# IT carve-out: plan the separation, exit the TSA, reach Day 1 safely

> **In short:** An IT carve-out is the technical and organisational separation of a business unit from the seller's IT. It covers the separation concept, the transitional service agreement (TSA), Day 1 readiness, data migration and building a standalone IT.

## The problem

After signing the clock starts: the TSA costs money every month, the seller wants out, and licences, data and contracts are tied to the old group.

## What you get

- Separation concept with target architecture, dependencies and critical path
- TSA scope, durations and an exit plan per service
- Tendering and steering of IT service providers
- Day 1 readiness with cutover plan and fallbacks
- Interim IT setup and handover to the new organisation

## How it works

1. **Inventory:** Systems, contracts, licences, data and people that depend on the seller.
2. **Separation concept:** Target picture, TSA cut, one-time and run-rate IT cost, decision papers.
3. **Transition:** Tendering, provider steering, migration, cutover rehearsals and Day 1.
4. **TSA exit:** Service by service out of the TSA, with fixed acceptance and cost control.

**Duration:** 3 to 12 months  
**Commercial model:** Day rates or fixed price per phase

## Frequently asked questions

### When should an IT carve-out start?

Before signing. Whoever maps the IT dependencies only after signing negotiates the TSA blind and pays for it in duration and price.

### What is the most common mistake?

Licences. ERP and Microsoft licences often cannot simply be transferred. That belongs in the negotiation early, not in the cutover.

### What sets you apart from other carve-out advisors?

We build missing tools ourselves: separation cockpits, quoting or billing solutions that used to sit with the group are built in parallel within weeks. We call it the Carve-out Accelerator.

### Do you work for buyers or sellers?

Mostly for buyers and the separated business, on request also for private equity investors during preparation.