Free checklist template · Word

Manager Exit Checklist

The manager exit checklist guides a reporting manager through their part of an employee's exit. It focuses on what only the manager can do: the stay conversation, deciding the handover plan, protecting client and project continuity, communicating with the team and starting the backfill.

Editable Word (.docx)
Made for India
4 fill-in fields highlighted
Free, no sign-up

Download Word (.docx) — free

Preview of the checklist

[Highlighted] = fill in

[Company Logo][Company Name]

MANAGER EXIT CHECKLIST

Leaving Employee:: [Employee Name]
Manager:: [Reporting Manager]
Last Working Day:: [Last Working Day]

Within 48 hours of resignation

Meet the employee privately to understand the decision
Inform HR and agree whether a retention discussion is appropriate
Agree the last working day in line with notice terms
Identify business risks from this exit (clients, deadlines, knowledge)

Handover planning

Nominate successor or interim owner for each responsibility
Ask the employee for a written handover document by [Date]
Schedule knowledge-transfer sessions and attend at least one
Collect process notes, templates and SOPs owned by the employee
Confirm location of all files on company drives

Stakeholders and team

Introduce the successor to key clients and vendors
Announce the change to the team with the interim plan
Redistribute workload fairly and review deadlines
Update escalation matrices and contact lists

Access and authority

List approval rights, signing authority and delegations held
Transfer ownership of shared mailboxes, documents and tools
Confirm with IT the access cut-off time on the last day
Withdraw purchase or expense approval limits

Closure

Sign manager section of exit clearance form
Share exit feedback with HR
Raise backfill requisition with job description
Thank the employee in the team meeting

Reporting Manager
[Reporting Manager]
Date: [Date]

Download Word (.docx) — free

What this template includes

First 48 hours: conversation, HR alert, retention decision
Handover planning with successor and deadline
Client, vendor and stakeholder communication
Team announcement and workload redistribution
Review of access, approvals and delegations held by the leaver
Backfill requisition and interim cover
Manager sign-off on clearance and exit feedback

When to use it

A direct report has just resigned and the manager needs a plan
First-time managers handling their first resignation
A key person in a client-facing or critical role is leaving
HR wants managers to own handover quality rather than leave it to the employee

How to customise this template

1Add role-specific items, such as transferring approval rights in ERP
2Set realistic timelines based on your notice period length
3Include your company's backfill approval process
4Share it automatically with managers when a resignation is logged

HR tips

Have the conversation in person before reacting by email
Do not discuss the reasons for leaving with the team; respect privacy
Check for approval limits, signing powers and shared credentials the leaver holds
Thank the leaver publicly at the end; it influences how the team feels

For HR & hiring managers

Experienced and fresher candidates across India — blue, grey and white collar. Post a job in 5 minutes and start receiving applications.

Post a job free See plans

Post in 5 minutesDescribe the role in one line — we write the job description.
Verified applicantsEvery applicant has a verified mobile number.
Resume databaseSearch experienced candidates by skill, city and experience.

Frequently asked questions

What should a manager do when an employee resigns?+

Listen first, inform HR, decide whether a retention conversation makes sense, and then agree a handover plan and successor. Communicate to the team and clients in a planned way.

Should a manager make a counter-offer?+

Only if it is approved and addresses a real issue. Counter-offers that only add money often do not fix the underlying reason for leaving.

When should the team be told about a resignation?+

Once the resignation is accepted and the leaver agrees on the message. A short, positive announcement with the interim plan works best.

All 50 resignation, exit & full-and-final settlement →

[Company Logo][Company Name]
EMPLOYEE EXIT CHECKLIST
Employee Name:
[Employee Name]
Last Working Day:
[Last Working Day]
This checklist helps you complete your exit from [Company Name] smoothly. Tick each item as you finish it and contact [HR Name] at [HR Email] for help.
1. Right after resigning
- Submit signed resignation letter or HRMS request
- Receive acknowledgement or acceptance with confirmed last working day
- Agree the handover plan and successor with your manager
- Request notice waiver in writing, if needed
2. During the notice period
- Prepare a handover note covering tasks, contacts, passwords process and files
- Hold walkthrough sessions with your successor
- Submit pending travel and expense claims
- Clear any salary advance or loan as agreed with Finance
- Submit investment proofs for tax calculation in final salary
- Update your personal email, address and nominee details with HR
Checklist · Word
Employee Exit Checklist
Download .docx
[Company Logo][Company Name]
HR EXIT CHECKLIST
Employee Name / ID:
[Employee Name] / [Employee ID]
Last Working Day:
[Last Working Day]
A. On receipt of resignation (owner: HR Executive)
- Log resignation in HRMS with date received
- Send acknowledgement within one working day
- Inform reporting manager and department head
- Confirm notice period and compute last working day
- Issue acceptance letter after approval
- Raise backfill requisition if approved
B. During notice (owner: HR Business Partner)
- Share notice period guidelines and employee exit checklist
- Issue exit clearance form to employee
- Notify IT and Admin of LWD and access cut-off
- Schedule exit interview
- Collect leave balance and attendance for the final month
- Process notice waiver or extension requests
C. On last working day (owner: HR Executive)
Checklist · Word
HR Exit Checklist
Download .docx

[Company Logo][Company Name]

IT EXIT CHECKLIST

Employee Name / ID:: [Employee Name] / [Employee ID]
Last Working Day:: [Last Working Day]
Ticket No.:: [Reference Number]

