What is Close Plan Checklist?
A close plan checklist turns the vague notion of "getting to signature" into a concrete, dated list nobody can forget a step of.
Its value is completeness: the steps reps skip, security review, procurement, are exactly the ones that ambush deals late, so listing them all is the point.
Short answer
A close plan checklist is the ordered list of every step required to move a deal from verbal commitment to signed contract, each with an owner and a date. It typically covers technical validation, business case approval, legal and security review, procurement, and final sign-off. Making these steps explicit prevents the late surprises that cause complex deals to slip.
Key takeaways
- Ordered steps from verbal yes to signature.
- Each step has an owner and a date.
- Covers legal, security, procurement, and sign-off.
- Prevents late surprises that cause slippage.
Why it matters
Complex deals slip on forgotten steps. A close plan checklist forces every step into the open with an owner and date, so the close date reflects the real path rather than an optimistic guess.
How Ardovo handles it
Ardovo provides a close plan checklist on the deal with owners and dates, and Rook nudges owners on overdue steps and warns when a slipping item threatens the close date, so nothing on the path to signature is missed.
Frequently asked questions
What goes in a close plan checklist?
Every step from verbal yes to signature, each with an owner and date: technical validation, business case approval, legal and security review, procurement, and final sign-off. The steps reps commonly skip are the most important to include.
Why use a close plan checklist?
Because complex deals slip on forgotten steps. Making every step explicit with an owner and date surfaces hidden work like procurement early, so the close date reflects the real path and nothing ambushes the deal late.
Should the buyer see the close plan checklist?
Yes. A mutual, buyer-facing checklist surfaces the buyer's internal steps and gives your champion a tool to drive the deal. Deals run from a shared checklist slip far less than those run from the seller's head.