Mergers and acquisitions can be complex and challenging. Many people are involved in M&A transactions, lawyers sometimes develop complicated legal and tax structures, and the financial terms and calculations are another issue. To make it easier for you, here is a brief introduction to some of the M&A terms. Have fun!

Understanding mergers and acquisitions is difficult because an M&A transaction can be complex, lengthy, and include many people. Nevertheless, you usually follow five steps from the beginning to the end in the M&A process map. Like with other stage-gate techniques, having a no-go decision that stops the project earlier is not unusual. Not all M&A transactions help you achieve your goals. Saying "No" to a target is sometimes the better decision. Have fun reading more about M&A process tips from my transactions.

After you acquire another company, it is crucial to start as soon as possible with the alignment of the reporting. This is sometimes difficult because reporting systems and types of management reporting can be very different between the companies. The integration begins with the accounting standards, continues with the reporting of actuals with a comparison and variance analysis to plans, and also includes forecasting and budgeting. Have fun reading some tips from my M&A transactions.

Are we ready for M&A? This is the question that CEOs often ask before the company starts with M&A activities. The M&A readiness assessment is not easy and depends on the specific reasons and goals of your company that you want to achieve, but there are a few topics you can check to see whether your company is prepared for an M&A transaction. Have fun with my article with tips for an M&A readiness checklist.

There are different reasons for M&A transactions, but often the acquirer believes that they can improve the financial performance of the target company. To achieve those results, companies develop a business case that includes operational and financial improvements. Here are a few tips from my M&A projects that will help you to successfully calculate and implement those plans.

Cash is King - This is a general rule in financial management and also applies to the post-merger phase of an M&A transaction. Understanding the details of the target company's cash flow, implementing tools for better cash flow forecasting, and using synergies are critical to successfully integrating cash flow management. Have fun reading more in this article about tips from my M&A transactions.

Post-merger integration is a crucial time in the M&A process. It makes M&A transactions successful or not. One of the important topics for synergies is the purchasing function. Companies can achieve savings of 5% or more in their annual spending if they approach it correctly. Use the power of higher volumes, improve supplier selection and relationship management, utilize economies of scale to invest in the IT infrastructure, and find the best negotiators. You can make it work whether you have a centralized or decentralized organizational structure. Have fun reading more about those topics in my article.

There will be change. That’s for sure in the post-merger period of an M&A deal. The better we manage those changes, the more successful the integration will be. Change management is a crucial element in this integration. Focus on the reasons for the change, include people from different areas and companies, and focus on the opportunities. You will not only make the integration successful, but you will also have created an approach that works in the future when you need to implement other changes. Have fun reading my article with more ideas on how you can make change management successful.