Multiple organisations

If your business has more than one legal entity, Capture Expense lets you run either a single organisation or several linked organisations under the same subscription. This article helps you decide which approach is right for you, and explains how to set up multiple organisations if needed.

Choosing your approach

Use the following to help decide which model suits your business.

When to use multiple linked organisations

Consider separate linked organisations if:

• Entities operate in different base currencies (for example, GBP, EUR, or USD). Receipts convert back to each entity's base currency automatically.

• Each entity has its own chart of accounts, VAT codes, vehicle rates, or mileage policies.

• Audit or legal requirements demand clear data segregation.

• Each entity has its own finance controllers or admins who need data kept entirely separate.

Set up a linked organisation

Your first organisation is created automatically when you register. To add another:

1. Go to Setup > Settings > Organisations.

2. Click + Organisation.

1. Enter the organisation name and select its home currency.

2. Choose whether to copy categories, tax codes, tags, and vehicle and mileage rates from the existing organisation, or start with a blank configuration.

3. Select Separate the subscription billing if this organisation needs its own plan. Leave it unselected to keep all organisations on a single bill.

Note: Approval chains can cross entities when required.

When to use a single organisation

A single organisation works well if every entity:

• Shares the same base currency.

• Shares one chart of accounts and GL structure, or you are happy to map different GL codes to each entity's categories.

• Only needs entity splits in reports and exports.

Set up a single organisation for multiple entities

1. Create the organisation.

2. Add a required tag called Entity with an option for each entity (for example, UK, IE, US).

3. Assign each user their entity tag. You can do this in bulk via Setup > People. See Importing users XX.

4. In Categories, assign each category to the relevant entity tag so that users only see categories for their entity, with the correct GL code applied.

5. Configure accounting exports to break out by entity tag.

Mapping different charts of accounts in a single organisation

If each entity uses different categories, you can assign each user their own list of categories by linking the entity to both the user and the relevant categories. Users only see categories linked to their own entity tag, so each entity effectively has its own category list within a single organisation.

Note: Tags themselves are shared across all users and cannot be hidden. Categories can be filtered by tag.

Shared and entity-specific settings

Users and approvals across organisations

Users are created within individual organisations and can only raise expenses in the organisation where they were created. However, a user can be assigned as a line manager across entities, enabling centralised approval processes.

Approvers can approve expenses for users in any linked organisation.