is live: either side ticks a step off, owners are reminded when a date is near, and your AE is told when a step slips. Each stakeholder can be posted a printed copy with a QR that opens the plan.