## 1. Cutover Decision **Decision: CONDITIONAL GO for preparation; BLOCK full payroll cutover and old-platform restriction.** One calculation test does not prove payroll, payment, tax, access, support, or record continuity. Keep the old platform active until parallel rehearsal passes. ## 2. Change Scope and Evidence **Scope:** Replace payroll and HR for 420 employees on 1 October. **Confirmed** - Employee records imported - One calculation test completed - Old-provider contract ends 15 October **Reported, not evidenced** - The target can run the first live payroll alone **Unknown** - Benefits, expenses, tax, bank, time, contractors, and exceptions - Identity, approvals, records, support, and rollback authority ## 3. Dependency and Impact Map | Area | Evidence | Status | |---|---|---| | Employee data | Import reported | Partial | | Payroll calculation | One test | Partial | | Benefits and expenses | None | Unknown | | Tax and bank files | None | Blocked | | Time and contractors | None | Unknown | | Identity and approvals | None | Unknown | | Historical payslips | None | Unknown | | Fallback | Contract deadline only | At risk | ## 4. Readiness Assessment **Ready** - Population, platforms, date, deadline, and imported baseline are known. **Not ready** - No complete parallel payroll has been reconciled. - Payment, tax, exceptions, access, and support are untested. - The fallback window is unproven. **Result:** Do not authorize exclusive target processing. ## 5. Risk Register | Risk | Impact | Required control | |---|---|---| | Incorrect pay | Employee and financial harm | Parallel payroll and variance approval | | Bank or tax rejection | Late payment or noncompliance | Submission rehearsal | | Missing deductions | Wrong pay | Category reconciliation | | Access failure | Unauthorized change or delay | Role and workflow tests | | Early restriction | No rollback | Preserve supported access | | Contract expiry | Forced cutover | Contingency extension | ## 6. Cutover Runbook ### A. Govern and freeze 1. Name cutover, Payroll, HR, Finance, Identity, provider, support, and logging owners. 2. Freeze nonessential configuration changes. 3. Record authoritative sources and decision authority. 4. Seek written fallback support beyond 15 October. ### B. Rehearse 1. Run a complete production-like parallel payroll. 2. Reconcile pay, tax, benefits, expenses, time, contractors, deductions, and employer costs. 3. Explain and approve every material variance. 4. Validate bank and tax files without releasing live funds. 5. Test joins, leaves, corrections, rejected payments, roles, approvals, integrations, and historical access. ### C. Entry checkpoint Request GO only when: - Variances are approved. - Bank and tax tests pass. - Critical workflows pass. - Support is active. - The old platform is a proven fallback. - Communications are approved. ### D. Execute and stabilize 1. Record the final source checkpoint and population. 2. Apply the transaction freeze and load approved changes. 3. Run calculation and exception reports. 4. Require dual approval before payment and tax release. 5. Monitor files, payments, access, and support. 6. Keep the old platform accessible. 7. Reconcile totals, deductions, expenses, tax, and ledger outputs. 8. Resolve exceptions and observe one complete payroll cycle. ## 7. Command Center and Communications Maintain one log with timestamp, issue, owner, action, and evidence. Prepare messages for employees, managers, Payroll, Finance, support, and providers. State dates, actions, support routes, and limitations. Do not announce completion before validation passes. ## 8. Validation and Acceptance All must pass: - Population and category counts reconcile. - Material variances are approved. - Bank and tax files are accepted. - Benefits, expenses, time, contractors, and approvals pass. - Historical documents are accessible. - Access controls pass. - Payroll, Finance, HR, Identity, and the cutover owner approve. ## 9. Rollback and Contingency **Triggers:** Material unexplained variance, bank or tax rejection, missing employees, critical access failure, or unavailable required records. **Actions** 1. Stop payment and tax release when possible. 2. Freeze target changes and preserve evidence. 3. Restore the approved old-platform path. 4. Reconcile post-checkpoint changes. 5. Process through the last known-good route. 6. Communicate the revised timetable. The old platform is a fallback only when access, support, current data, and authority are proven. ## 10. Retirement and Closure Gate Before read-only conversion or termination, require: - Successful payroll and reconciliation - Critical exceptions resolved - Historical export and retrieval proof - Required corrections complete - Retention and audit access confirmed - Rollback and support obligations closed - Formal approvals Termination and read-only conversion are separate decisions. ## 11. Approval Request and Unknowns **Approve now:** Governance, contract contingency, rehearsal, access tests, communications, and support preparation. **Do not approve:** Exclusive new-platform processing, old-platform restriction, or termination. **Required evidence** 1. Parallel payroll reconciliation 2. Bank and tax acceptance 3. Process and exception tests 4. Access and approval results 5. Historical access and retention plan 6. Provider fallback terms 7. Rollback owners and timing Until these pass, full cutover remains **BLOCKED**.