# Ma Deal Workbench Review > Produce a structured JSON deliverable for an M&A deal workbench task — issue register, deviation/position matrix, transition review, committee escalation, or closing/economics package. Use when a task assigns you as buyer-side or seller-side counsel for a named deal (deal_id like PRJ_*), points at a workbench via , and requires a single JSON object conforming to an answer_template.json. - Skill: `prism-shadow/ma-deal-workbench-review` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add prism-shadow/ma-deal-workbench-review` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/prism-shadow/ma-deal-workbench-review/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Productivity - Author: prism-shadow (https://skillmd.com/u/prism-shadow) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/prism-shadow/ma-deal-workbench-review --- # M&A Deal Workbench Review Reusable operating rules distilled from the train tasks. These rules apply to **any** workbench task that names a deal, points at ``, and asks for JSON conforming to an `answer_template.json`. They contain no task-specific final values — fill every value from the live workbench at runtime. ## When to use Trigger this skill when the task: - assigns a side (buyer-side / seller-side / committee counsel) and a `deal_id` (the `PRJ_*` pattern); - references a deal workbench at `` and lists API entry points; - asks for a structured JSON deliverable conforming to `input/payloads/answer_template.json`, with no narrative outside the JSON. ## 0. Resolve workbench access (network config comes from ONE place) - Read `environment_access.md` in the working directory. It is the **only** source for: - the base URL — the `GDPEVO_ENV_BASE_URL` value that `` in the prompt maps to; - the read-only SQL token for `POST /api/query`; - the allow-list of endpoints. - Do not hardcode the base URL or token, and do not invent endpoints outside the allow-list. Re-read this file each run. ## 1. Parse the engagement - **Side** → buyer-side vs seller-side. This selects the playbook (`PB_BUYER_A` / `PB_SELLER_A` pattern — use the exact playbook_id named in the prompt) and the protective direction every term is judged against. - **deal_id** → take it verbatim from the prompt. Never substitute a similarly-named project's records. - **Transaction type** → APA, SPA, or carveout APA (drives which mechanics apply: cap-table/holder allocation for SPA, Section 1060 + transfer-tax + TSA for carveout, etc.). - **Deliverable shape** → read `answer_template.json` first; it defines every required field, enum, and stable ID list. The template is the contract. ## 2. Gather the deal record Pull the records the prompt lists **and** the records the template's fields imply. Minimum set (see `references/workbench_endpoints.md` for what each returns): - deal record + terms, side-appropriate playbook rules, policy thresholds (if committee/escalation); - risk-estimates, employees, consents, material-contracts, regulatory, diligence-findings, benchmarks, cap-table, notes, documents — as the template requires. - Use `POST /api/query` (token from `environment_access.md`) **only** for cross-table joins; it is read-only and secondary to the GET endpoints. ## 3. Compare draft against the correct playbook / policy - Map each current draft term to its matching playbook rule or policy threshold. - Classify with the template's `issue_status` enums: `in_policy`, `out_of_policy`, `missing_required_term`, `draft_exceeds_playbook`, `draft_below_playbook`. - **Draft silence is an issue** when your side's position requires an affirmative provision — record it as `missing_required_term` (e.g., seller needs an escrow release trigger; buyer needs an HSR clearance condition; carveout needs a Section 1060 allocation). - **Exclude distractors** per the task's scope: drop stale, in-policy, or out-of-scope terms unless the task explicitly asks for them (e.g., a committee escalation lists only out-of-policy / restricted terms). ## 4. Quantify from the correct base - Compute dollar amounts from the deal's **headline purchase price** unless a source explicitly states a different basis (upfront cash, identified findings, etc.). - For each issue derive draft vs. preferred vs. fallback amounts/months/percent and the **delta to fallback**. - Use the workbench's risk estimates for exposure low/high ranges and cite the source `estimate_id`. ## 5. Formatting discipline (follow the precision the prompt/template states) - Currency → integer USD dollars. - Percent points → decimal to the precision stated in that task's prompt/template (commonly two decimals; sometimes one decimal or whole points; holder/security percentages may require four decimals). - Months → integers. Dates → `YYYY-MM-DD`. - **Stable source IDs only** — reuse `term_id`, `consent_id`, `contract_id`, `finding_id`, `employee_id`, holder names, and `estimate_id` exactly as the workbench returns them. Never invent IDs. - Every enum and every stable ID must come from the answer template's `allowed_enums` / `possible_issue_ids` / `stable_*_ids` lists. ## 6. Assemble the deliverable - Build one JSON object matching `answer_template.json` exactly: top-level fields, nested objects, and array-element shapes. - Sort as instructed: issues by `issue_id` ascending or by counsel workflow; provide `priority_order` from highest to lowest negotiation priority. - Include the aggregate/summary block the template requires: issue and risk counts, quantified exposure low/high, negotiation deltas, consent/employee/PTO totals, closing-blocker counts, final-position / overall-posture / closing-readiness classification. ## 7. Output - Return **only** the JSON object — no prose, no markdown fences, no commentary. - Validate it parses and conforms to the template before finishing. ## References - `references/workbench_endpoints.md` — endpoint catalog and the fields each returns. - `references/output_cheatsheet.md` — per-field type/precision and enum quick reference.