Editorial draft available to read. Factual and language review is pending. Examples are illustrative.
Decision and method
Define a handover package before marking an opportunity as won. It should contain accepted scope, proposal version, operational contacts, milestones, dependencies and unresolved matters. Distinguish commercial acceptance from readiness to execute: a sale can be closed while still requiring essential information before delivery work can begin safely.
Illustrative example
Illustrative example: an integration connecting two systems is sold, but access to the customer's test environment is missing. Operations receives the accepted scope and records access as a dependency. An internal start date does not automatically become a delivery promise before the team reviews this practical blocker.
Acceptance check
Simulate handover with someone who did not participate in the sale. They should explain deliverables, boundaries and next steps. Check later scope changes and preserve their approval. Accept the process when operations acknowledges receipt, names an owner and distinguishes accepted commitments from expectations that have not yet been agreed.
Key takeaways
- Closing a sale should start a verifiable handover with explicit scope and dependencies.