How to Use the Synergy Tracker

Synergies represent the anticipated financial benefits that arise from M&A, such as cost reductions, revenue enhancements, and process improvements. Tracking and managing these synergies is crucial for realizing the full potential of a deal. This Synergy tracking methodology is developed in collaboration with our partner, Slalom. In this article, we'll explore how the DealRoom's Synergy Tracker feature enables you to efficiently track and manage these value drivers, ensuring that you can realize the expected benefits.

Note: Only Admins will have access to Synergies by default. Other groups can be granted access by Admins in the Permissions tab.

First, to enable Synergies in your Deal Room, follow these steps:
Navigate to the Settings tab at the top right.
From the left menu, select Synergies.
Click the toggle button next to "Enable synergy tracking for this room".
Choose the date range in quarters for which you would like to track synergies.



Once enabled, the Synergies tab will appear at the top of your screen. Selecting this tab will initially show an empty workspace where you can begin creating synergies.

Tip: If you prefer to start with a basic template containing dummy data, contact our support team or your Customer Success Manager (CSM) to enable predefined synergy examples for you in your room.

Creating Synergies

Navigate to the Synergies tab at the top.
Click the plus icon next to Synergies on the left side of the screen to create a new list.
Name your list (e.g., Cost synergies, Revenue synergies, etc.).
To add a new synergy, click the New Value Driver button in the top right corner.



A side panel will open. Specify the title of the Value driver, select the Synergies List it should belong to, and then use the plus icon to select which Requests enable this synergy.

Synergies Custom Fields

You can add customized fields for your synergies that you'd like to track, and even add customizations like color to help streamline efficiency. To create custom fields for synergies, follow these steps:

There are two types of custom fields listed for synergies in DealRoom.
Synergies: This is for information that you want to track in relation to the value drivers themselves (e.g., Value Driver L2, Description, Accountable, Effort, Timing).
Synergies (Tracking): This is for information you want to track in relation to time and monetary value, such as actual values that are planned or achieved during the specified time frame. This information will be repeatedly tracked each quarter (e.g., Target $, Cost to achieve $, Actual $, Custom Date).

To create a custom field:

Navigate to the Settings tab in the left menu.
Click the Custom Fields tab from the top.
Select the Synergies or Synergies (Tracking) tab.
To create a new custom field, click the Add field + button.
Enter the field label and select the field type.
Click Save.
To edit an existing custom field, hover over it and select the Edit button.



Once your custom fields are created, you can edit them by simply clicking on the fields in the Synergies table in DealRoom and adding the information.

Controlling Access to Synergies with Permissions

Since certain data pertaining to synergies can be sensitive, in DealRoom admins can control each group's level of access to synergy data. To set up a groups permissions, follow these steps:

Navigate to the Permissions tab at the top.
Select the group from the left menu.
Click the Synergies tab from the different permission tabs. (i.e. File Permissions, Request Permissions, Synergies).
Choose the level of access this group has to the Synergies and Synergies (Tracking) fields. The options are No access, View Only, View + Edit.



Tip: By default, groups will have no access to Synergies until their permissions are changed.

BI Reporting on Synergies

BI reporting for Synergies in DealRoom provides valuable insights and a clear overview of your synergy achievements and progress. With advanced analytics and visualizations, you can track performance against targets, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to maximize the benefits of your merger or acquisition. This comprehensive reporting helps ensure accountability, improves transparency, and facilitates better strategic planning, ultimately driving the success of your integration efforts.

Note: Only plans with access to the Pipeline will have the BI reporting feature.

Some examples of reports you can create:

To begin creating reports:

Navigate to the Reports tab.
Click the 3 dot menu in the top right corner. From the dropdown, click Edit dashboard.
From the top blue nav bar, click the Add button and then select Visualization.
From the Explore mode, click Synergies to begin creating reports on this data.



If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team.

Relevant Articles:

BI Reporting Overview
How to create a simple BI report?

Updated on: 11/09/2024