CutoverPlan

A cutover plan is a project management document that governs the transition from an existing system to a new one during a go-live event. It coordinates activities across teams, defines the cutover window, ensures data integrity, minimizes downtime, and specifies rollback procedures.

The plan’s purpose is to provide end-to-end guidance for activating the new system while orderly decommissioning or switching over from the legacy environment. It covers data migration steps, interface cutovers, application startup, user access provisioning, and business process handoffs, along with dependencies and acceptance criteria. Cutover approaches may include a big-bang switchover, a phased rollout, or a parallel operation.

Key elements commonly found in a cutover plan include the cutover window and schedule, task runbooks, data migration and reconciliation steps, shutdown and startup procedures for old and new environments, and the cutover of interfaces and integrations. It also details rollback or back-out procedures, validation and sign-off checkpoints, defined roles and responsibilities, a communication plan, training and support readiness, and post-go-live monitoring.

Process and practice typically involve planning early in the project, with iterative rehearsals and dry-runs to refine steps and timing. On go-live, the plan is executed according to the runbooks, with real-time monitoring and decision points for contingencies. A post-cutover validation confirms data integrity and business continuity. Documentation and audit trails are maintained to support governance and compliance.