1. Hardware recovery

Asset	Serial / Asset Tag	Condition	Recovery (₹)
Laptop and charger	[Serial No.]	[Good / Damaged]	[Amount]
Mobile phone / SIM	[Serial No.]		[Amount]
Data card / dongle / headset	[Serial No.]		[Amount]
Security token / smart card	[Serial No.]		[Amount]

2. Data and email

Back up work files and transfer to [Reporting Manager]
Set auto-reply naming the new contact
Delegate or forward mailbox to manager for [number] days
Transfer ownership of cloud drive files and shared folders
Archive mailbox as per retention policy

3. Access revocation

Checklist · Word

IT Exit Checklist

Download .docx

[Company Logo][Company Name]

EXIT CLEARANCE FORM

Form No.:: [Reference Number]
Date Issued:: [Date]

Part A: Employee Details

Employee Name
Employee ID
Designation
Department
Work Location
Date of Joining
Date of Resignation / Separation
Last Working Day
Type of Separation (Resignation / Retirement / Termination / Contract End)

Part B: Departmental Clearance

Department	Items to Check	Dues / Recovery (₹)	Cleared By (Name)
Reporting Manager	Handover note, files, pending work	[Amount]	[Reporting Manager]
IT	Laptop, accessories, email and system access, software licences	[Amount]	[Name]
Admin	ID card, access card, locker key, parking sticker, mobile / SIM	[Amount]	[Name]
Finance / Accounts	Salary advance, loan, travel advance, expense claims, corporate card	[Amount]	[Name]
Stores / Library	Tools, uniforms, books, safety equipment	[Amount]	[Name]
HR	Exit interview, leave balance, insurance, PF and gratuity forms	[Amount]	[HR Name]

Part C: HR Final Clearance

Form · Word

Exit Clearance Form

Download .docx

[Company Logo][Company Name]

FINANCE EXIT CLEARANCE

Ref. No.:: [Reference Number]
Date:: [Date]

Employee Details

Employee Name
Employee ID
Department
Last Working Day
PAN
Bank Account (last 4 digits)

Amounts Recoverable from Employee

Item	Reference	Outstanding (₹)
Salary advance	[Reference]	[Amount]
Personal / vehicle loan	[Reference]	[Amount]
Travel advance not settled	[Reference]	[Amount]
Cash imprest / petty cash	[Reference]	[Amount]
Corporate card unsettled charges	[Card last 4 digits]	[Amount]
Total recoverable		[Amount]

Amounts Payable to Employee

Form · Word

Finance Exit Clearance

Download .docx

[Company Logo][Company Name]

ADMINISTRATION EXIT CLEARANCE

Ref. No.:: [Reference Number]
Date:: [Date]

Employee Name
Employee ID
Department
Work Location
Last Working Day

Items and Facilities

Item / Facility	Issued (Yes / No)	Returned (Yes / No)	Recovery (₹)	Remarks
Employee ID card			[Amount]
Access / swipe card			[Amount]
Cabin, drawer and locker keys			[Amount]
Parking sticker / pass			[Amount]
Transport / shuttle pass			[Amount]
Canteen card / coupons			[Amount]
Company mobile / SIM (if admin-managed)			[Amount]
Stationery, visiting cards, uniform			[Amount]

Accommodation (if applicable)

Guest house / company flat address
Date of vacating
Inventory checked with employee (Yes / No)
Damages noted
Utility bills settled up to

Form · Word

Admin Exit Clearance

Download .docx

[Company Logo][Company Name]

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER CHECKLIST

Leaving Employee:: [Employee Name]
Successor:: [Successor Name]
KT Period:: [DD/MM/YYYY] to [DD/MM/YYYY]

1. KT Session Plan

Topic	Session Date	Duration	Notes Location
[Core process 1]	[DD/MM/YYYY]	[Hours]	[Link / Folder]
[Core process 2]	[DD/MM/YYYY]	[Hours]	[Link / Folder]
[Tools and systems]	[DD/MM/YYYY]	[Hours]	[Link / Folder]
[Stakeholders and escalations]	[DD/MM/YYYY]	[Hours]	[Link / Folder]

2. Documentation

Step-by-step notes for each core process
Known issues, workarounds and their causes
Recurring calendar: daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual tasks
Reports produced, recipients and data sources
Location of templates, trackers and reference files

3. Tacit knowledge

Checklist · Word

Knowledge Transfer Checklist

Download .docx

[Company Logo][Company Name]
PROJECT HANDOVER CHECKLIST
Project Name / Code:
[Project Name] / [Project Code]
Outgoing Owner:
[Employee Name]
Incoming Owner:
[Successor Name]
Handover Date:
[Date]
Scope and schedule
- Signed scope / statement of work shared
- Current project plan with milestone status
- Change requests approved and pending
- Upcoming deliverables in the next 30 days listed
Commercials
- Budget versus actuals reviewed
- Open purchase orders and pending vendor invoices
- Client billing milestones and invoices raised
- Approval authority transferred
Risks and issues
Checklist · Word
Project Handover Checklist
Download .docx

Manager Exit Checklist

Preview of the checklist

Within 48 hours of resignation

Handover planning

Stakeholders and team

Access and authority

Closure

What this template includes

When to use it

How to customise this template

HR tips

Hire top talent from BetterJobs

Frequently asked questions

Related HR templates