SKU Sunsetting & Discontinuation Pipeline Template
Sunset SKUs without chaos or guesswork
Use this template to run every SKU discontinuation the same way: start with a data-backed brief, gather approvals, plan sell-through tactics, send the right customer messaging, then retire the SKU in your systems and budget without juggling stray spreadsheets or reply-all threads.
- Score every SKU with the same card template and rationalization rubric
- Expose dependencies and approvals before you green-light a sunset
- Orchestrate sell-through, messaging, and systems updates on one board
- Capture lessons on the same cards so the next rationalization cycle starts informed
Kick off with the SKU Sunset Brief
In the Get Started section, duplicate the SKU Sunset Brief card, fill the SKU, reason, risk notes, replacement option, and last-buy window, then drag it into Evaluate & Score SKUs. Attach your performance scorecard and profitability tab, assign the analyst owning the evaluation, set a due date, and tag Critical dependency or Replacement ready so everyone can see the decision context before the first meeting.
Pro tip: Need to revisit the math? Re-open the card in Evaluate & Score, update the attachment, and the history stays intact.
Run the cross-functional go/no-go review
Move the card into Stakeholder Go/No-Go when you’re ready for approvals. Duplicate the Stakeholder Decision Log template, note the dependencies, capture sign-offs for ops, sales, support, finance, and legal, and link the deck or meeting recording. Apply the Legal review or Pending finance signoff labels so the team knows what’s blocking rollout, then @mention owners inside the card comments to lock in next steps before you advance.
Map sell-through work per batch
Once the decision is green-lit, duplicate Sell-through Action cards for every warehouse batch or channel and drop them in Sell-Through & Inventory Actions. Convert time-sensitive items to tasks, assign warehouse leads, set due dates aligned with your depletion plan, and attach liquidation dashboards or export files so you can audit how many units are left. Tag Inventory cleared when a batch is finished so finance can track reserves.
Prepare customer and partner messaging
Use the Customer & Partner Messaging list to draft communications for VIP buyers, distributors, and support teams. Duplicate the Customer Messaging Draft card to document the audience, promise, incentive, and channel, attach scripts or creative files, and mark Customer notified once the send is complete. Attach partner toolkits, FAQ documents, and support macros directly to the card so every team references the same story when customers ask about replacements.
Shut down systems and close the loop
Drag the work into Systems & Finance Updates to freeze purchase orders, deactivate SKUs in commerce + ERP systems, and record reserves or write-downs. When everything ships, move the cards into Post-Sunset Review, add retrospectives or survey summaries as attachments, and capture lessons plus next-quarter audit actions so your future rationalization cycles start with proven playbooks.
What’s inside
Start-Here runway
A concise primer plus the SKU Sunset Brief micro-template so every decision begins with identical data points and owners.
Evaluation lane
Lists and labels for Evaluate & Score SKUs guide you to duplicate the brief, record scoring criteria, apply finance or dependency tags, and attach scorecards in one place.
Decision and messaging lists
Stakeholder Go/No-Go, Customer & Partner Messaging, and templated cards let you duplicate decision logs, capture approvals, and drop legal copy, VIP scripts, and partner toolkits directly onto the board.
Sell-through playbooks
Task-ready cards show how to bundle, liquidate, or re-channel leftover stock with assignees, due dates, and dashboards linked in attachments.
Systems plus retros
Systems & Finance Updates and Post-Sunset Review lanes make it easy to log ERP shutdown steps, reserve entries, and attach retro notes so the history stays with the work.
Why this works
- Combines SKU scoring, approvals, sell-through, messaging, and systems work so every team follows the same playbook.
- Labels surface blockers like legal, finance, or dependency risks without leaving the board.
- Micro-templates create repeatable cards for briefs, sell-through plans, and customer messaging so nothing starts from scratch.
- Side-by-side lists keep internal approvals next to customer communication drafts, which shortens the time between decision and announcement.
- Post-sunset retros capture lessons and links so the next rationalization cycle gets faster and smarter.
FAQ
How often should we rescore a SKU if leadership hesitates?
Duplicate the SKU Sunset Brief, attach the latest demand and margin pull, and leave both versions in Evaluate & Score so you can compare the trend before the next review.
What if we don’t have a replacement product ready?
Use the Stakeholder Decision Log to capture mitigation steps, then park a Customer Messaging Draft card with timeline, incentives, or service credits so you can keep customers informed even without a one-to-one swap.
Can we capture compliance and legal approvals?
Apply the Legal review label, attach approved copy or contract addenda inside the Stakeholder Go/No-Go lane, and link to any signed letters so the evidence stays inline with the decision.
How do we make sure finance sees every inventory change?
Tag cards with Pending finance signoff and keep Sell-through Action dashboards attached; once reserves are booked, move the card to Systems & Finance Updates and drop a note with the GL reference.