New Rep Territory Handover Brief Template
A structured one-document brief for the outgoing rep or manager to complete before a new hire takes over a territory. Covers named accounts, open pipeline, dormant opportunities, landmines, and a 30-day priority list so nothing falls through the cracks on day one.
How to use it
The outgoing rep or manager fills this in before the incoming rep's first week, ideally 5-10 working days before the handover date. The incoming rep reads it before any customer contact, flags questions directly in the document, and uses the 30-day priority list to structure their first outreach plan. If the seat was vacant, the manager completes every section they can and leaves honest gaps rather than guessing.
What's inside
- Territory overview with headcount, segment, geography, and quota context
- Named account table with deal stage, relationship owner, last contact date, and confirmed next action
- Open pipeline register with honest close probability, deal value, and known risks per opportunity
- Dormant account shortlist with revival rationale and suggested re-entry approach
- Landmines section covering difficult contacts, failed pilots, broken promises, and pricing commitments made outside standard terms
- Stakeholder map noting who to call first, who to avoid without context, and who the real decision-makers are
- 30-day suggested priority list with specific names, actions, and sequencing
- Handover notes field for anything that does not fit a structured section
- Completion checklist for the outgoing rep or manager to confirm nothing was missed
How to complete this document
Who fills it in: The outgoing rep. If the seat was vacant or the outgoing rep has already left, the manager completes it. Be honest about gaps. A blank cell with "unknown, needs a discovery call" is more useful than a guess.
When: Complete and share with the incoming rep at least 5 working days before their first customer-facing week.
Format note: Work through every section in order. Do not skip sections. If a section genuinely does not apply, write "N/A, reason:" and give the reason in one sentence.
Section 1: Territory Snapshot
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Territory name / region | |
| Total named accounts in territory | |
| Segment (e.g. mid-market, enterprise, SMB) | |
| Annual quota (£) | |
| Quota attainment at handover date (£ and %) | |
| Current forecast commit for this quarter (£) | |
| Outgoing rep name | |
| Handover date | |
| Manager name and contact |
Section 2: Named Account Register
One row per account. Priority accounts first. Use the status codes below.
Status codes:
- A = Active, in regular contact (within 30 days)
- W = Warm, last contact 31-90 days ago
- C = Cold, last contact over 90 days ago
- N = Never properly contacted
| Account Name | Industry | Annual Revenue (approx.) | Status | Primary Contact (Name, Title) | Last Contact Date | Last Contact Summary | Confirmed Next Action | Next Action Due Date | Relationship Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Relationship notes field: Note anything that matters. Who the champion is, who the blocker is, whether the relationship is personal to you or institutional, whether there has been a change of personnel on their side recently.
Section 3: Open Pipeline Register
One row per live opportunity. Be honest on probability. If you have been sitting on an opportunity that has gone quiet and you inflated the probability to protect your forecast, say so here. The incoming rep needs reality, not comfort.
| Opportunity Name | Account | Deal Value (£) | Stage | Your Close Probability (%) | CRM Probability (%) | Expected Close Date | Key Stakeholders | What Needs to Happen to Close | Known Risks | Any Competitors Involved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Known risks field examples: "Economic buyer not engaged yet", "legal review has stalled for 6 weeks", "they are waiting on a board decision in March", "pricing is £8k above their stated budget and no workaround agreed".
Section 4: Dormant Accounts Worth Reviving
List accounts that have gone quiet but represent a real opportunity if someone picks them up soon. Include a reason and a suggested angle for re-entry. Limit to your top 10. If there are none, say so.
| Account Name | Primary Contact | Why It Went Quiet | Why It Is Worth Reviving | Suggested Re-entry Angle | Suggested Re-entry Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Section 5: Landmines
This section protects the incoming rep from walking into a situation blind. Complete it carefully. Every named failure mode here saves a relationship or a deal.
5a. Difficult or sensitive contacts
| Account | Contact Name | Issue | How to Handle |
|---|---|---|---|
Examples of issues: had a poor experience with our support team, was promised a custom feature that was never built, was misled on pricing by a previous rep, has a personal dislike of our company based on a specific incident.
5b. Failed pilots or proof-of-concepts
| Account | What Was Trialled | When | Why It Failed | Current Status | Can It Be Revived? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5c. Pricing commitments made outside standard terms
List any verbal or written commitments on price, terms, SLA, or contract structure that are not reflected in the CRM or the standard price book. These will surface the moment the new rep sends a quote.
| Account | Commitment Made | When | Who Made It | Is It Documented? | Action Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5d. Other landmines
Free text. Note anything that does not fit the tables above but that the incoming rep would thank you for knowing before they pick up the phone.
Section 6: Stakeholder Map (Top 10 Accounts)
For the ten accounts the incoming rep should prioritise, note the key people. Focus on your top open-pipeline accounts and your highest-value named accounts.
| Account | Name | Title | Role in Buying Process | Relationship Strength (1-5) | Call First? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Relationship strength scale: 1 = no relationship, 2 = aware of us, 3 = willing to take a call, 4 = engaged and responsive, 5 = genuine champion.
Call First column: Yes / No / Not yet. "Not yet" means this contact should only be called after another conversation has happened first. Explain in Notes.
Section 7: 30-Day Suggested Priority List
Sequence the incoming rep's first 30 days. Be specific. Name the accounts and the actions. This is a starting point, not a binding plan, but it should reflect what you would do if you were staying.
Week 1: Orientation and listening
| Priority | Account / Contact | Action | Why This Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 | |||
| 4 | |||
| 5 |
Week 2: First outreach on live pipeline
| Priority | Account / Contact | Action | Goal of the Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 | |||
| 4 | |||
| 5 |
Weeks 3-4: Broader territory coverage and first dormant revivals
| Priority | Account / Contact | Action | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 | |||
| 4 | |||
| 5 |
Section 8: Handover Notes
Anything important that does not fit a structured section above. Use plain sentences. Include context on the market, seasonal patterns, internal relationships that affect this territory, or anything the incoming rep will only find out by accident otherwise.
[Free text, no word limit.]
Completion Checklist
The outgoing rep or manager signs off on this before handing the document over.
- All named accounts in Section 2 have at least a status code, a primary contact, and a last contact date
- Every open opportunity in Section 3 has an honest probability, a known risk, and a confirmed next action
- Dormant accounts in Section 4 include a specific revival angle, not just "worth a call"
- All known pricing commitments outside standard terms are listed in Section 5c
- The 30-day priority list names specific accounts and contacts, not categories
- The manager has reviewed the landmines section and confirmed it is complete
- The incoming rep has received this document at least 5 working days before their first outreach week
- A 1-hour handover call has been scheduled to walk through the document together
A note on honest completion
The value of this document is entirely proportional to its honesty. A 70% probability on a deal that has a 30% chance of closing does not help anyone. A contact listed as "warm" when they have not replied in four months is not warm. Fill this in as if the incoming rep is going to call every person on the list tomorrow, because they will.