How to prepare your MSP for sale: a checklist

Getting your MSP ready to sell

You don’t need to do all of this before your first conversation with a buyer. But the more of it is done, the smoother the sale, and much of it helps your valuation too.

Financials

• Profit and loss statements for the last few years, prepared by your accountant if possible.
• Business and personal spending kept separate.
• Revenue split into monthly recurring, projects and hardware.
• Billing up to date: no clients being under-billed or forgotten.

Clients and agreements

• A client list with monthly revenue per client and how long each has been with you.
• A signed, current agreement for every managed client.
• Clear notes on what each agreement includes and any special arrangements.
• Check whether your agreements can be moved to a new owner.

Documentation

• Network diagrams and setup notes for each client.
• Passwords and admin accounts in a secure password manager, not in someone’s head.
• Your procedures written down: onboarding, backups, patching and how you handle tickets.

Tools, vendors and licenses

• A list of your tools and who owns each account (you or the client).
• Vendor and distributor accounts, with renewal dates.
• Software licenses and subscriptions per client.

Your team

• Who does what, and what each person knows that nobody else does.
• Key client relationships shared across more than one person.
• Employment details ready to share with a buyer when the time is right.

You

• Fewer things that only you can do.
• A clear idea of what you want: price, timing, your role after the sale.
• An accountant and business attorney lined up.

Security in your own shop

• Multi-factor sign-in on every admin and remote-access account.
• Backups of your own systems, tested to make sure they can be restored.
• Staff accounts and access reviewed, with old accounts removed.