30–60–90 Implementation Plan — Go Live Without the Drama

Small sprints, big outcome (cape not included).

If month-end is a cliff, the solution isn’t a bigger parachute—it’s a better path. A well-designed 30–60–90 implementation plan turns ambition into habits you can ship: a shorter close, cleaner consolidation, and disclosures that stand up to audit. This playbook lays out the workstreams, owners, and checkpoints to move from “we should” to “we did,” borrowing proven routines from your close acceleration, intercompany, FX translation, data governance, and disclosure management posts. Follow the plan and your first go-live will feel uneventful—in the best way.

Guiding principles for the 90 days

• Ship value every 30 days: Each phase ends with a visible change (not just a slide).
• One source per domain: Reuse governance assets for COA, entities, hierarchies, and rates.
• Exceptions over everything: Cockpit views show late/aged items, not vanity metrics.
• Materiality first: Tune validations and approvals to focus on impact (fewer false alarms).
• Evidence travels with numbers: Attach proof to tasks and journals by rule (future-you applauds).

So what? These rules prevent gold-plating and keep momentum high.

Workstreams × deliverables (table)

So what? Everyone knows their lane and the tangible thing they must ship.

The 30–60–90 plan in detail

Days 0–30 — Stabilise the rails. Publish the close calendar and SLAs. Roll out the standard TB template with code/rate validations. Approve IC policy (cut-off, currency, materiality). Treasury publishes a stamped rate pack. Stand up a simple cockpit for submissions, validations, and exceptions. Link the top 20 numeric references in disclosures to the consolidation cube. Choose two KPIs: close days and % tasks on time. (Start small; momentum beats magnificence.)

Days 31–60 — Streamline the routine. Add weekly pre-close checks and a Day −2 dry-run consolidation per period. Enable IC confirmations by counterparty pair with owners and SLAs. Embed journal types, evidence rules, and materiality routes (see auditor-ready adjustments). Introduce the CTA walk slide to variance packs. Expand disclosure redlines and one-click compile for draft.

Days 61–90 — Scale and lock. Roll cockpit, validations, and IC routines to all entities. Introduce period-specific hierarchies and ownership effective dates (tie to consolidation methods). Automate nudges for aged exceptions. Lock the “rate pack publish by Day −2” rule. Move disclosures to final compile and lock post sign-off with a reopen protocol. Baseline KPIs and set Q-over-Q targets.

So what? Three sprints convert process debt into operating rhythm.

Stakeholder talk tracks

CFO: “Time back for analysis.” — We cut days by moving work earlier and tuning materiality; KPIs show on-time completion and dry-run vs final variance.

Group Controller: “Fewer late journals.” — Standard journal types + evidence + SLAs; the cockpit routes exceptions before Day 0 (bliss).

IT/Data: “No bespoke monsters.” — Rules live in metadata; masters come from governance; integrations are predictable (vintage is great for wine, not ledgers).

Audit: “Show the control.” — Evidence sits with entries; rate packs are timestamped; redlines and approvals are first-class. Sampling speeds up because the trail exists.

So what? Clear messages secure air cover and adoption.

Objections & responses + real-world moments

• Objection: “We can’t change everything in 90 days.” — Response: We aren’t. We’re changing the 20% that removes 80% of friction.
• Objection: “Weekly checkpoints add meetings.” — Response: Exceptions-only, 20 minutes, three metrics. Less panic later.
• Objection: “Edge cases will break the flow.” — Response: Keep an escalation lane; design for the common path first.

• Late TB Wednesday: Amber tile; auto-nudge; Day −2 dry-run still executes.
• FX jump Friday: Rate pack republishes with timestamp; CTA walk updates; narrative holds.
• IC pricing dispute: Ticket with evidence; owners resolve pre-Day 0; true-up posted.
• Ownership step-up: Intake triggers method checklist; period-specific hierarchy switches automatically.

So what? Typical “gotchas” become quick tasks with owners and due times.

Pitfalls → fixes

Pitfall 1: Designing in slides, not systems.
Fix: Ship in the cockpit every 30 days; if it isn’t live, it isn’t done.

Pitfall 2: Validations that cry wolf.
Fix: Tier checks (hard fail vs soft warn); review false positives monthly.

Pitfall 3: Evidence scattered.
Fix: “No proof, no post” for journals and disclosures.

Pitfall 4: Everything is a priority.
Fix: Use materiality gates and ageing-based escalation.

Pitfall 5: Success undefined.
Fix: Set two KPIs per phase and publish the baseline on Day 30.

So what? Guardrails keep the plan useful rather than ornamental.

RACI snapshot (table)

So what? Named owners shorten decision time and avoid “who’s on first?” moments.

Metric that matters

Variance between dry-run (Day −2) and final close. Track count and absolute value of changes, split by root cause (IC, FX, journals, mapping). Pair with % on-time tasks and exceptions aged >3 days. Healthy implementations show shrinking variance, rising on-time completion, and fewer aged items. If the KPI stalls, check rate pack timing, IC confirmations, and validation noise first.

So what? When rehearsal matches showtime, the process is working.

Plan the work, ship the rails, enjoy the calm.

Commit to three sprints: stabilise, streamline, scale. Publish the calendar, run weekly pre-close, and make evidence part of the workflow. Link the cockpit, intercompany, FX, governance, and disclosures so changes propagate cleanly. In 90 days, “go live” feels ordinary—and month-end finally does too.

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