If you’re tired of deals stalling out because “next steps” are buried in emails or lost in Slack, you’re not alone. Mutual action plans (MAPs) are supposed to keep buyers and sellers on the same page—but in reality, they often turn into yet another spreadsheet no one updates. This guide is for salespeople, account managers, and anyone using Recapped who wants to actually move deals forward, not just check boxes. Let’s get into the nuts and bolts of building MAPs in Recapped that people actually use.
Why Mutual Action Plans Matter (and Where Most Go Wrong)
Before we dive into the how-to, let’s be clear: a MAP is only as good as the buy-in you get from your customer. That means the plan needs to be collaborative, not just a to-do list you send over and hope they’ll follow. If you’re just uploading your standard template and calling it a day, you’ll get what you put in—crickets.
What actually works: - Transparency: Everyone sees what’s coming next, so no one gets blindsided. - Shared ownership: Both sides can add tasks and deadlines. (If your plan is just you assigning homework to the buyer, it’s not a MAP.) - Clarity: The fewer vague “TBDs,” the better.
What doesn’t: - Overloading: 50 steps? Forget it. Only include what’s truly needed to get the deal done. - One-size-fits-all: Every deal is a little different. Templates are a starting point, not a crutch.
Step 1: Set Up Your Recapped Workspace the Right Way
Before you start building MAPs, make sure your Recapped account isn’t a mess. This saves you headaches later.
Quick setup checklist: - Double-check your pipeline and stage names. If they don’t match your real sales process, fix them. - Invite your teammates and set permissions—don’t give everyone admin by default. - Connect your calendar and CRM if you want tasks and updates to sync automatically. (This is optional, but saves time.)
Pro tip: Ignore the bells and whistles until you’ve built a basic plan that works for you. Fancy integrations won’t fix a broken process.
Step 2: Start a New Mutual Action Plan
In Recapped, MAPs are at the core of the platform. Here’s how to kick one off:
- From your dashboard, hit “Create New Plan.”
- Name the plan something the customer will recognize—e.g., “Acme & WidgetCo Implementation Timeline.” Skip the internal acronyms.
- Choose a template if you’ve got one, or start from scratch. (Templates are handy, but don’t just copy/paste—edit for the deal.)
What to include in your plan (and what to skip): - Milestones: Big rocks like “Contract Signed,” “Kickoff Call,” “Go-Live.” - Tasks: Specific steps tied to those milestones, who owns them, and due dates. - Resources: Attach relevant docs (SOWs, onboarding guides). Don’t overload with every PDF you’ve ever made. - Comments/discussion: Recapped lets both sides comment on steps, which helps keep chatter organized.
Step 3: Invite Your Customer (and Actually Make it Collaborative)
This is where most MAPs fall flat—they stay internal, or the customer gets “view only” access. Not helpful.
- Click “Share” and invite your customer via email. Set permissions so they can add/edit tasks, not just look.
- On your kickoff call, walk through the plan together. Ask them to flag anything missing or dates that won’t work.
- Encourage your champion to add their own internal tasks (e.g., “Legal Review,” “IT Security Approval”). If they never touch the plan, you’ve lost the collaboration angle.
Honest take: Some customers will never fully engage. That’s life. But looping them in early gives you a fighting chance.
Step 4: Break Down Steps, Assign Owners, and Set Realistic Deadlines
A plan is useless if it’s all “TBD” or if every task is “owned” by your side. Here’s how to avoid that:
- For each step, assign a clear owner—either your team or the customer.
- Set deadlines that reflect reality. If you know legal always takes three weeks, don’t pretend it’ll be done in five days.
- Use dependencies if you like (e.g., “Kickoff Call” only scheduled after “Contract Signed”). But don’t overcomplicate—sometimes simpler is better.
Pro tip: Don’t get hung up on making it perfect at first. Adjust as you learn what works for your customers.
Step 5: Use Comments and Updates (But Don’t Micro-Manage)
Recapped lets you comment on specific tasks or milestones. This is where you clarify, nudge, or update—without email chains.
- Use comments for context (“Legal will review by next Friday”).
- Keep nudges friendly, not naggy. “Just checking in on this” gets old fast.
- Summarize progress in the plan, not in endless status reports.
What to ignore: Automated reminders can be annoying if overused. Use them sparingly, and only when they help.
Step 6: Attach Only the Docs People Actually Need
Attaching every sales deck and asset you’ve ever made just creates noise.
- Stick to what’s truly useful: contracts, onboarding guides, project plans, maybe a key case study.
- Replace outdated docs as things change—don’t leave a graveyard of old versions.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure if something’s helpful, ask your customer. If they don’t use it, drop it.
Step 7: Track Progress (But Don’t Obsess Over Metrics)
Recapped gives you dashboards and analytics on plan engagement—who’s viewed what, who’s behind, etc.
- Use these to spot blockers early (e.g., “Legal review hasn’t started and go-live is in two weeks…”).
- Don’t obsess over vanity metrics. The goal is to get the deal done, not to hit 100% “task completion” for its own sake.
Honest take: If your plan has too many steps, you’ll spend more time updating the plan than actually selling.
Step 8: Rinse, Repeat, and Refine Your Templates
Once you’ve run a few deals through Recapped, you’ll see patterns—what’s always needed, what never gets done, and what customers actually care about.
- Update your templates regularly. Kill off steps that no one ever completes.
- Get feedback from customers and your own team. If something’s confusing, fix it.
- Don’t be afraid to keep things lean. Fewer steps = fewer headaches.
Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them
Let’s be real: mutual action plans get a bad rap because they’re often over-engineered or ignored entirely. Here’s what to avoid:
- Too much detail: If your MAP looks like a project manager’s fever dream, no one will update it.
- Only tracking your tasks: If it’s not collaborative, it’s just a checklist.
- Letting it go stale: Out-of-date plans hurt trust more than help it.
- Forgetting the “mutual” part: Make sure both sides agree on the plan, not just your team.
Keep It Simple—and Keep Improving
A good mutual action plan isn’t about showing off your process. It’s about giving both sides a single source of truth, so nothing falls through the cracks. Start simple, get your customer involved early, and don’t be afraid to trim the fat as you go. The more you use Recapped, the faster you’ll figure out what actually works for your deals.
Now—ditch the spreadsheets and give it a try. If you mess up, tweak it and try again. That’s how real progress happens.