What technology should we look at before an acquisition?
Short answer
Look at what you'd be inheriting: security incidents and risk, licensing and contracts that may not transfer, aging hardware, systems that won't integrate with yours, and who holds the passwords. Technology due diligence before signing prevents expensive surprises after closing, and gives you a realistic integration budget and timeline.
Draft · pending expert review
Technology rarely kills a deal, but it often surprises the budget afterward.
What to review
- Security: past incidents, current controls, and signs of compromise
- Licensing and contracts: what transfers, what renews, and what's out of compliance
- Hardware: age and replacement needs
- Systems: accounting, operations, and data, and whether they can integrate with yours
- Access: who holds admin credentials, domains, and vendor accounts
- People: who knows how things work, and whether they're staying
After closing
Plan day-one access, email, and security first; full integration can follow on a realistic schedule.