Overview

Branches are used to separate and report on different business units or office locations. They allow firms to segment matter ownership and financial reporting, making them particularly useful for multi-office or multi-entity firms. They allow firms to:

• Segment matter ownership
• Streamline financial reporting
• Support multi-office or multi-entity operations

Branches help align matters, ledgers, and reporting to the correct office or business unit. 

Useful for management, compliance, and performance reporting across offices or entities.

What is a Branch?

A Branch represents an office location or business unit within the firm.

Each Branch is linked to:

• An Office Ledger
• A Client/Trust Ledger
• A set of matters associated with that office or entity

Branches allow separation of financial and matter data while maintaining operation within a single system.

Where Branches Are Used

Branches are applied in multiple areas:

• Matter allocation - assigning matters to the correct office
• Financial reporting - segmenting revenue, WIP, and disbursements
• Client/Trust accounting - ensuring funds are linked to the correct Client/Trust account
• Management reporting - analysing performance by office or entity

Creating a Branch

To create a new Branch:

1. Navigate to Settings → Firm Settings → Branches
2. Click New Branch at the top right of the screen 
3. Enter a name and description
4. Select the Is Default  if this ledger is to be used as the default.
5. Select the relevant ledger for both the Office and Client from the drop-down menus.
6. Enter the Go Live Date and Lock Time Date, and a Payment Clause if relevant.

Clear, descriptive names help with reporting (e.g., "London Office- Corporate Team").

Invoice Sequence Number Configuration

If Not Configured is displayed for Invoice Sequence Number:

1. Click Not Configured
2. Choose a sequence format using the available lozenges
3. Optionally, select a pattern from Commonly Used Patterns
4. Enter the Last ID if continuing from an existing sequence
5. Click Save
6. Click Save on the New Branch Screen
7. A confirmation message will appear briefly when successfully created

The Next ID will automatically populate based on your sequence settings.

Default Branch

• A Default Branch is automatically created
• Linked to the default Office ledger and default Client/Trust ledger
• All matters will use this branch unless another is specified

Always verify default settings before assigning matters to ensure proper accounting allocation.

Reporting by Branch

Branches can be used to segment reporting, including:

• Work in Progress (WIP)
• Disbursements
• Revenue and profitability
• Management, Performance and financial reports

Use branches in combination with reporting tools to analyse office or business unit performance.

Tips & Best Practices

• Create a branch for each physical office or entity
• Use clear and consistent naming conventions
• Ensure the correct ledger is assigned to each branch
• Set a go-live date when introducing new branches
• Use branches for financial and performance reporting